Cooling issues

2207 Views 33 Replies 6 Participants Last post by Tuffy1982, 7 d ago

Tuffy1982

Discussion Starter · 18 d ago

I have a 2015 with 15k miles that recently had some overflow coolant under it when I got to work. After work I started it let it warm up to check it and the HI temp showed up, I shut it off, waited for it to cool & rode it home on the highway with no issue until I stopped at home then again the HI temp came on. I thought it was the thermostat so I replaced per the dealers recommendation but when I checked the old in boiling water it opened. I put the new one in anyways since I had it, as I started it there was kind of a whining noise coming from the right side kinda down by the water pump housing. I don’t remember this weird sound before, but could a water pump go out at 15k? I got the bike up to temp hands kicked on at 225 (or so) bike cooled back down to 195 with no issues. Sorry for the long story but my question is about the water pump or any other ideas you might have. Thanks guys.

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Whooshka

· #2 · 18 d ago

Done any other maintenance to the coolant system lately? Checked the antifreeze level? Maybe the system needs to be burped.

Intuit

· #3 · 18 d ago

2

Temp has to get 250 or above before it'll show 'Hi' ?

Are you sure it's overflow and not a leak? If it leaks and gets low it will overheat.

If the radiator cap is bad it might not be replenishing from the reservoir like it should.
Also make sure that the radiator sealing surfaces for the cap are free from debris.

If there's a leak it may be sucking air back into the system as it cools. (it's easier to suck in air versus push out fluid)

Too much water in the coolant mix with a bad radiator cap and it'll boil over easily.

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Tuffy1982

Discussion Starter · #4 · 18 d ago

There were no leaks, I put the new one in did the fill like everyone says to do it & each time Fan kicked on at 219 the bike hit as high as 240 but then started to cool down to lower temperatures. So I think either that old thermostat wasn’t working properly in the bike or I got an air pocket in there somehow and that caused it. Can it just get an air bubble in the system out of no where? I think the noise was just my paranoia so there’s that!

thanks for the responses much appreciated.

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RaYzerman

· #5 · 17 d ago

If it is working normally now (old thermostat is back in??), you maybe had low coolant in the rad? What was the level when you first opened it (before draining)? At any time was the overflow reservoir low/empty and someone topped it up?
I can only think the reservoir was low at some point, sucked in air. One could also follow the hose from the reservoir, if misrouted, it runs near the exhaust and over time might deteriorate. Any hole in it would be the same as low reservoir. Have to take left fairing off to check.

Water pump is a pretty simple device, impeller shaft supported by two bearings, fairly robust....... In any event, after changing coolant and going through a couple of hot/cold cycles, rad should be filled if the air bubble was minor. Easily checked, just open the rad cap when cold, verify level...... top it off if need be and problem usually solved. Top off reservoir to the max line (shouldn't take much) and ride on.....

Tuffy1982

Discussion Starter · #6 · 17 d ago

RaYzerman said:
If it is working normally now (old thermostat is back in??), you maybe had low coolant in the rad? What was the level when you first opened it (before draining)? At any time was the overflow reservoir low/empty and someone topped it up?
I can only think the reservoir was low at some point, sucked in air. One could also follow the hose from the reservoir, if misrouted, it runs near the exhaust and over time might deteriorate. Any hole in it would be the same as low reservoir. Have to take left fairing off to check.

Water pump is a pretty simple device, impeller shaft supported by two bearings, fairly robust....... In any event, after changing coolant and going through a couple of hot/cold cycles, rad should be filled if the air bubble was minor. Easily checked, just open the rad cap when cold, verify level...... top it off if need be and problem usually solved. Top off reservoir to the max line (shouldn't take much) and ride on.....

Rayzerman, I did put the new one in since i I had it already but when I originally opened it the rad was down a little ( I could still see the water) but the res was way above the full line which is not where I had it. After I put in the new thermostat I filled rad up & I filled the res up to just above the full line. Ran to temp & did this 2x until the rad didn’t need water. The bike never over heated it got as high as 240 but fans were already on and then it started heading back down. I think it is good to go I’ll find out as soon as I put it back together. The old thermostat opened in boiling water so it either wasn’t working right out I had an air bubble in the system originally. Either way we’ll find out soon.

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Intuit

· #7 · 17 d ago

I goofed when I typed my reply earlier. What I meant to say is, during cooling, it's easier to suck in air versus suck in fluid from the reservoir. A prior car did this to me after I made the mistake of concentrating a car wash jet spray in one spot on the radiator long enough to rapidly cool just that one spot. The car had been idling for awhile so it had time to heat up pretty good prior to hitting it. That rapid uneven cooling created micro fractures in the metal that expanded over repeated hot/cool cycles. So about a week later I shut the car off and heard a wet sucking sound coming from the front of it. Investigating I noticed the radiator was sucking in air. There was but a tiny bit of fluid there. Since I hadn't had to add any and the reservoir wasn't near low, so it wasn't (yet) pushing out much fluid at all. As it heated up the crack kind of sealed itself. That got worse over time to the point that it leaked fluid and required replacement.

The point is, if you keep getting air in the radiator, there may yet be a leak somewhere. If the radiator was painted, sand the paint off the ports. The paint creates sealing issues with the hoses once it gets old enough to begin breaking down.

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Tuffy1982

Discussion Starter · #8 · 16 d ago

Back to the drawing board: got it all back together let it run a good long time & the temp gauge hit “HI” again. I filled the coolant up to the top of the rad & the res is just above full so not sure what’s up. I ask the question, I came out today after letting it sit overnight & when I took off the rad cap there was pressure built up in it & it overflowed a little (caught me off guard) is this normal? Could I still have an air bubble in it or could the water pump be bad? No leaks around the water pump area though.

