06 Tiger. She is puking coolant.

[MIUC]

Hello All! Great site. 1st post.

After a short ride, I noticed coolant on the floor. First time ever. I let the bike cool down a bit, refilled, went for a short ride and returned home to check.

There was a bleed from the expansion tank, and also a puke from a hose that comes down close to the right foot (brake pedal side). As soon as I stopped, I noticed the expansion tank was full of coolant. I never paid attention to this before.
1) Does it suppose to be full and have no empty space in it after riding?

The bike has run perfect from new. Did the 6K-miles service a couple of weeks ago.
Only mod on the bike is the race-tune/off road-tune added at the 6K service. Nice! :twisted:
2) Could this have something to do with the puking?

Bike is under warranty, dealer is 2+ hours away. Maybe this is minor and I can fix it myself. Plus I will start learning about my bike.

After about 5700 miles I started to feel a rattle (not a noise from the engine) at around 4K RPM. I have been searching for it without luck. I feel it comes from the right side of the fairing. It is annoying but it takes nothing from the bike. It pulls like crazy.
3) Has anybody experienced this rattle? Maybe has something to do with the puking?

I just checked the expansion tank after the bike set the whole night. Coolant is between the MIN and MAX marks, more towards the MAX.
4) Maybe the bike puked what it did not need? Never done it before. Should I just give it another try?

I have the Service Manual for the Tiger 955cc (fully scanned and in an Adobe file...). It is specific to the pre-06 models.
5) Is there a manual specific to the 06 set-up?

Any suggestions :?:

Not the best first post, but... I love my Tiger :!:  and I'm aching to go riding again.

[Stretch]

Could it be your dealer topped up the coolant, maybe overdoing it a bit?

Mine seems to be happiest with the coolant at the MIN mark with the engine cold.

Even with the coolant at the MIN mark, the radiator is still completely full.  The overflow bottle is simply that... overflow.

Your rattle may be a wiring harness vibrating against something in the fairing.  No way to check that without removing the fairing, though...

[MIUC]

I did not resist waiting for an opinion, so I went for a ride, and just got a couple of drops from the expansion tank and nothing from the hose.

Yes, I think it was an overfill at the dealer. Scary, since I have ridden close to 400 miles since the dealer visit, and never noticed any leaking.

I will keep paying attention to it, but I am back to full grin mode again.  :D

Thanks Stretch :!:

Now, the search for the rattle...

[2004Tiger]

I suspect the dealer: 1. As discussed, radiator overfill. 2. He swapped the expansion tube/drain tube connections at the overflow tank. Easy to verify.

[MIUC]

I went for a short ride today. Made 2 stops. Not even a drop.
Returned home, parked and went inside.
Just went outside after a few hours to put the cover on the bike... and there is coolant all over. I am lost.

Swapped the expansion tube/drain tube connections at the overflow tank? Easy to verify? Care to explain 2004Tiger?

[HockleyBoy]

Try this link, it may help:

http://www.triumphrat.net/showthread.php?t=62818

[2004Tiger]

There has been much discussion of the crossed expansion tube FACTORY MISTAKE. I suspect that some service mechanics also are not paying attention. Do a search, or look here:
http://tigertriple.com/forum/viewtopic. ... highlight=  This thread is focused on overheating, which you will have if you continue to loose fluid. Remember, as it says in your Operator's Manual, that the proper way to top up your coolant is at the thermostat assembly, through the "radiator cap". Fluid added to the expansion tank will not necessarily return to the engine.
Or here http://tigertriple.com/forum/viewtopic. ... highlight=
A search will provide an education.

[2004Tiger]

Upon rereading your original post, I have an idea based on your rattle in the right side of the cowling. Perhaps the plastic elbow fitting into your expansion tank is broken or cracked, as mine was. This would prevent the coolant from being sucked back to the engine, the expansion tank would overfill and drain out by your right foot. Easy to verify (remove the cowling). If this is the case, now you must remove your fuel tank and refill the engine coolant, although you have probably lost so much coolant that this proceedure is required anyway. Do you have an overheating problem since you noticed the fluid loss? Waiting at a traffic signal, does the engine temp rise, the radiator fan start, and the temp continue to rise near red line?

[MIUC]

No overheating. Ever. I always constantly glance at the Temp and the Gas gouges. Short rides or long rides. Have not noticed any changes in the radiator fan operation either.

Temp is close to Cold on open roads. In city riding is halfway or lower between Cold and Hot. Always been that way.

There is still coolant in the expansion tank. Just by the MIN mark. I said ìthere was coolant all overî. I should have said it puked some more coolant. There is no pool of the liquid. It pukes small amounts.

I will visit all the links you guys pointed out.
I will check that plastic elbow at the expansion tank first.

If there has been no overheating, does this mean the radiator has the proper level of coolant and there is no need to refill at the thermostat assembly?

Good help. Thanks :!:

[MIUC]

Nice links guys. They rid me of some ignorance there ñ where there is plenty.

So...
1)   Bike never puked anything before up to 6400 miles.
2)   A rattle began at around 5700 miles. I feel it comes from the right side of the front fairing. Maybe the elbow at the overflow tank...
3)   Overflow tank has always been filled to the MAX mark from new.
4)   At 6K service (300 miles after rattle began) I added the off-road tune.

Pardon my ignorance but...
1) Does the off-road tune makes the bike run hotter and maybe that is causing more coolant being returned to the overflow tank causing a new overfill in the tank making the liquid find its way out by the overflow hose and by a ìdamagedî overflow tank elbow?

2) If hoses were reversed by the manufacturer I think I would have had many a pukes during the first 6K miles riding here in scorching hot South Florida. Rulesd out?

3) Main thing is to not let the bike overheat, correct?. I keep feeling this is just an overflow and I need to keep riding watching the Temp gauge.

Am I completely off :?:

[iansoady]

This diagram shows what can go wrong with the hoses. TBH, if yours hasn't been overheating that's probably not the problem. But I always like to be sure.....

[Sasquatch]

Pull your fairing and your tank to get at the whole system.  Replace your radiator cap.  Mine did exactly what you are describing at about 12k miles.  Replaced the cap (local auto parts store, generic import cap) and have not had a problem since.

If your radiator is low, adding coolant to the overflow is NOT adding coolant to the radiator.  You must fill up the radiator.

[greg]

I have skimmed through here and no one has mentioned an airlock. This is not uncommon. Have you, or has your dealer, bled the coolant system?

[2004Tiger]

"Have you, or has your dealer, bled the coolant system? "

When I performed my coolant repair/service last year, and solved my overheating problem, I searched for an airbleed proceedure but found nothing. I was skeptical I had on board the correct volume of fluid because the system would accept only 2 quarts. Apparently approx 1 quart remained in the system, even after I drained from the low drain port.
What is the proceedure for air bleed or airlock prevention?

[MIUC]

Well I guess the off-road tune and the engine running hotter made absolutely no sense to any of you...
Got myself rid of more ignorance there...

So...
1 Check coolant level at radiator.
2 Check elbow at overfill tank.
3 Check radiator cap.
4 Check for airlock/Do a bled.

Either tomorrow morning of Friday morning I will go to the dealer ñ better informed thanks to all of you. I really appreciate it.

I will post whatever I accomplish with the dealer.