I'm overheating but I've got plenty of coolant..

[silentRVF]

Hey guys,
Just went for a 10min ride after installing my full Tyga system and my temperature gauge was reading about 80-90% (wasn't sitting in traffic at all).. Limped home and checked my coolant.. It was sitting on the 'lower' level, but that wouldn't have caused it, would it? (I filled it up to the Upper level anyways)

After installing the exhaust I re-connected the hose that I had disconnected properly, and I just checked and it isn't leaking from anywhere.. The line from the coolant reserve to the radiator looks fine..

Anything else that could cause it..?

Cheers

[hannakournikova]

Try replacing radiator cap with new one. Solved the issue from someone here

[silentRVF]

Cheers mate but it's only started happening after I put the new system on.. Just started the bike again after topping it up with coolant and after 10-15 minutes of just sitting in the garage idling it was at about 90% on the temp. gauge again..

I actually thought it was funny that it leaked a heap of coolant all over me (got about a litre sitting in a bucket, plus some more on the floor) yet the reserve coolant was still on the lower level.. It obviously isn't getting from the reserve tank into the actual radiators.. I'll pull the hose off that goes inbetween the radiator and the reserve and see if the holes are blocked or anything..

Meanwhile, any tips to solving this problem?.. Does it work like a vacuum or should gravity just pull the fluid down into the radiator when the radiator is empty?...

Cheers guys

[code2006]

Cheers mate but it's only started happening after I put the new system on.. Just started the bike again after topping it up with coolant and after 10-15 minutes of just sitting in the garage idling it was at about 90% on the temp. gauge again..

I actually thought it was funny that it leaked a heap of coolant all over me (got about a litre sitting in a bucket, plus some more on the floor) yet the reserve coolant was still on the lower level.. It obviously isn't getting from the reserve tank into the actual radiators.. I'll pull the hose off that goes inbetween the radiator and the reserve and see if the holes are blocked or anything..

Meanwhile, any tips to solving this problem?.. Does it work like a vacuum or should gravity just pull the fluid down into the radiator when the radiator is empty?...

Cheers guys

If u r replacing the coolant u have to bleed the air out

On my rvf the water wasn't getting to the radiator from the reserve and it didn't over heat.
On the rvf the reserve coolant bottle is connected to the top radiator were the cap is. Take the cap off, take the small pipe off and try putting a small drill bit though the hole to clear it. Worked for me

[silentRVF]

The hose is fine, and the pipes that the hose connects to are fine as well (coolant flows from the bottom of the reservoir, and the pipe at the top of the radiator isn't blocked..) but it looks like the radiator isn't sucking coolant from the reservoir..


I guess a temporary fix will be just taking the radiator cap off and filling up the coolant from there.. Although I'll have to guess how much I should put in, because I didn't drain the radiator completely..

[silentRVF]

If u r replacing the coolant u have to bleed the air out

On my rvf the water wasn't getting to the radiator from the reserve and it didn't over heat.
On the rvf the reserve coolant bottle is connected to the top radiator were the cap is. Take the cap off, take the small pipe off and try putting a small drill bit though the hole to clear it. Worked for me

Hey mate,
I cleared the hole just then.. Should the radiator suck coolant back in from the reservoir only when the bike is running? If so, does it need to build up pressure first or should it do it straight away?

Thanks

[code2006]

Ok make sure engine is cool
Take radiator cap off
Turn engine on and rev to about 4-5k
U should be able to c the coolant go down and back up when u stop. If it doesn't do that my guess would be your water pump is not working

[Neosophist]

If the bike gets hot enough that coolant goes into the expansion tank it should get drawn back into the radiator when it's cooling down.

Always have the expansion bottle set to the max mark.

Top up the radiator itself from the filler cap on the rad.

If you've messed with it you have to bleed the air as been said.

Run the bike with the rad cap (not the expansion bottle, forget about that) off.

Let it warm up to about half way.. this will open the thermostat on the bike.

Now, snap the throttle to 5000rpm and let it return to idle, do this 4 times, hopefully no more bubbles should come out on the 4th try, if they do, squeeze the lower rad and snap the throttle 4 more times.

Turn off the engine and let it cool down.

Top up the radiator and replace the cap.

Water boils at a higher temperature when under pressure. If your getting a lot of coolant coming out into the expansion bottle and the bike has been bled properly your rad cap might not be sealing / holding pressure.

[silentRVF]

OMG Neo I just saw you were online and was hoping you'd chime in, and then I saw your post

Alright, thanks for the advice..

So fill the radiator to the very top, and then run it with the rad cap off until it measures and rev it a few times?.. Should I see the air bubbles at the top of the radiator (where the cap goes)?

My radiator cap has a few small cracks in the rubber so will get a new cap.. But for the meantime I need to ride the bike first thing tomorrow morning so need to get this fixed now..

[Neosophist]

If the rubbers cracked it might not seal properly, if it doesn't seal properly it'll just keep venting coolant into the bottle until it overheats when it gets warm.

Bleed it properly first.

And yes, when the coolant is about half way temp snap the throttle with the cap off, dont worry about any coolant comnig out of the top of the rad, it might leak a little as its full.

When its cooled down you'll find the level might have dropped where the air was, so just top it back up full and replace the cap