Cooling Problems Revisted

[ArizonaKid]

In reviewing some of the related history on this topic I ran across a post that mentioned the a radiator cap replacement might be found in the automotive world.  I just completed the 24K service on my 02 Tiger and when finished found that I had coolant puking out of the overflow tank when the temp rose above normal (at stop lights, etc.), so I replaced the radiator cap with a Stant 10227 cap.  It fits a variety of mid-late 80's Toyota (Tercel, etc) and probably some other imports, and fits perfectly on the Tiger. The only difference (other than it's silver and not black in color) is the price and availability.  The Triumph cap is $19 from the dealer and the Stant cap is $7 from just about any auto parts store (Checker, Autozone, etc, etc). Anyway, thought I'd share that tid bit. . .  Oh, and the radiator cap swap resolved the overflow problem as mentioned in several previous posts.  Semi-easy fix. . .   The Brit designer  that hid the radiator cap (and just about everything else of import) under a really weirdly huge tank that is not easy to get off should be banished from the kingdom.  After doing it 3-4 times, you can doe it in about 20 minutes or so, but it still isn't easy.  Anyone with any Ducati maintenance experience will find the whole Tiger arrangement insane.  Anyway, the many other positives outweight that, I suppose.

[2004Tiger]

A 24K service is not likely to cause your radiator cap to die. More likely the mechanic (I simply cannot call them technicians) swapped your radiator expansion tank connection tubes. (Or is that what you were alluding to when you wrote "...resolved the overflow problem as mentioned in several previous posts. ")  Another cause of puking would be if the mechanic did not purge all of the air from the coolant passages.

[ArizonaKid]

Nope, it was the radiator cap.  The spring in the old cap was evidently worn out (lost it's springyness) which had the same affect as not having a cap on at all and was letting fluid out of the radiator and into the overflow tank as it heated up.  I believe new caps release fluid somewhere around 12 lbs of pressure (?)  The old one was doing it at zero, ergo the puking problem.  The new cap did the trick and it's been good since.

[William Reber]

Well the 06 is in the barn , shortly after the 12K check up (17K miles)she started blowing coolant seems to be coming from under the fairing. Checked that silly cork they have to plug the overflow tank and that's not the problem any ideas out there ? :idea:

[Stretch]

You're sure the radiator cap's okay?  As mentioned above, some don't seem to last too long, but at least they're cheap.  

Also a possibility:  The "mechanic" may have inadvertently switched the overflow tubes when he had the bike apart for the service.

Happens quite a bit.


Courtesy of Iansoady

Every time the engine gets hot, it flows coolant into the expansion tank, but with the pipes crossed, it pulls air back into the radiator instead of coolant.  A few cycles of this, and your expansion tank is full, then pukes the overflow on the ground.

Neither fix is expensive, but the gas tank has to be pulled in both cases.

[William Reber]

Thanks for the reply what part of GA do you ride out of ,I have a cabin in Sautee just outside of Helen and ride the GA triangle as written in "Rider' mag. in fact I am planing to do a ride there in OCT.

[Stretch]

I'm in Athens.

There are quite a few of us here in the area... WIDGIN, TigerRider, Nightrunner, GatorTiger...

Give us a shout when you're nearby.

[William Reber]

Man your just up the road from Helen ...we will be hooking up, hope to get the rolling carpet cleaner fixed in the morning....I'll wear my rain pants LOL

[William Reber]

:lol: Well the coolant thing was a plastic 90 deg. elbow which was broken in three pcs. I will be looking for a brass replacemnt for it. While I was there the head wrench retuned the bike and told me the guy (one of his people) who did the 12K check did not set it up as it should have been.... way too rich. Now all is good.

[blacktiger]

:lol: Well the coolant thing was a plastic 90 deg. elbow which was broken in three pcs.

If that's the one coming out of the header tank tucked up behind the fairing then it's a common breakage. I just poked the tube through the hole without any elbow. It's only the overflow so I don't care where it goes or spills to.

[iceweazel]

Had one of those elblows break on me as well.  Seems the fairing tends to rest RIGHT on it on some bikes but not others.  

It's like 0.99$ from the dealer or Lowes/Home Depot.  Haven't found a nice metal one to replace it with yet.  You might try insulating around it with some closed cell foam and double sided tape for the future as well.