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View Full Version : Much a do about nought..or not???


Sheila
22-10-06, 10:17 AM
Just thought I'd share my little mishap on Saturday with you all. Had a quick run into the city centre and back.. no worries aside from some jerk who found it amusing that I was struggling a bit to get my bike backward over the cobbles in the mid parking strip in George street... consequently I gave in to the anger (with a no.97 emoticon.. if you must know!) :twisted: Not to mention some deliberate over reving of the engine as I finally took off. :roll:

Anyhow getting to the point.. I was back home now and parking the bike up. Just as I turned the front forks to the side to lock it I happened to notice a little bit of what looked like smoke coming up from down the left hand fork side and I could see it at the level of the handle bar. What the ....? Don't tell me my bike is on fire?? :shock: :pale: God what am I gonna do?.. :smt100 where's Colinbal4 when you need him?? I ask??? :lol: :lol: :lol: .. Sorry m8 but the rumour has started already I'm sure!! And who's fault is that.. I wonder?? Kilted?! :roll:

Seriously but.. So I try to rationalise all this.. lets see the "smoke" is only very very slight and wait.. its been raining a lot lately.. is that really smoke or is it steam?.. Much sniffing.. and much looking at it.. oh okay its fine its only steam!! Phew! Mmm but still why steam up the front fork?? Further investigation finds there's a relatively large patch of water on the outside of the radiator..mmm :smt017 Why?? Its as if someone chucked a cup of water on it.. Still having a blonde moment!! :smurfin: There was nothing wrong with the temperature when I was riding it.

Stranger in the street comes to my rescue :batman: .. are you okay he says? I'm thinking to self.. that depends who you ask.. but hey can you help?? So he has a look at it and says well maybe the water came from inside your fairing? Agh yes it could've collected in there in all that rain yesterday when I left it uncovered..( tisk tisk I hear you all say!! ) and then its spilt out onto the radiator as you've cornered. Yeah alright I think I can relax now. :smt015 But if anyone thinks any different.. please shout?..

mattSV
22-10-06, 11:15 AM
Hi Sheila

Doesn't sound like anything to worry anout. I have found that a hell of a lot of water seems to collect on the radiator fins from the front wheel - my SV1000 always steams a lot when I stop in heavy rain ,and when I put it on the side stand the water then just ****es of the radiator and leaves a puddle on the floor

HTH

Matt

K
22-10-06, 11:22 AM
... when I put it on the side stand the water then just p*sses of the radiator and leaves a puddle on the floor

HTH

Matt

That's just your bike marking it's territory. :P

Sheila
22-10-06, 11:22 AM
Are you sure????!! I've just gone downstairs to start cleaning it and that wet patch is still there and.. strangely there is a **** load of oil in the viewing circle I haven't even started the bike yet???? This is unusual!!! Now I'm really scared.. :help:

Law
22-10-06, 11:28 AM
I think your bike's ok. Just been out for a ride in the rain and when I stopped steam was rising up through the yoke area. Mine smelt a bit of Scottoiler protector spray......erm....pants....I haven't used that for a while.... :?

Sheila
22-10-06, 12:40 PM
Another passer by who says he's an engineer says the water thats sitting on the front of the radiator tastes funny so could be coolant in it and if thats case then there could be pin hole in the radiator and hence water coming out. Also says I should be very concerned about large amount of oil being in sump like that especially since its cold. Goin to ring Cupar me thinks?? :?


.....No answer..left message.. still stressing! :twisted:

Blue Flame
22-10-06, 01:40 PM
Have you looked at the water level to see if it is between min and max to determine if you are losing any :?:

Sheila
22-10-06, 01:43 PM
No its okay.. oil level that is.. just had to start the bike for it to shoot around the engine properly and with engineer m8 back at the scene again we checked the level after a few minutes and is fine. Still appears to be water leakage in radiator.. probably pin hole thats causing it. I know what ya thinkin.. oh what a drama queen.. but I love my bike and couldn't bare for anythin to go wrong with it. :oops:

Sheila
22-10-06, 01:55 PM
Have you looked at the water level to see if it is between min and max to determine if you are losing any :?:

Good point.. well I'm really :oops: :oops: embarrassed now. Where am I looking for this level?? My manual doesn't seem to indicate where this is.. or am I just not reading it right?

