Loosing coolant help.

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shammon
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Loosing coolant help.

#1

Post by shammon »

Hi all.

My 1977 Goldwing has some issue with radiator water overflowing into the coolant reserve bottle after warming up, more so quicker after riding a short distance, I check the radiator level and need to top it up constantly. I think its putting out all the fluid I loose via the coolant reserve overflow pipe.
I have tried several things and verified the following

1- I have Replaced the radiator cap. Solid seal no leaks.
2- I have Replaced the Thermostat.
3- No white smoke evident out exhaust.
4- Pipes and radiator flushed out no blockages.
5- No leaks from radiator or pipes inc those under carbs.
6- No leaks from pump housing or associated area around it.
7- Idles fine when stationary and no leaks evident and no spitting out of water from coolant reserve. Only seems to be when bike is ridden under load and its heated up.

I originally noticed the bike gurgling after I stopped and turned engine off and the coolant reserve water over the bike from the out put tube.
So question is I think the water pump is not circulating the water round the system and hence the water is heating up and overflowing is this a fair assumption to make?

Thanks
Shammon
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pidjones
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Re: Loosing coolant help.

#2

Post by pidjones »

Make sure the tube in the overflow bottle is connected to the pipe to the radiator, not to the pipe to the ground. It can easily be connected up backwards. And, check that the internal tube leads near, but not all the way to the bottom.
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Re: Loosing coolant help.

#3

Post by ericheath »

I had a similar situation, and tried what you have. It turned out to be the the filler neck and especially the cap clamping area was bent just enough to seal without much pressure but release earlier than the 13(?) psi it was supposed to. I was able to carefully flatten the top back and it held. It was visible if you positioned your head and sighted across the part the cap seals on.
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5speed
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Re: Loosing coolant help.

#4

Post by 5speed »

another thing it may be is a leaking head gasket. A buddy just went thru this with his 1200. No white smoke, no oil in the coolant or coolant in the oil but he was losing coolant. He checked everything short of pulling the head and kept an eye on the coolant. The gasket eventually let go completely and then it became very evident. lol
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Sidecar Bob
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Re: Loosing coolant help.

#5

Post by Sidecar Bob »

Yeah, I had a similar problem with the CX a few years ago. In my case I kept finding little puddles under the overflow hose but the level in the coolant recovery tank didn't look too high (it hangs on the sidecar body next to the fairing in plain sight). One day I was doing something in the garage after I returned home and a minute or so after I shut it off I heard a gurgle and a splat and there was the puddle and the tank was full.
It turned out to be a head gasket that had a really tiny leak, enough to slightly over pressurize the cooling system once I shut the engine off and it was no longer cooled by moving through the air but not bad enough to prevent coolant from being sucked back into the cooling system as the engine cooled down.
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Re: Loosing coolant help.

#6

Post by Fred Camper »

I had an upper radiator hose connection at the radiator that sealed hot but opened a leak when cold. So it would pull in air and not the coolant in the overflow. Tightened the connection at the radiator and all was well again.
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shammon
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Re: Loosing coolant help.

#7

Post by shammon »

Thanks all.

I recon its the head as everything else is ok :-? I rebuilt the engine about 4 years ago but looks like its that time again to split it to repair. I think the issue was not original Honda head gaskets but aftermarket used.

Thanks
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Sidecar Bob
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Re: Loosing coolant help.

#8

Post by Sidecar Bob »

Ummmm..... If it is a leaking head gasket you don't need to split the engine, just remove the head with the offending gasket.

But it is never fun to find out you fixed the wrong thing so I would recommend testing to confirm if it is a gasket and if so which one before you start taking it apart.
Information about how I tested for leaking head gaskets on my 'Wing here (same procedure I used to find out which of the CX's head gaskets was leaking a few years before that)
viewtopic.php?f=1&t=73408
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Click: Colour schematics for all GL1000 & GL1100 and GL1200 standard models plus instructions on how to download the full size version
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Re: Loosing coolant help.

#9

Post by pidjones »

And, you don't even have to remove the carb rack to swap head gaskets. Just remove shelter sides, pull the air cleaner up, unbolt the carbs from the heads and bungee them up out of the way. don't forget the bolt at the bottom between the exhaust ports, and make sure you check both the head and block flat before bolting back.
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1976 Yamaha RD400c
1978 GL1000 with '75 engine - the Hunley
Ex 1978 GL1000
Ex 1979 GL1000
Ex '79 CB750F rat bike
Ex '86 SEi
Ex '77 GL1000
Ex '76 RD400
Ex '72 Penton 125 set up for flat track
Ex '73 RD250
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Sidecar Bob
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Re: Loosing coolant help.

#10

Post by Sidecar Bob »

I didn't even tie up the carbs. Taking things apart starts in post #28 of the thread I linked above. With the sidecar I had to jump through a few more hoops before I started following the steps laid out in the FSM but by post #32 you start seeing pics of what I didn't have to remove. With the carb manifolds removed the carbs weren't in the way and I saw no reason to remove the elbows from the heads so I left them on and saved a couple of small gaskets.
Note: Mine is an 1100 so some of the details are different but AFAIK you should still only have to disassemble as far as I did.
Mr. Honda ('83 GL1100/Dnepr) summer How a motorcycle evolves thread
The Famous Eccles ('84 CX650EI/VeloUral) winter Never Ending Build (CX500forum)
Click: Colour schematics for all GL1000 & GL1100 and GL1200 standard models plus instructions on how to download the full size version
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Re: Loosing coolant help.

#11

Post by Rat »

Check your plugs after a ride … if it’s a head gasket, one or more of your plugs will look ‘stream cleaned' …

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