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12-09-24, 07:53 AM | #1 |
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Nagging doubts
Alternative title: "Get a grip!"
Briefly: knocked the SV over a couple of weeks ago, punctured one radiator hose (now replaced) and bent radiator brackets, pushing rad 1 inch to left (now straightened). Since then I've ridden approx 150 miles. Coolant level in reservoir normal, coolant level in rad normal, coolant temp normal (I've never seen it go above 3 bars and I've never heard fan come on in 8 years). So, why do I have a nagging feeling that the radiator has a leak? On my return from one 35 mile ride, there was liquid on the left side of the tank, just above/behind the rad (on the plastic trim, if you're familiar with Gen3). I wiped it off before my brain thought: "where did that come from?" Roads were mostly dry apart from a couple of small wet areas extending no more than 100 ft. Could that be the liquid source? Possibly but it was extremely localised if so. On 2 subsequent rides no more liquid has appeared. You know how coolant feels in your fingers? Slimy is the best way I can describe it. I wiped the top of the rad with isopropyl alcohol so it was squeaky clean but yesterday I noticed it was slimy again. There are no drips anywhere. Obviously, the best way to resolve this would be a pressure test but that means either buying a kit or taking it to a dealer. This is how I understand the cooling system: it's a sealed, pressurised system running at approx 15 psi. If pressure gets too high coolant is expelled into remote reservoir and as it cools coolant is drawn back into system. If I did have a rad leak, the system wouldn't be able to push/pull coolant and rad coolant level would gradually drop. It hasn't done that so either my understanding is wrong or I don't have a leak. Why do I think of these things when I'm trying to sleep?
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2016 SV650AL7 2023 GSX-8S |
12-09-24, 09:30 AM | #2 | |
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Re: Nagging doubts
Quote:
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12-09-24, 10:28 AM | #3 |
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Re: Nagging doubts
Too much coolant in the expansion tank?
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12-09-24, 12:42 PM | #4 |
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Re: Nagging doubts
Pleased to hear you're cancer free Bibio!
I think it's a case of too much worrying. I need to get a grip or as my friend said: "just ride it!" I just did another 60 odd miles this morning and no sign of any liquids where they shouldn't be.
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2016 SV650AL7 2023 GSX-8S |
12-09-24, 01:02 PM | #5 |
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Re: Nagging doubts
If you do want to pressure test the system just connect a foot pump to the radiator overflow pipe. I test my old car like this but am careful to keep the pressure at sensible levels as obviously the radiator cap cant lift! Also open the cap afterwards very slowly as although not hot the pressure trapped in their can make the coolant shoot out....
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12-09-24, 01:13 PM | #6 |
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Re: Nagging doubts
I had same problem with mine after first coolant change. Too much in expansion bottle. As you said a cppl rides later and it all settled down. Now i only fill half then top up.
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12-09-24, 01:55 PM | #7 | |
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Re: Nagging doubts
Quote:
Hope it's all good.
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