RichUK
2019-07-18 17:37:00 UTC
Then I noticed my radiator was down a couple of inches and as it was at the end of the season I just moth balled the bike until this year.
In Spring I changed the hoses, cap & screw type hose clamps.
That was fine for a couple of runs but then it started leaking again, which must have been the clamps settling on the hoses as nearly all of them took about 1/2 a turn to become tight again.
No visible leaks now.
A couple of weeks ago whilst looking into some other issues I noticed that my reservoir was at MAX (which is where I'd filled it to) but my radiator was down to below fan switch.
So with the cap off I pressurised the reservoir which forced all that coolant in to fill the radiator again, I left the reservoir empty.
I also tilted the bike to the left and it gurgled a bit and the level dropped a little more, so I topped that up.
Until tilting the radiator was dropping while just sitting but after tilting and filling it stopped dropping when left.
A few days ago I had the first ride out since and it pushed a small amount of coolant out into the reservoir, enough to go just up to the MIN marker, but when it cooled it didn't pull it back into the radiator.
That must mean there's still air in the system right?
What should I do now??
Ride again to see if it pumps more out.
Undo the rad cap and top up the level again.
Try to elevate the front end with the engine running and up to temperature (thermostat open)?
Willh
2019-07-18 20:53:00 UTC
No. 47
2019-07-18 21:03:00 UTC
RichUK
2019-07-18 22:09:00 UTC
I suppose with the leaking hose clamp issue air could have gotten drawn back in and thus trapped in there.
So I guess it's time for another ride on the Abba stand.
RichUK
2019-07-22 09:16:00 UTC
Got a little more coolant in and ran the engine until the thermostat opened, topped up again then on with the cap.
Result!
As the engine cooled it started to suck back from the reservoir.
Gonna do it again today whilst it's still on the stand just so I can see how much it pushes out when up to temp.
Plus I've got to change the bearings in the rear sprocket carrier so not in a rush to take back off the stand.
RichUK
2019-07-22 12:01:00 UTC
RichUK
2019-07-26 07:41:00 UTC
Went out for ride yesterday and it was hot.
1st stage (up to the first stop off) the coolant went up to just over the MIN marker on the res, which is as it did last time when testing in the garage.
2nd stage involved more traffic initially (multiple fan events) and then a spirited ride on back roads home.
Got home and tank is now up to MAX, checked this morning and it's still at MAX.
Took the rad cap off and air is drawn in and the radiator is down a couple of inchs again so I guess there wasn't enough vacuum to drawn the coolant back in - rats!
So I'm thinking it can't have been fully burped.
I guess I can't get it high enough on just the ABBA stand. I'm gonna have to rig something up using a ramp and my van to ensure the front wheel really is over 50 cm (ABBA stand got it to only 45 cm difference I think), and then go through the whole bleeding process again.
RichUK
2019-07-28 17:16:00 UTC
Started and idled to fan switching on and left to cool - level didn't change.
Took her for a run today which was a good test, lots of traffic, lots of fan events. Temperature gauge was above half & sometime 3/4 way up the bars.
The res is now at MAX it isn't dropping as the engine cools.
Engine luke warm so just took the cap off and there might have even still been pressure in there!
There is trace of something on the surface when I shine a torch in the radiator filler, could be oil but could also just be crap, almost like dust.
Anyway, I'm now thinking it has to be a head gasket... what else could cause this?
Soo pissed off with this bike at moment..
No. 47
2019-07-29 09:54:00 UTC
Seems it only blows into the coolant when the engine is hot, and the hotter it gets more it does it.
Also the engine need to be under load, idling doesn't seem to do it, or maybe idling does do it but it's happening so slowly that it not noticeable until after several hours of riding.
RichUK
2019-07-29 11:37:00 UTC
Willh
2019-07-29 13:34:00 UTC
Vid starts when the engine is up to temperature and thermostat opened, before that it was pretty calm in there apart from a few little bubbles.
https://youtu.be/tan5EuPyqkc
Is this normal for an SD that has air trapped or is it as I'm fearing?
RichUK
2019-07-29 13:49:00 UTC
RichUK
2019-07-29 13:57:00 UTC
Post missing.
Willh
2019-07-29 14:00:00 UTC
Post missing.
