Need help with coolant problem

[tomL]

I am new to the site and new to the Tiger. I just picked up my first one, a 2001 last week. It has 15k on it and runs great. I went for a 100 mile ride yesterday and the bike ran nice and cool. But when I parked it, it started to puke coolant all over the road. When I got home I pulled the thermostat, thinking it may be jammed.  Living in a warm So Cal. I figured I didn't need it anyways. I went for another ride, and it ran great again. But again, it puked. Any ideas?

[fano]

Welcome here!
Try to put a new radiator cap. Very common problem.
Good luck!  

[tomL]

Thanks, I'll give that a try. Is there anything else I should look for as long as the tank is off anyways?

[blacktiger]

The other thing I've heard of with regard to this problem is that the pipes to the coolant overflow tank could be reversed. So instead of any excess being fed into the tank, it's fed directly to the pavement.
The one out of the top of the tank should be the one feeding the pavement.

[Stretch]

The other thing I've heard of with regard to this problem is that the pipes to the coolant overflow tank could be reversed. So instead of any excess being fed into the tank, it's fed directly to the pavement.
The one out of the top of the tank should be the one feeding the pavement.

Here's a diagram, courtesy of Iansoady...

[Hatleyrocket]

Now I'm having the same problem with my 2001 955i.  My friend was riding my tiger at road America, and he tells me, this thing doesn't like to go slow(don't I know it).  We were going at parade speeds, and he points to the coolant tank, how it's bubbling.  I thought the coolant was just low, so I would top it off.  So this morning I topped off the overflow tank with carquests finest.  I went about a mile to the local gas station for beer and I thought I would leave it run to warm up and see how the bike would react to the coolant.  I got out with the beer to find it puking a prodigious amount out of the overflow hose, onto the swing arm and underneath the bike.   The temp level was at about halfway, not overheated by any means.  I got home and it was all done barfing, and my overflow tank was again totally empty.  I put a new radiator cap on about three years ago.  It was for a Nissan 300z, and if I remember right it had the correct pressure rating.  Is this simple radiator cap failure?  Is there a thermostat that would need replacement?

[Mustang]

i've never seen a thermostat go bad in a triumph , not saying they don't though
I would start with radiator cap , preferably a Triumph cap .

[Bixxer Bob]

Also check the plastic elbows on the overflow tank and replace them with brass ones.  If one is cracked the coolant goes onto the pavement instead of into the tank. 

Edit: just read it again properly and yes, it sounds like cap.

[Sin_Tiger]

i've never seen a thermostat go bad in a triumph , not saying they don't though

I can give you the word on that 

I would start with radiator cap , preferably a Triumph cap .

[NortonCharlie]

You might consider swapping out the coolant and rinsing out the system.  Did mine last fall surprised how nasty and rusty it had gotten.

[blacktiger]

I put a new radiator cap on about three years ago.  It was for a Nissan 300z, and if I remember right it had the correct pressure rating. 

Needs to be 1.1bar. Most car ones are 0.9bar. Subaru Imprezza ones are 1.1bar but I only paid £13 for a pukka Triumph one so it's not really worth faffing about with the others unless you're stuck somewhere.

[daveb]

When mine was pushing coolant out of the expansion bottle, turned out to be the rad cap. Also found out the coolant level shout be set to the low mark. Can't remember where I read that but it was on one of the sites I frequent.

[tntmo]

Start with the radiator cap, make sure you check the overflow res for cracked elbows and proper routing.

I chased this problem with my bike for a long time, turned out to be a bad head gasket in my case but most people solve it with a good radiator cap. 

[metalguru]

Don't forget if you do refill the system after checking the above, to 'burp' the system preferably in the upright position.
Has been documented quite well in the past.

[rex007can]

Did you also notice if you got a case of hose suck when it cooled down? Where the rad hose flattens out for a while?  If so,  definitely rad cap issue.  Had to replace mine 2 months ago.