Tiger p**sing coolant

[daveb]

as it has been very cold around here lately the Tiger (955i) has been tucked up in my shed under a bike cover.
Every few day I start the Tiger up and let it run after I have squeezed water pipes shock bike to check levels, etc before start up, generally no problem
tonight when I shut it off I could hear water condensating on the exhaust, thought the bike had sweated but wrong, tasted the water to my horror I could taste antifreeze. expansion tank empty.

Any ideas guys, I an hoping a split pipe or a core plug has failed. the water seamed to be dripping just infront of the rear wheel.

I could not get underneath to see where the leak was, the bottom of the engine felt dry.

 Dave

[John Stenhouse]

That don't sound good, odd thing is where the water is coming from. Nothing there to leak from.
Did you check the strength of the antifreeze this year?

[daveb]

yep, John, I had checked it recently and all the fluid levels. I will investigate over the weekend, I am hoping a pipe has split or a core plug has failed.

The bike is on the side stand so it could be a water trail looking like its coming from the back of the engine.

[iansoady]

The overflow pipe from the expansion tank exits around the swinging arm on the RHS. Maybe the pressure cap has failed allowing too much coolant into the expansion tank.

[daveb]

The overflow pipe from the expansion tank exits around the swinging arm on the RHS. Maybe the pressure cap has failed allowing too much coolant into the expansion tank.

thats the area its leaking from,  :P  

most forums I have posted it on have said something similar, thermostat or an air lock.

fingers crossed its a cheap and easy fix. oh well tank off, gives me an excuse to check the plugs too.

dave

[Chris Canning]

Your fixation with sqeezing the pipes is an odd one  :? ,which certainley isn't doing the job any good as your putting pressure on the system,for no reason.

[daveb]

I have been searching about this tiger loosing its coolant, it sound like its the rad cap failed.

spoke to my local dealership and they confirmed it sound like the problem. so I have ordered a new rad cap £15 inc p&p.

hopefully this will stop my tiger markings its territory

[daveb]

good news, I drained the cooling system on the tiger, looks like I only lost whats was in the expansion tank, traced the expansion hose to the right hand side of the bike just infront of the swing arm.

So I am happier at the moment, while the tank was off had a look at the plugs and airfilter, everything looks fine.

[daveb]

I am still waiting for the Rad cap to arrive  I originally oreder the part 10th December 2010, they have promised that it would be in their shop on Wednesday, my bro went to the shop on Thursday as he was working in the area and the cap still has not arrived from the Triumph factory :mad: then they promised it will be with the dealer yestarday.

Nothing has arrived in today's mail.
just phoned them and its being dispatched from the dealer to me today. hopefully in tomorrows mail.

I need to get back on to 2 wheels, using wifes car is cost a lot in diesel.  :(

[daveb]

Rad cap did not arrive this morning  :?, so I decided to remove the thermostat to check if it was stuck in the closed position.

I put the thermostat in cold water for about 5 or 6 minutes, while the kettle was boiling. then I put it in to a jug of boiling water and I could not see the thermostat changing.

do you think this could be the root  problem with the thermostat stuck in closed position not allowing the flow of coolant to get to the rad and cooling fans.

What do you think?

I also checked the thermostat for emulsification plus the housing rad cap, dipstick, and no residue.

[iansoady]

Thermostats are cheap enough - I'd change it.

[Bixxer Bob]

....I put the thermostat in cold water for about 5 or 6 minutes, while the kettle was boiling. then I put it in to a jug of boiling water and I could not see the thermostat changing....

I think you answered your own question there... What Iansoady said

[daveb]

cheers guys, thanks for confirming what I thought.

[daveb]

I need to take the bike this week as wife needs the car, so I will run the bike without the defective thermostat, as I consider this to be the problem and not the rad cap. I have run cars without thermostats in the past, without problems.

The Tiger will be ok to run without a thermostat? just checking before I bugger it up.

I will order new thermostat tomorrow, hopefully it will be here quicker than the rad cap.
so I will be hoping it arrives early next week. The most mileage I will do next week will be 30 miles X 4 days work = 120 miles. at least the tank will not be full like this weekend. that tank is rather heavy with 24lt of fuel in it.

Cheers

Dave

[Timbox2]

I need to take the bike this week as wife needs the car, so I will run the bike without the defective thermostat, as I consider this to be the problem and not the rad cap. I have run cars without thermostats in the past, without problems.

The Tiger will be ok to run without a thermostat? just checking before I bugger it up.

I will order new thermostat tomorrow, hopefully it will be here quicker than the rad cap.
so I will be hoping it arrives early next week. The most mileage I will do next week will be 30 miles X 4 days work = 120 miles. at least the tank will not be full like this weekend. that tank is rather heavy with 24lt of fuel in it.

Cheers

Dave

Ive run plenty of cars over the years without stats, but a Tiger? Dunno, mine runs pretty cool anyway, without a stat it may have problems reaching a decent operating temp. Dont think youd do any long term damage as such, but it may run a tad rich .