Water leakage query

[Jim S]

Hi folks,



Quick question, my 955i's been sitting over winter, I run it every month for half an hour or so. This month when started it there was a pool of water under the swing arm, about two egg cup fulls, I can't see where it came from but believe it was from the over flow expansion pipe.



It stopped after a couple of minutes and there's no more but I'm a bit alarmed by this. Is it just normal? Will I just top it up or is there an underlying issue with this?



Thanks in advance.

[speedjunkie]

Was it actually water or antifreeze?  Blue or clear?  My money is on water.  If water, then it was most likely moisture that had condensed inside the exhaust from the short runs you have been doing.  Right under the swing arm would be just about where the pipes come together and make the bend up.  Personally, if I were you, if you're gonna start it, ride it to cook the moisture out of everything.  Starting, warming up, then shutting back down is going to be alot harder on the bike than leaving it sit.  Not only is moisture forming in the pipes, but inside the engine as well.  If worried about the battery, put a tender on it, or take it out and put in the warm house.  



If it's anti freeze, it shouldn't belch anything unless the thermostat was stuck.  It also won't burp anti freeze until the bike is on the verge of overheating, and that certainly wouldn't be the case just after fire up.  



Good luck.







Mike

[iansoady]

I can't see how moisture condensed in the exhaust could appear under the swinging arm. Drip out of the exhaust outlet yes. There's a fair bit of that on mine when it's cold.

[speedjunkie]

Good call.  I just looked and there is no joint there, I must of imagined it before, sorry.  Anyway, question still stands, anti freeze or water?  Also, is there an actual overflow from the catch tank?  I can't see one, and that's where it should come from.  Am I wrong again?  I get that alot.  Just one more slightly off topic, why do manufacturers insist on putting the overflow tubes right in front of the tire?  





Mike

[Guest]

Good call.  I just looked and there is no joint there, I must of imagined it before, sorry.  Anyway, question still stands, anti freeze or water?  Also, is there an actual overflow from the catch tank?  I can't see one, and that's where it should come from.  Am I wrong again?  I get that alot.  Just one more slightly off topic, why do manufacturers insist on putting the overflow tubes right in front of the tire?  





Mike

I'm pretty sure the overflow from the expansion tank just runs straight down from the tank. So, any flow from that would appear under the radiator not the front of the swingarm.

No idea what it could be.



Overflows in front of the tyre? So that you know something's overflowing.........ssskkkkkkkkkiiiiiiiiiidddddddd!

[DirtBiker]

My bike got hot once sitting at idle and spit out antefreeze at the back under the swing arm. Thats where my overflow dumps out at. Check your resevoir and see if it needs to be topped off.

Mine needed to be topped off but kept spitting it out through overflow. To fix it I had to change my radiator cap.

According to the dealer I talked to any time you overheat the bike the cap goes bad and needs to be replaced.

It worked for me.

[MARKC]

My bikes been 'resting' since December. I keep it on a battery tender,but I've started it up a couple of times and let it warm up until the moisture is burnt out from the exhaust. I've noticed a small amount of water in the same position you have. I think its just condensation from being in a damp atmospheare dripping off. Obviously Scotland is slightly wetter than Manchester as my puddle is only a teaspoon full.

[iansoady]

I'm pretty sure the overflow from the expansion tank just runs straight down from the tank.

No, there's a little rubber tube that runs along the upper frame rail to exit near the s/a spindle.



At risk of repeating myself, this is the one which one some bikes is swapped with the overflow from the pressure cap, so it's worth checking it's all put together correctly especially as your 01 is probably within the affected VIN range.

[Jim S]

Thanks all, ok I need to clarify a few things, I was in a hurry when I posted originally!



I've laid up my bikes for 15 years over winter with no problems. They sit in an open sided shed so no moisture gathers as a rule. (The bikes in the workshop sweat over winter). I run the bikes for half an hour once a month, to keep fresh fuel in them I top them up monthly as well with petrol. I also ride the bike around the farm to free up any sitting bearings.



This month the Tiger fired up fine as usual, I rode it a hundred yards or so, turned and braked, then put it back on the side stand and left it while I fired up the other bikes. When I got back to it there was a pool of anti freeze under the swing arm. As pointed out, this is where the exit to the expansion breather is found. I reckon when it cooled last month it drew in a bit of air and when up to temp this month expanded the air and forced coolant out through the expansion breather.



I just wondered if it was usual to the bike and if topping up would cure the problem? I might have to alter my method with the Tiger and use it for longer runs during lay up or maybe just have to live with it.



Sorry for the confusion guys. It's an 04 955i.

[Guest]

Well, clearly it shouldn't be doing what it's doing. I laid up mine for 4 months this winter without starting it at all. It started first time easily and I ran it for 15 minutes and it didn't chuck anything out and has been fine on its first outing this year.

Sorry, but I don't know the answer.

[jsingraham]

Just to add my worthless $.02.....



I just picked up my nearly new 06 a couple of weeks ago, and mine did the same thing after trailering (in a pickup) home to KC, MO from Atlanta GA.  I am guessing it was probably a bit more humid in Atlanta this winter than it was in KC as it has been super dry here up until right after I got the bike home.  We had no rain or precipitation on the way home, but once I got home, unloaded it and fired it up and let it run for just maybe 30-45 seconds, I had moisture under mine too.  I checked and it was absolutely not antifreeze, it was condensation that came out of the exhaust.  



From what I could see, it came out where the joint is where the can is bolted/clamped on and then ran down the pipe a bit further before it dripped off, which is right by the swing arm.  



Since then, It has not done this at all, so I am attributing mine to the bike probably having a bit more moisture in the air that was was inside the exhaust that came back from Atlanta.  My 98 that I sold recently never did this at all, so I was kind of worried at first, but after doing a close up inspection of where it came from, I know what it is/was.  Same thing happens on my vehicles too in winter when they run for a few minutes before leaving the house and you see a few drips of moisture from the seams in the exhaust or from the tip.





Jason