Boiling coolant
- Nessus
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Boiling coolant
Here's the problem...
My brother has bought himself a GSXR1000 ex-superstock race bike. The engine sounds good, and it pulls really well.
However........
When the engine starts to heat up, coolant comes spewing out of the expansion tank. Turn the engine off, let it cool, and the coolant retreats back into the engine. The engine temp never gets any higher than about 70 degrees, though
Due to the fact that the thermostat and radiator aren't getting too hot, but the engine block obviously is, my initial thought is that the water pump may have gone, or there may be a blockage in the coolant system (there was some crap in the coolant system, apparently). The head gasket is another possibility, but the water seems to be coming out far too violently for that to be a realistic cause of the problem - the oil seems to be free of contamination, as well.
Anyone got any other thoughts???
My brother has bought himself a GSXR1000 ex-superstock race bike. The engine sounds good, and it pulls really well.
However........
When the engine starts to heat up, coolant comes spewing out of the expansion tank. Turn the engine off, let it cool, and the coolant retreats back into the engine. The engine temp never gets any higher than about 70 degrees, though
Due to the fact that the thermostat and radiator aren't getting too hot, but the engine block obviously is, my initial thought is that the water pump may have gone, or there may be a blockage in the coolant system (there was some crap in the coolant system, apparently). The head gasket is another possibility, but the water seems to be coming out far too violently for that to be a realistic cause of the problem - the oil seems to be free of contamination, as well.
Anyone got any other thoughts???
- IZINBARD
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The radiator is getting slightly warm, but nowhwere near as hot as the engine block itself, which is what led me to think that it could be the water pump or a blockage in the coolant system, although the thermostat is an optionShrek wrote:If it was the head gasket the Radiator would still be heating up... I would have thought
- IZINBARD
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- IZINBARD
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Well funnily enough it was an ex-shoelace mechanic who helped him fix it this evening :I can't believe it's not butter!metallninja wrote:Ah, the Shirl@ws technique.
The cause of the problem is a real bobby dazzler......
There are 2 pipes going into the top of the radiator - one from the thermostat, the other is the return from the radiator cap to the expansion tank (used to stop the system from over pressuring).
Whatever eejit had last re-connected the coolant hoses had routed the exit from the thermostat straight to the expansion tank (instead of the radiator), so that as soon as the coolant got hot enough to open the thermostat, it was all directed staight back into the expansion tank. Easily fixed
If I were him, I'd be checking every inch of that bike with a fine tooth comb before it goes anywhere near a racetrack.....
- dale123
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Sorry Dale, it wasn't a racer he bought it off. It was an ex race bike that someone had used it as a trackday bike for a couple of years before selling it.
He's not racing this year, I reckon it'll be next year before he starts. The Scottish Sport Production Championship looks like what he wants to do.
He's not racing this year, I reckon it'll be next year before he starts. The Scottish Sport Production Championship looks like what he wants to do.
- dale123
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