Radiator Problem

[GaryZ]

I left a trail of coolant coming home yesterday. Flashlight exam showed the stuff bubbling out of the front of the radiator!

 

Can this radiator have the core replaced?

[dingy]

You will probably be better getting a used one. Pinwall has them all the time.

 

A radiator shop may be able to resolder, haven't ever had need to check on this.

 

Gary

[Snaggletooth]

I had some issues with my '84 a couple years ago. I pulled the radiator and took it to a local radiator shop to have checked. Pressure tested fine and found no leaks. The service manager was impressed with the quality of the thing. He was more impressed that it came off a 25 year old motorcycle. I had him give it a dip just for the heck of it and put it back on. Been fine ever since.

 

My problem turned out to be a flaw in the upper hose that was spraying coolant straight through the core making it look like a failure in the radiator.

 

So with that info I'd say it would be fine and worth it to have it repaired. But like Dingy said there are a lot of used ones out there for fair prices. That would be the less expensive way out.

[skydoc_17]

Hey Gary,

I have a good Radiator from an 87'VR if it would help.

PM me.

Earl

[oldgoat]

yep sky doc-17 set me up with a good radiator. mine leaked on the upper top right by the cap. found out it was the little pipe thing that the over flow hooked up to. after putting on skydoc,s and some good used hoses i got the bike back on the road. and the old radiator was fixed by a local shop here for $15 bucks. so i have a spare as well. the man said he never saw such a good looking radiator for as old as mine was. and it just looked like someone pinched that little pipe. he straigtened it out put a small nail in it to reopen it up for the hose and did some kind of weld and pressure tested it. so the old one is now good as well.

[Marcarl]

If your rad doesn't see nay road salt it should last for a long time, that's why I wash my vehicles in the winter,,, just to get the road salt off of the rad.

[scottbly]

I have one from an 83 and one from an 84 I can give you cheap. Shipping plus a six pack. PM me if you as are interested.

[GaryZ]

Well, I had the radiator flushed and pressure checked . . . No leaks.

The problem has to be one of the hoses behind the cap, just like two responses here!

 

Another issue may have raised its head;

I found oil drops the size of quarters and nickels in my coolant, and the shop said they found oil in the radiator. The small amount suggests to me that oil may have dripped into the cooling gallery around the cylinders when I did the valve job.

 

Comments?

[dingy]

Having the valve covers off only would not open up the cooling side. Heads have to be pulled or coolant bypass tube damaged from right & left side in each head.

 

Gary

[GaryZ]

Having the valve covers off only would not open up the cooling side. Heads have to be pulled or coolant bypass tube damaged from right & left side in each head.

 

Gary

 

Gary,

I did a Valve Job.

Media blasted the heads, new stem seals, lapped the valves, and new gaskets

[GaryZ]

Update on the coolant leak;

Installed the radiator with new top and bottom hoses (cut from O'Reilly part number 21432). Replaced the small hose that goes to the overflow tank. Ran it up until the cooling fan kicked in. No visible leaks. I am planning on a shake-down ride on Sunday.

 

[dingy]

Gary,

I did a Valve Job.

Media blasted the heads, new stem seals, lapped the valves, and new gaskets

 

My bad, I thought you meant checked the valve clearance. If you pulled heads, then complete motor was on bench, you might have got oil in there.

 

None of the actual head work would cause coolant/oil mingling, but getting there would.

 

Heads correctly torqued?

 

Were the joint bypass tubes in good shape and new o-rings? You had to pull these to pull heads.

 

Next likely suspect would be water pump mechanical seal.

 

Another possibility would be the 'Twinkie', not sure of the official name. Lays on block in the upper 'V' area. Couple of special o-ring molded gaskets and a few regular o-rings.

 

Gary

[GaryZ]

My bad, I thought you meant checked the valve clearance. If you pulled heads, then complete motor was on bench, you might have got oil in there.

 

None of the actual head work would cause coolant/oil mingling, but getting there would.

 

Heads correctly torqued?

 

Were the joint bypass tubes in good shape and new o-rings? You had to pull these to pull heads.

 

Next likely suspect would be water pump mechanical seal.

 

Another possibility would be the 'Twinkie', not sure of the official name. Lays on block in the upper 'V' area. Couple of special o-ring molded gaskets and a few regular o-rings.

 

Gary

 

New by-pass tubes and o-rings.

You are the second one to suggest the water pump seal. Thanks

[GaryZ]

Update on the coolant leak;

Installed the radiator with new top and bottom hoses (cut from O'Reilly part number 21432). Replaced the small hose that goes to the overflow tank. Ran it up until the cooling fan kicked in. No visible leaks. I am planning on a shake-down ride on Sunday.

 

Update II:

Rode the beast on a couple of errands yesterday. Stop-and-go city and a run to the north side of OKC.

No leaks

Thinking back on symptoms that may have slipped under my radar;

The bike has been 'gurgling' when shut off. It isn't doing it now.

The noise was probably a bad overflow hose!

 

On the road again . . . I'm on the road again