Hang on.. coolant level is fine, and can feel water in the hose leading to radiator so seems fine. When you say water level do you mean coolant? Or is there another guage somewhere I am missing?

Law
22-10-06, 02:03 PM
Have you looked at the water level to see if it is between min and max to determine if you are losing any :?:

Good point.. well I'm really :oops: :oops: embarrassed now. Where am I looking for this level?? My manual doesn't seem to indicate where this is.. or am I just not reading it right?

Hang on.. coolant level is fine, and can feel water in the hose leading to radiator so seems fine. When you say water level do you mean coolant? Or is there another guage somewhere I am missing?

There a coolant resevoir left hand side under the tank. you can see it through the frame. check level when upright.

HTH

Sheila
22-10-06, 02:18 PM
[quote=Blue Flame]Have you looked at the water level to see if it is between min and max to determine if you are losing any :?:
There a coolant resevoir left hand side under the tank. you can see it through the frame. check level when upright.

HTH

Many thanks.. but yep did that already and its slightly above the full level even. Is there a separate water level to the coolant level or is that all I needed to check??

Law
22-10-06, 02:35 PM
I don't think so. According to the Haynes manual the reservoir is the only thing to check for the coolant/radiator system, engine has to be cold, on level ground.

The radiator fins do hold a lot of water from rain etc. When I wash the bike water flows from the radiator into a big patch. I guess it's that. Have you moved it to another dry place and checked if it leaks more?

Sheila
22-10-06, 02:45 PM
Big thanks!! :grouphug:
Thats a relief coz I'm about to go out on it. The water patch I mentioned was not on the ground its on the radiator itself if that makes sense (on the front face) seems to be seeping out from the fins. At top its a thin bit then gradually is a bigger patch toward the base of the radiator in one big area.. whereas the rest of radiator is dry. Hard to explain.. you'd need to see it. Don't have time to do photo thing just now. Will see what happens when I go down the road a bit maybe it will dry out? I'll not be going too far and will take it easy.. I'm sure its all fine we'll see..

Law
22-10-06, 02:55 PM
I think I know what you mean, there's a film of water over the radiator fins at the bottom left hand corner.

I washed my bike on the paddock stand and my radiator didn't dry out, after a day I put onto it's side stand it leaked loads.

You're right, a ride should get some air flow throught the radiator to dry it out, keep an eye on the temperature if you have a pointy.

Sheila
22-10-06, 08:52 PM
keep an eye on the temperature if you have a pointy.

Ha ha. I mean that is a joke right?! Though I don't quite get it coz I thought you had a black pointy?..Had problems yourself? What happend to your avatar by the way??! :shock:

The wee run did the trick.. by the time I got to my friends place other side of Edinburgh city it was already pretty much all dried out. Phew.. had a very big feeling I was worrying for nothing. :roll: :oops: Yep I always keep an eye on my temperature gauge.. its kind of a habit really.. and so yeah no worries at all. Well I live and learn.. My bike and I are slowly gettin to know each other! 8)

colinbal4
22-10-06, 08:54 PM
Sorry m8 but the rumour has started already I'm sure!!

:? As per the instructions in Northy's signature - I'm putting up my hand.

Sheila
22-10-06, 09:47 PM
Sorry m8 but the rumour has started already I'm sure!!

:? As per the instructions in Northy's signature - I'm putting up my hand.

Oh good.. no rumours likely then..or have I started them now? :roll:

stuartyboy
23-10-06, 01:09 AM
99% sure its the the fins relieving themselves...

Once you get your lowers it's hardly noticeable. :D

Tiger 55
23-10-06, 10:54 AM
There a coolant resevoir left hand side under the tank. you can see it through the frame. check level when upright.


Wow, so there is! Not that I didn't believe you or anything, I've just never seen it :oops:

Luckily the level is OK, about halfway between F and L, whatever the hell L stands for...

I had this exact same drama last week but used an absolutely foolproof solution I learned from Sam Malone (yes, the character in Cheers):

"Ignore the problem, it'll go away." :D :D

Kilted Ginger
23-10-06, 11:32 AM
where's Colinbal4 when you need him?? I ask??? :lol: :lol: :lol: .. Sorry m8 but the rumour has started already I'm sure!! And who's fault is that.. I wonder?? Kilted?! :roll:


As per the instructions in Northy's signature - I'm putting up my hand.

