Stuff coming out of radiator hose

[McLovin]

hmmmm....
could using drinking water be a culprit?
did you use water from the tap or distilled water?

ive read that tap water can lead to corrosion and more quickly deplete the anti corrosion properties in the original coolant.
from my understanding using tap water may lead to rust.

By drinking water I meant bottled water only. A very experienced friend advised me this when I first got my bike so I dont doubt his advice.

 

[McLovin]

Ok, so i should first say thank you to everyone for chipping in. And Im trying to keep up with the terminology here so bear with me if I dont get what youre saying right away.

Here is a pic of the spot:

 

[McLovin]

Im starting to think..maybe some bee family really liked my freakin radiator hose and decided to accumulate honey there and nothing is leaking...

 

[Motogiro]

Im starting to think..maybe some bee family really liked my freakin radiator hose and decided to accumulate honey there and nothing is leaking...

That was my first thought when I saw that pic! Hahaha! :rof:

 

[McLovin]

Check this out, this guy describes the stuff i have on my hose!

Oil Catch Tank - What's it for and should I be worried if I have fluid in it. : KawiForums.com Kawasaki Forums: Kawasaki motorcycle forums

 

[RJ2112]

Im starting to think..maybe some bee family really liked my freakin radiator hose and decided to accumulate honey there and nothing is leaking...

Thanks for the photo.... that helps with figuring this out, I think.:cheer:

The picture seems to show the hose is not coming straight off the radiator outlet pipe.... looks like it's attached at an angle. '****ed' is the term.

That makes it more likely that there is some potential for a gap between the hose, and the metal of the pipe the clamp is supposed to apply pressure to.

If there has been a leak there, the catch bottle would show the loss, if it's been going on for a while.

AFTER the bike has cooled off.....

I would suggest that you loosen the hose clamp, and make sure the radiator hose is shoved ALL the way onto the outlet pipe, and is 'square' to the pipe.

The clamp is supposed to cinch down the pipe, between the radiator body, and the flared part at the outer tip of the pipe. The way this looks to me, the clamp is going diagonally across the flare.... that will leave the gap, that allows the slow leak.

Once you reposition the hose, and properly clamp it in place, go ahead and open the radiator, and ensure it's full.

 

[McLovin]

I remember that the pipe was always at an angle like that..i never thought anything of it since everything worked perfectly. I think you have a good point. I will do this tonight. :cheer:

Thanks for the photo.... that helps with figuring this out, I think.:cheer:

The picture seems to show the hose is not coming straight off the radiator outlet pipe.... looks like it's attached at an angle. '****ed' is the term.

That makes it more likely that there is some potential for a gap between the hose, and the metal of the pipe the clamp is supposed to apply pressure to.

If there has been a leak there, the catch bottle would show the loss, if it's been going on for a while.

AFTER the bike has cooled off.....

I would suggest that you loosen the hose clamp, and make sure the radiator hose is shoved ALL the way onto the outlet pipe, and is 'square' to the pipe.

The clamp is supposed to cinch down the pipe, between the radiator body, and the flared part at the outer tip of the pipe. The way this looks to me, the clamp is going diagonally across the flare.... that will leave the gap, that allows the slow leak.

Once you reposition the hose, and properly clamp it in place, go ahead and open the radiator, and ensure it's full.

 

[RJ2112]

If the pipe inside the lip of the hose has been getting wetted on a regular basis for a while, there's a good chance there is some surface rust on the pipe.... It would be a good idea to take a wire brush to that, after you've taken the hose free of the rad pipe.

Once it's buttoned up correctly, the pipe's metal should not be exposed to air, so the rusting should stop.....

 

[wolfc70]

Um, you need some form of coolant in the cooling system. You are experiencing galvanic corrosion from the dissimilar metals in the cooling system. Coolant protects against corrosion, hence why it needs to be changed every two years. If you are running plain water, it should be changed weekly. I know some racers that only use water, but it is because their engines are constantly being pulled out of the car.

Also, coolant raises your boiling point. Plain water at 15 PSI boils around 230-240F. Add 50/50 water and coolant and that goes to 265F.

The water jackets in the head are very thin. (I had a porous head casting, and trust me, there is not much metal around the jackets). You may well be on your way to eating though the cooling jackets in the head. This acidic water could also eat though your head gasket.

I would go to an auto parts store and by a radiator/ cooling system flush. Flush the cooling system multiple times. I would then pull the radiator and make sure it is clean inside. If in doubt by a new one. Replace all the hoses since they have been exposed to improper chemical reactions. Re fill the system with the proper coolant (Prestone all makes, all models works just fine) and run the bike for a few hundred miles. Then drain the radiator and refill will 50/50 mix. Do this several times through out the summer and you should be able to stop the reaction. The drain and refill the coolant every two years.

The lesson here is never, ever just run plain water in a closed loop cooling system. Coolant does more than just offer freezing protection, do not neglect it!