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Intuit

· #9 · 16 d ago

Tuffy1982 said:
........... came out today after letting it sit overnight & when I took off the rad cap there was pressure built up in it & it overflowed a little ...........

Wow so it was left overnight and the first thing you did was take off the cap?

Cap is supposed to allow fluid back into the radiator as the system cools.
Cap is supposed to allow fluid out of the radiator as the system heats up.

Cap ain't doing either.

Intuit

· #10 · 16 d ago

I don't recall what the pressure number is on my cap, but make sure yours is what it should be.

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Tuffy1982

Discussion Starter · #11 · 16 d ago

Intuit said:
Wow so it was left overnight and the first thing you did was take off the cap?

Cap is supposed to allow fluid back into the radiator as the system cools.
Cap is supposed to allow fluid out of the radiator as the system heats up.

Cap ain't doing either.

Yes, overnight completely cool.

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Jim D

· #12 · 16 d ago

Was the pressure alot, like hissing when you loosened it? If not that could have been pushed out from an air bubble that didn't make it out.

IIRC mine took about 3 heat/cooling cycles to get all the air out and the coolant level stabilized. I would have the cap tested at a radiator shop, they may even be able ti sell you a new correct one, Mama Yamaha is pretty proud of the ones they sell.

I guess that your temperature sensor could be a bit wonky too.

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RaYzerman

· #13 · 15 d ago

I'd get a new rad cap and try again. If you're running the bike just sitting there, I could see the temp going to HI with no airflow through the rad, but the fans should have come on and I'd think kept it from going HI. I'm not sure why you would have pressure in the rad if you left it to cool down overnight..... first suspecting the rad cap is not relieving the pressure and/or also not allowing suction (to replace air) during cooldown...... anyway, let's see what the situation is with a known good rad cap before speculating further..... rad cap should be ~15-16 psi, aftermarket rad caps available.

Can't see the water pump being a problem, it doesn't cause pressure, it's only a circulation pump.... if the rad is not quite full, and you start the engine, look in the rad with cap off.... when the thermostat opens, you will see coolant moving faster as the thermostat opens, and of course, with some engine rpm. If circulating well with thermostat open, pump is OK. Thermostat opens ~160F, fully open at ~185F.

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Tuffy1982

Discussion Starter · #14 · 15 d ago

Jim D said:
Was the pressure alot, like hissing when you loosened it? If not that could have been pushed out from an air bubble that didn't make it out.

IIRC mine took about 3 heat/cooling cycles to get all the air out and the coolant level stabilized. I would have the cap tested at a radiator shop, they may even be able ti sell you a new correct one, Mama Yamaha is pretty proud of the ones they sell.

I guess that your temperature sensor could be a bit wonky too.

No real hissing Jim, other than pressure releasing & then some gurgling but that’s it.

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Tuffy1982

Discussion Starter · #15 · 15 d ago

RaYzerman said:
I'd get a new rad cap and try again. If you're running the bike just sitting there, I could see the temp going to HI with no airflow through the rad, but the fans should have come on and I'd think kept it from going HI. I'm not sure why you would have pressure in the rad if you left it to cool down overnight..... first suspecting the rad cap is not relieving the pressure and/or also not allowing suction (to replace air) during cooldown...... anyway, let's see what the situation is with a known good rad cap before speculating further..... rad cap should be ~15-16 psi, aftermarket rad caps available.

Can't see the water pump being a problem, it doesn't cause pressure, it's only a circulation pump.... if the rad is not quite full, and you start the engine, look in the rad with cap off.... when the thermostat opens, you will see coolant moving faster as the thermostat opens, and of course, with some engine rpm. If circulating well with thermostat open, pump is OK. Thermostat opens ~160F, fully open at ~185F.

Ok I’ll try that next thanks Ray.

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Tuffy1982

Discussion Starter · #16 · 15 d ago

RaYzerman said:
I'd get a new rad cap and try again. If you're running the bike just sitting there, I could see the temp going to HI with no airflow through the rad, but the fans should have come on and I'd think kept it from going HI. I'm not sure why you would have pressure in the rad if you left it to cool down overnight..... first suspecting the rad cap is not relieving the pressure and/or also not allowing suction (to replace air) during cooldown...... anyway, let's see what the situation is with a known good rad cap before speculating further..... rad cap should be ~15-16 psi, aftermarket rad caps available.

Can't see the water pump being a problem, it doesn't cause pressure, it's only a circulation pump.... if the rad is not quite full, and you start the engine, look in the rad with cap off.... when the thermostat opens, you will see coolant moving faster as the thermostat opens, and of course, with some engine rpm. If circulating well with thermostat open, pump is OK. Thermostat opens ~160F, fully open at ~185F.

So just curious, can you buy a 15-16psi cap from an auto parts store that will work on a motorcycle? What else differentiated between a car cap & motorcycle cap, size?

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RaYzerman

· #17 · 15 d ago

M/C caps are smaller diameter.........

Tuffy1982

Discussion Starter · #18 · 14 d ago

We’ll I think the cap was it. I decided to take the cash off my FZ and try out before buying one, I tested it last night with no issues, then rode to work today with no issues so I think it may be fixed. Thanks for all the suggestions, now I have an extra thermostat if I ever need one I guess.

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Tuffy1982

Discussion Starter · #19 · 14 d ago

*one

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Tuffy1982

Discussion Starter · #20 · 12 d ago

Just a question concerning this topic, when I warm up the bike it will hit HI if I let it sit to long. I never noticed this issue on my 05 but all it had were the bars for the temp. I’ve had this ‘15 since Jan and maybe it’s been doing it all along & I never noticed because I didn’t have the temp box on my main screen. Question is, is this normal if so I’ll just switch the screen back & Ride on.

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