I'll quite happily take the blame for starting the rumour :-$ if someone will tell me what it is :wink:



:scratch: Heads over to stand beside colin with his hand in the air.

Quedos
23-10-06, 12:55 PM
Rumours - what rumours ( and it doesn't involve Northy!:shock: )

Come on spill this sort of stuff make these forums juicy!! \:D/

Tiger 55
23-10-06, 03:23 PM
Well, the way I heard it was that Sheila and Duck-man were out dancing which made Stuartyboy jealous because he wanted to get her phone number and take her out for dinner and have the last dance with her just like old times and Kilted Ginger thinks Sheila is dark and slim and he talks about her with Colinbal4 who Sheila is always smiling at...

stuartyboy
23-10-06, 03:28 PM
I agree completely!

laughed my erse aff there!

Kilted Ginger
23-10-06, 07:23 PM
Well, the way I heard it was that Sheila and Duck-man were out dancing which made Stuartyboy jealous because he wanted to get her phone number and take her out for dinner and have the last dance with her just like old times and Kilted Ginger thinks Sheila is dark and slim and he talks about her with Colinbal4 who Sheila is always smiling at...

:smt046 :smt044 :smt043 :smt042
:winner:

Brilliant, well sumarised, Tiger, do you work for the news of the world?? :wink:

colinbal4
23-10-06, 07:31 PM
Well, the way I heard it was that Sheila and Duck-man were out dancing which made Stuartyboy jealous because he wanted to get her phone number and take her out for dinner and have the last dance with her just like old times and Kilted Ginger thinks Sheila is dark and slim and he talks about her with Colinbal4 who Sheila is always smiling at...

Well it certainly became much a do about nought, but I come off OK in that version :wink: so I think we'll keep it... cut... it's a wrap!

Sheila
23-10-06, 08:20 PM
Phew.. thought I was in trouble for a second there.. :o
Ofcourse I was only avin a laugh.. "Is she avin a laugh???" :smt042 Please take everythin I say wi a pinch a salt.. especially anything about my bike.. :wink:

stuartyboy
23-10-06, 08:23 PM
Did I come off worst? :?

Sheila
23-10-06, 08:28 PM
Did I come off worst? :?
:lol: :lol: .. you've never come off av ya?? :wink:

Law
25-10-06, 05:41 PM
keep an eye on the temperature if you have a pointy.

Ha ha. I mean that is a joke right?! Though I don't quite get it coz I thought you had a black pointy?..Had problems yourself? What happend to your avatar by the way??! :shock:


:? I just didn't know whether you had a pointy or a curvy, curvy's have no temp guage.

Yep, I have noticed my radiator tends to keeps wet until it heats up and evaporates the water away.

I kinda like changing my avatars a lot. ;) :lol:

Sheila
25-10-06, 08:40 PM
:? I just didn't know whether you had a pointy or a curvy, curvy's have no temp guage.

:shock: NOoooo WaaAaaaY!!..... Me thinks you are :^o !!

I kinda like changing my avatars a lot. ;) :lol:

So I see.. thats' a good un! Reminds me of something I haven't done yet. :roll:

Law
25-10-06, 09:24 PM
:? I just didn't know whether you had a pointy or a curvy, curvy's have no temp guage.

:shock: NOoooo WaaAaaaY!!..... Me thinks you are :^o !!


Is that me lying about me knowing if you have a pointy or me lying that curvy's have no coolant temperature gauge :?:

Sheila
26-10-06, 12:52 PM
Is that me lying about me knowing if you have a pointy or me lying that curvy's have no coolant temperature gauge :?:

#-o ..Sorry! I meant you lying/joking about curvys having no temp guage.. a little search in google and it seems you weren't kiddin! :shock: Thank goodness I'm a pointy owner then!!.. :D Can't imagine not being able to check temp.

stuartyboy
26-10-06, 01:04 PM
I love my temp gauge. :smt055

dirtydog
26-10-06, 01:20 PM
the curveys don't have a temp guage but they do have a little red light :roll:

Duck-man
26-10-06, 02:18 PM
Well, the way I heard it was that Sheila and Duck-man were out dancing which made Stuartyboy jealous because he wanted to get her phone number and take her out for dinner and have the last dance with her just like old times and Kilted Ginger thinks Sheila is dark and slim and he talks about her with Colinbal4 who Sheila is always smiling at...


hahahahah!!

LOL!!

Very impressive!! hahaha!!