EDIT: Also, always, always used DISTILLED WATER! Normal tap or bottled water contains minerals, which can coat and stick to metal surfaces, reducing heat transfer. So a 50/50 mix of coolant and distilled water is the only way to go.

 

[TownsendsFJR1300]

+1 on the above. Also, if the hose was not on fully (as stated earlier), you'd get some seepage which would run down on the header causing the smell.... It would get burned off and not leave a puddle.

Its my understanding that besides protecting the metal parts inside the engine, the anti freeze also provides lubrication for the water pump/mechanical seal..

 

[wolfc70]

Check this out, this guy describes the stuff i have on my hose!

Oil Catch Tank - What's it for and should I be worried if I have fluid in it. : KawiForums.com Kawasaki Forums: Kawasaki motorcycle forums

A milky caramel colored stuff in the oil catch can is normal. Oil vapor and moisture vent from the crankcase and collect in the can. That is 100% normal, especially when riding in cooler or humid climates/weather.

It is not normal for coolant to be that color. Google "Dex Cool sludge" and you will see what I mean.

 

[04fizzer]

Um, you need some form of coolant in the cooling system. You are experiencing galvanic corrosion from the dissimilar metals in the cooling system. Coolant protects against corrosion, hence why it needs to be changed every two years. If you are running plain water, it should be changed weekly. I know some racers that only use water, but it is because their engines are constantly being pulled out of the car.

Also, coolant raises your boiling point. Plain water at 15 PSI boils around 230-240F. Add 50/50 water and coolant and that goes to 265F.

The water jackets in the head are very thin. (I had a porous head casting, and trust me, there is not much metal around the jackets). You may well be on your way to eating though the cooling jackets in the head. This acidic water could also eat though your head gasket.

I would go to an auto parts store and by a radiator/ cooling system flush. Flush the cooling system multiple times. I would then pull the radiator and make sure it is clean inside. If in doubt by a new one. Replace all the hoses since they have been exposed to improper chemical reactions. Re fill the system with the proper coolant (Prestone all makes, all models works just fine) and run the bike for a few hundred miles. Then drain the radiator and refill will 50/50 mix. Do this several times through out the summer and you should be able to stop the reaction. The drain and refill the coolant every two years.

The lesson here is never, ever just run plain water in a closed loop cooling system. Coolant does more than just offer freezing protection, do not neglect it!

EDIT: Also, always, always used DISTILLED WATER! Normal tap or bottled water contains minerals, which can coat and stick to metal surfaces, reducing heat transfer. So a 50/50 mix of coolant and distilled water is the only way to go.

Water at sea level (1atm~14.7psi) boils at 212.

 

[RJ2112]

Water at sea level (1atm~14.7psi) boils at 212.

The 15 PSI radiator cap acts like a pressure cooker..... the water/fluid in the cooling system is not operating in a sea level environment.... effectively, it's at 2 atmospheres.

Same reason KFC can make 'fried rat' so quickly......

 

[04fizzer]

The 15 PSI radiator cap acts like a pressure cooker..... the water/fluid in the cooling system is not operating in a sea level environment.... effectively, it's at 2 atmospheres.

Same reason KFC can make 'fried rat' so quickly......

Well then which is it? 15psi, or 2 atmospheres? 2atm is ~29.4psi. 15psi is just barely over 1atm (1.02).

 

[wolfc70]

Well then which is it? 15psi, or 2 atmospheres? 2atm is ~29.4psi. 15psi is just barely over 1atm (1.02).

The cap allows pressures above atmosphere. So a 15 psi cap is 15 psi above atmospheric pressure, since it is sealed from the atmosphere. Same principle applies to inflated tires, compressed air in a tank, well pump tanks, etc. The pressure is in the contained system.

 

[RJ2112]

Well then which is it? 15psi, or 2 atmospheres? 2atm is ~29.4psi. 15psi is just barely over 1atm (1.02).

Which is it? Yes. Both.

As far as the boiling point of the liquid in the system, it's at nearly 30 psi. The 15 of the cap, plus the outside local atmospheric pressure.

At sea level, that would be roughly 29.7 lbs (inside the cooling system).

In Denver...... it would be lower. The system would still maintain itself at a regulated 15 psi over the local atmosphere; but if that outside pressure drops, the overall pressure drops equally.

If you put this system on the moon, in a vacuum..... theoretically, it would maintain 15 psi internal to the system..... and the coolant would boil at roughly 212° F.

 

[McLovin]

 

[Jblk9695]

The question still remains, did ya fix it

Jerry

 

[RJ2112]

I remember that the pipe was always at an angle like that..i never thought anything of it since everything worked perfectly. I think you have a good point. I will do this tonight. :cheer:

So..... did this fix the problem?!?!?!

 

[urbanj]

Everything you read in psi is gauge pressure (psig) unless specifically stated as absolute (psia) which would include atmospheric pressure. 15psig is 29.7psia at sea level. splitting hairs really.