busakillerzx12r
Expert Class
Posts: 234
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posted October 19, 2004 12:17 PM
Radiator Help
Ok guys help me out here... i wheelie the hell out of my 12R and recently broke the top mount off of the top of the radiator. So, I drained the anti-freeze and got the tabs welded back on and now im ready to go..?? So i filled the radiator back up with fluid and now i was getting antifreeze spray down my fairing and found the top radiator hose was leaking...fixed that. Now for some reason my overflow is filling all the way up with coolant??? it would be at the high mark or a little below, then all the sudden after a day of riding its all the way full up the sight glass...what the hell is going on??? Any info would be great. could my pump be shot???
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BusakillerZX12R
  
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Zaphod Breeblebox
Expert Class
Posts: 117
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posted October 19, 2004 12:58 PM
I think the first thing you need to do is "burp" the cooling system.
With the bike cold and the level in the overflow bottle at the low mark, remove the radiator cap and start the bike. As the bike warms and the coolant circulates, squeeze and/or tap any visible radiator tubes to purge air bubbles from the cooling system. Let the bike get good and warm while you do this. You may lose a little fluid from the top of the radiator; no big deal. Replace the cap, continue to run the bike for a few minutes. Turn off the bike and check the overflow bottle - add coolant if necessary.
Check the level in the overflow bottle for the next couple of days. You may need to add a bit more. In any case, don't allow the level in the overflow bottle to drop to the point where the cooling system is sucking in air. This causes the antifreeze to degrade and can gum up your cooling system.
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Zaphod
Y2K ZX-12R
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Canadamaxxer
Pro
Posts: 1090
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posted October 19, 2004 01:02 PM
There have been some guys with partial blockages of their overflow hoses, and also guys with small holes in the radiator that have had the same problems. Since you just had the rad repaired, I would suggest that you recheck the rad for pinholes...just in case. There are adapters available to use automotive pressure testers on our tiny rad necks. Fill the system completely, and pressurize to 13-15psi. I'm willing to bet that you still have a hole (probably right at the top of the core). Your water pump is most likely fine (unless there is some real symptom to indicate that it has failed).
Just to be on the safe side, check the routing of the overflow hose and also confirm that it flows freely in both directions. The only other thing I can think of is a huge air bubble as a result of a loss of coolant. The air bubbles can be a bit of a bitch to get out.......
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Zaphod Breeblebox
Expert Class
Posts: 117
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posted October 19, 2004 01:08 PM
Definitely got air trapped in there. That's the only thing that could explain all the expansion you're getting.
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Zaphod
Y2K ZX-12R
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Canadamaxxer
Pro
Posts: 1090
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posted October 19, 2004 02:28 PM
Zaphod: Air doesn't neccesarily have to be trapped in the system (air lock). Air being a smaller molecule than the solution of water and antifreeze can be sucked into the radiator through a crack or pinhole in the radiator or overflow hose during the contraction of the coolant during cooldown. Then the next time the system is warmed, the air is mixed with the coolant and in most cases as the coolant expands again, forces coolant into the overflow bottle. The other possible (but unlikely) source of a high overflow bottle is combustion gasses from either the head gasket or a crack in the block or head. The bottom line is that busakiller has just had a radiator failure....let's confirm that the rad is repaired perfectly as well as the routing and condition of the overflow hose before we get too worried. I will agree that these bikes can be a pain in the ass to get the air out of, but there will always be air in the system with an airleak present.
I just thought of another thing I have seen before: a piece of the foil used to seal the coolant bottle somhow falls to the bottom of the overflow tank and at times will cover the hole in the bottom of the bottle.....lots of fun to find!! Intermittant high coolant level in the overflow in addition to intermittant overheating. That can really look like a blown head gasket!!!
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busakillerzx12r
Expert Class
Posts: 234
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posted October 19, 2004 05:58 PM
The bike doesnt stay as cool as it was went i bought it new the needle is always in the middle for some reason. Mostly one click below the middle but it does like to stay around the middle mark a lot. Now that I think about it the top rad tube is where it was leaking coolant from. right as the tube comes out of the rad thats where it was cracked at. maybe i still have a leak because it still get a liitle spray down the fairing on occasion's. I bet thats where the air is comming from....what do you guys think??
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BusakillerZX12R
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Zaphod Breeblebox
Expert Class
Posts: 117
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posted October 19, 2004 06:14 PM
Canadamaxxer - good point, and well taken.
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Zaphod
Y2K ZX-12R
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