Willh
2019-07-29 14:03:00 UTC
RichUK
2019-07-29 14:14:00 UTC
RichUK
2019-07-29 14:38:00 UTC
Willh
2019-07-29 14:56:00 UTC
RichUK
2019-07-29 15:14:00 UTC
If there is coolant in the oil than you most definitely have a problem. Look in the tank. Dip and see what the oil looks like.
When I burp I get the wheel easily over a meter in the air,( wheelie), then top up and all is good. Set level in reservoir to slightly higher than minimum on cold engine. Done.
RichUK
2019-07-30 14:27:00 UTC
Post missing.
RichUK
2019-07-31 07:23:00 UTC
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/BT-3-BLOCK-C ... 0005.m1851
Motogoon
2019-07-31 18:18:00 UTC
This is what got me to this conclusion:
I re-bled the system and did good job this time. With the engine running and thermostat open (bike still on ramp) the coolant was calm in the radiator opening, it just got hot and steamed a little - all good.
I put the cap on and let it cool and the reservoir level dropped - I was optimistic.
Today I let the bike idle until the fan kicked in, took note of the reservoir level then left the bike to cool, the level dropped again - really optimistic now.
Took her for a spirited ride and pulled over to inspect, reservoir level higher than before now but as I didn't have the rad shrouds on I could see the whole side of it, and there were bubbles in there - shit..
Left her to cool (desk fan to speed this up), reservoir level didn't drop. Took the rad cap off to see if it had dropped and there was pressure in there, so much that it spat some coolant out.
So I have a small leak, one that only really shows up when the engine is under load, or only leaks enough to make a difference when the engine is hot & loaded.
Either-way I think that is proof positive now.
Bike to be mothballed now, will look at it in October as I should have time for this then.
RichUK
2019-09-12 08:23:00 UTC
Post missing.
RichUK
2019-09-21 17:35:00 UTC
That gunk from the engine breather wasn't there when I last cleaned the filter back in April this year!
To be fair the engine has recently done a fair amount of short test runs, had extended idling to the fan and then switched off, and also been run with the front in air a few times. So this could just be pretty extreme but normal condensation, or it could mean coolant is entering the cylinder. The oil in tank looks fine btw.
Will look further into this tomorrow.
Plan is pull the spark plugs and see what they tell me - probably nothing.
USB endoscope - gonna have a look in both cylinders for signs of coolant ingestion, or even just wet in there.
Leak down test - that'll be the final test to see if I can narrow down which cylinder is the problem.
Wish me luck!
RichUK
2019-09-22 15:36:00 UTC
At just 60 psi applied I could see the coolant level in the radiator filler rising.
I went up to 80 psi on the front and saw no level change so I'll just change the rear head gasket.
Kind of bitter sweet really, at least I know now what is wrong but it also means I now know what I have to do.
Front spark plug looked drier than the rear, rear had oily threads.
USB endoscope - not much help but the rear piston looked wetter than the front but both looked to be wet around the edges, probably just reflective carbon build up.
So I now have a few question but I'll start some fresh threads now.
RichUK
2019-10-09 13:04:00 UTC
RichUK
2019-10-09 13:33:00 UTC
Mine would be holding pressure in there when cold, so would hiss when the cap was removed, it could even burp out coolant if it hadn't been run for long since filling.
Basically once filled & bleed it would push out coolant whilst running until the system stabilised. This happened until the coolant level in the radiator was down about 3 inches.
At that point the bubbles of leaked exhaust gas could collect at the top of radiator and leak out every time the pressure gets high enough.
I did one test run without the side fairings on and it was then that I could see air bubbling up through the coolant overflow tank, that's when I knew it had to be a head gasket.
Scotty
2019-10-20 10:55:00 UTC
I replaced the rear head gasket and now the coolant tank hardly moves. It drops a little on cold mornings and raises a little when the engine is very hot but no huge swings in the fluid level anymore and the reservoir breather pipe is now dry after a run.
RichUK
2019-10-21 08:55:00 UTC
Well done Rich
nampus
2019-10-21 10:38:00 UTC
My local (and cheapest) KTM dealer quoted me 3 days labour plus parts to investigate and repair, which I estimate would have resulted in a bill of at least £1800, so I'm pretty happy I managed it myself.
I also got other jobs done whilst in there (the valve clearances and also put new sparkplugs in), plus some cleaning of parts you can't normally get at as I plan to keep this bike for while yet.