Cooling system issues

[gazoo]

Awesome - thanks HappyMan.  And swamper650!

[2004Tiger]

Seems like the problems addressed in this thread have been adequately discussed and solved (again). I just want to clear up a mis-statement from the first post:

...I went to the local dealer and they said that there was a problem w/ my coolant reservoir cap not seating correctly, which meant the cooling system wasn't pressurizing correctly, making the fans not come on to keep the motor cool at low speeds.  I took them at their word, and they replaced the reservoir cap.  I didn't do much riding after that, and never saw the problem again.

Well, today the same thing happened...

This shows how dealers do not understand their product or even basic physics. The coolant overflow reservoir does not need a sealed cap, or any cap at all. This tank has atmospheric pressure with an overflow tube terminating in the area of your swingarm pivot, and it has no bearing on cooling system pressurization. Its function is to hold the temperature-expanded coolant volume until the engine cools and then allow that volume to be sucked back into the engine. Thus the elbow with its dip tube must be intact, and the supply tube from radiator cap to the tank not pinched. A physical flaw in this supply/suction pathway will result in tiny amounts of coolant loss each time the engine reaches running temp, and an eventual overheating problem.