Author Topic: Can't keep coolant in overflow bottle (Read 4344 times)

Oesterj18 · « **on:** September 10, 2014, 12:11:19 PM »

Just pick up my first R. It needed rings, so I just put a 310 kit on...... Just got threw the process of breaking it in on Monday, yesterday jetting it.

Ever since the first ride during break in, it just empties the overflow tank right out the top hose on to the ground every time I ride it. No leaks, don't smell any in the exhaust, don't see anything on the plug, and I was able to get it jetted just fine. The radiator has never been low, just empties the tank! Any ideas?

Pumashine · « **Reply #1 on:** September 10, 2014, 12:27:49 PM »

If you set the coolant level to the bottom mark L for low it should only rise about 1/2" to the F or full mark

C-Leigh Racing · « **Reply #2 on:** September 10, 2014, 12:38:46 PM »

The radiator will vent coolant into the catch tank normally once the engine is hot, but if the system is closed, meaning no leaks anywhere like the head gaskets or coolant jacket of the cylinder or head, once the engine is cold & started back up, that coolant vented into the catch tank will be sucked back into the radiator.

Do you fill the catch tank ?.
If you do then you dont need to do that because that tank is only to catch vented coolant blown out of the radiator.
Its kinda hard to see the catch tank emptying completely out, because the in coming coolant would be coming into the tank at the bottom hose connection & then the over flow of coolant once the catch tank is full would vent out from the cap.
Unless that catch tank is being filled with a constant air pressure, coolant shouldnt be venting out unless the tank is being over filled.

Try this, start by emptying the catch tank, fill the radiator completely & leave the cap off. Now start the engine & watch the coolant down in the radiator. If the coolant has just a lazy kind of swerling around, everything about the water pump & cylinder is ok, but if the coolant is all jumping around & agitated, good chance you hav a head gasket leak & compression is being flown out into the coolant jacket & radiator.
That catch tank is like a little tattle tail, if coolant goes into it when the engines hot & then sucked back into the radiator when the engine cold & started back up, everythings ok, but if it fills up & blows coolant out, you know you have a problem because the tank just told you.

Next thing to do, is a pressure test on the cooling system, just like the test you do to check for air leaks on the engine.
Neil

Oesterj18 · « **Reply #3 on:** September 10, 2014, 01:00:21 PM »

Thanks, I'll try those checks and let you know.

pinned250r · « **Reply #4 on:** September 10, 2014, 01:05:50 PM »

You don't have the overflow tube on the bottom and the tube from radiator on the top do you?

Oesterj18 · « **Reply #5 on:** September 10, 2014, 01:08:25 PM »

No the hoses are correct and new, I understand how this system works. I'm almost thinking a o-ring moved at the last second before I dropped the head down

C-Leigh Racing · « **Reply #6 on:** September 10, 2014, 01:26:36 PM »

Quote from: Oesterj18;42554

No the hoses are correct and new, I understand how this system works. I'm almost thinking a o-ring moved at the last second before I dropped the head down

That could have happened, real easy & has happened to me before.
I try to twist the inner o ring backwards with my thum & finger, as I hold it down with my other hand where its seated down in the groove, so when I press the other part of the o ring in the groove it twist itself on down into the groove. Works most of the time, but some can be a bugger to keep down in the groove.
Seen where some have used grease to hold it in the groove, has never worked for me though.
Neil

Oesterj18 · « **Reply #7 on:** September 10, 2014, 01:48:54 PM »

So before I dug into this too far I thought I would try the old radiator cap and just see what it did.......the overflow level hasn't changed at all. I've been beating on this thing for an hour or on the sand right now. All this because of a brand new radiator cap! Crazy!

PORTED R · « **Reply #8 on:** September 10, 2014, 09:58:43 PM »

I currently have a bad radiator cap aswill
I thought I had a bad oring ,didn't smell it from.exhaust ,even rechecked my head orings ,not torn
Came down to a 25+ year old cap not holding pressure from cold to hot

Remember the system has pressure from start up to full operating temp

C-Leigh Racing · « **Reply #9 on:** September 12, 2014, 01:35:46 PM »

Well b dog, radiator cap.
Was probably getting hot & pushing the coolant out.
Quite a few years back, built my rider a engine, went to the race & it seized at 3 laps into practice. Come to find out me or him either one thought to check the cap after break in & it was loose & ran the engine hot. Lesson learned though.
Neil

Oesterj18 · « **Reply #10 on:** September 12, 2014, 01:59:03 PM »

Been running it hard out here past couple of days, everything's good. Crazy what a wrong cap will do. Thanks for all your help though guys

ytman · « **Reply #11 on:** September 12, 2014, 11:33:14 PM »

Those are beautiful virgin faces in front of you. I like flipping back and forth on those little ridges way up in the top right corner of the pic.

Hawaiiysr · « **Reply #12 on:** September 13, 2014, 12:44:14 AM »

Simple thing to check. I gotta remember this one if I ever run into cooling issues.

Them dunes look awesome. One day I hope to ride me some dunes.