This past spring when I got '14 RTL out for the first time, I found a puddle of anti-freeze on the floor. My dealer changed out the water pump. All was well till September when I again found a small puddle. A couple weeks later I had another puddle. Two weeks ago I took it back in. They did a pressure check and found no leaks. They did change out the cap on the expansion tank. Today I found a puddle under the bike again. Taking it back in again. Just checking if anyone else is or has had the same problem.
i had my water pump replaced on my F3, 6 months later i found a small puddle of coolant. This was after the weather went from 12 degrees to 60 over a 24 hour period. It has never happened again
i had my water pump replaced on my F3, 6 months later i found a small puddle of coolant. This was after the weather went from 12 degrees to 60 over a 24 hour period. It has never happened again
My water pump was changed out in March. I was good through the summer until we had some cool nights with warm days.
A puddle of coolant underneath your Spyder doesn't necessarily mean you've got a problem. The coolant system in these things use an expansion & recovery tank; the tank is there to catch any expansion in the volume of coolant as things get hot & hold it until things cool down again, when the 'extra coolant' will be sucked back into the radiator as the coolant contracts & returns to its normal volume - as such, the expansion tank only needs to be filled to just above the LOW or FILL level right down the bottom when things are cold & the engine hasn't been run for a while!
Sooo, if you (over)fill that expansion tank to the FULL or HOT mark when everything is cold, (instead of to just to over the lower mark as the instructions for this type of cooling system usually suggests) then go for a ryde & everything gets hot long enough for the coolant to expand & fill the expansion tank that is already full; there is a very good chance that the tank will overflow & either vent that overflow onto the ground as you ryde or into any gullies & coolant 'traps' it finds in/under the panels & framework underneath the tupperware, where it can slowly drain out after you've parked & leave a puddle underneath the Spyder. That should only happen once, unless every time it does happen you get worried & (over)fill the expansion tank to the HOT mark again, in which case it will keep doing it every time you over fill the tank!
Just to make sure that this isn't the cause of your problems & not a real issue, you need to make sure that you don't over-fill the expansion tank with coolant when the engine is cold. Do not fill it to the FULL or HOT level when the engine is cold, only fill it as per the instructions to just above the LOW or COLD mark, which is going to be fairly low down on the side of the tank, but above the lowest level of the drain or pick-up hose. If the coolant level ever gets down below that drain or pick-up hose, then your cooling system will have been unable to suck back coolant & will have been sucking air at some stage so it now has less coolant in it than is necessary to keep things at the correct temperature while you ryde & is probably overheating to some extent!!
Make sense?? Don't overfill the expansion tank, it needs room for hot coolant to expand in to, altho it always needs to have enough coolant to cover the bottom of the pick-up hose to let it siphon coolant back when needed!
Last edited by Peter Aawen; 11-16-2016 at 01:08 AM.
I have a 2015 RTL. It had lived in the south for the first 27,000 miles. I brought it home to Minnesota with no issues. But now that the weather has turned cold, I have had puddles on my last two cool downs. I haven't had time to really check it out, other than to verify it is coolant, and the coolant level is nowhere near the full mark.
[QUOTE=Peter Aawen;1201516]A puddle of coolant underneath your Spyder doesn't necessarily mean you've got a problem. The coolant system in these things use an expansion & recovery tank; the tank is there to catch any expansion in the volume of coolant as things get hot & hold it until things cool down again, when the 'extra coolant' will be sucked back into the radiator as the coolant contracts & returns to its normal volume - as such, the expansion tank only needs to be filled to just above the LOW or FILL level right down the bottom when things are cold & the engine hasn't been run for a while!
Sooo, if you (over)fill that expansion tank to the FULL or HOT mark when everything is cold, (instead of to just to over the lower mark as the instructions for this type of cooling system usually suggests) then go for a ryde & everything gets hot long enough for the coolant to expand & fill the expansion tank that is already full; there is a very good chance that the tank will overflow & either vent that overflow onto the ground as you ryde or into any gullies & coolant 'traps' it finds in/under the panels & framework underneath the tupperware, where it can slowly drain out after you've parked & leave a puddle underneath the Spyder. That should only happen once, unless every time it does happen you get worried & (over)fill the expansion tank to the HOT mark again, in which case it will keep doing it every time you over fill the tank!
Just to make sure that this isn't the cause of your problems & not a real issue, you need to make sure that you don't over-fill the expansion tank with coolant when the engine is cold. Do not fill it to the FULL or HOT level when the engine is cold, only fill it as per the instructions to just above the LOW or COLD mark, which is going to be fairly low down on the side of the tank, but above the lowest level of the drain or pick-up hose. If the coolant level ever gets down below that drain or pick-up hose, then your cooling system will have been unable to suck back coolant & will have been sucking air at some stage so it now has less coolant in it than is necessary to keep things at the correct temperature while you ryde & is probably overheating to some extent!!
Make sense?? Don't overfill the expansion tank, it needs room for hot coolant to expand in to, altho it always needs to have enough coolant to cover the bottom of the pick-up hose to let it siphon coolant back when needed! [/QUOTE
I know all about how the expansion tank works along with the levels for cold and hot coolant. Something I should have added is that this happened when I could not see any coolant in the tank. I too thought that maybe the coolant had been overfilled by the dealer, but that is not the case.
20161116_123717_resized.jpgMy first puddle was half dollar, 2nd was 3 inches in diameter, the third was 4 inches x 26 inches...runoff. This was after an easy 15 mile run with two stops.
..... that this happened when I could not see any coolant in the tank.....
Never hurts to do as Bob suggests & check the easiest things first, buuut, if they are tight.... Nothing you've told us yet excludes the possibility of it being an over-filled expansion tank; it may have over-flowed while everything was hot & then a 'puddle' of coolant was expelled & collected somewhere on the frame or panels etc, instead of draining to the ground; basically just collecting somewhere under the tupperware (there are lots of spots that could hold a fair whack!) Then later when you stop, that collected puddle of coolant can drip down onto the floor leaving you with your puddle, while at the same time the engine is cooling & the contracting coolant drains the expansion tank so that it's empty when you look - nett result being the exp tank is empty & you have a puddle underneath!!
But it can get worse!! If that's ever happened & you've just topped up that exp tank without bleeding the cooling system of any air that's been sucked out of the by then empty tank, then you've pretty much ensured it's gonna keep on happening too - or worse!! You've got to make sure that the cooling system is properly filled with coolant & then 'bled' properly to ensure there's no air pockets left caught below the exp tank level or in the system anywhere else; then & only then, knowing that the level of coolant in the tank is correct & there are no air pockets trapped in the system, you can run your Spyder until it heats up enough to fill the expansion tank & then as things cool down after your ryde, suck the excess back into the system & still leave the tank level above the LOW mark - if it doesn't remain above that LOW mark, then you've either got an air pocket still or there's a leak somewhere!!
If you do that & the tank doesn't empty or go much below the LOW limit, you are fine & your 'problem' was only an over-filled exp tank that may have then been improperly refilled; but if you've done all that above, made sure you've 'bled' any air pockets out of the radiator &/or the hoses, block etc below the exp tank level, and it STILL leaks coolant out once it's stopped & things cool down, or blows coolant out when everything is hot, then it is likely you have a failure or leak in the cooling system somewhere. Check carefully for a cracked expansion tank or to see if one of the radiator hoses is split or leaking somewhere, but I'd guess that if you've had work done on the exp tank recently, then it's likely you were left with an air pocket in the cooling system that was blowing coolant out once it all got hot enough - but surely it'd have 'burped' itself by now if the water pump work was done in March?!? The bleeding/burping thing generally only takes getting it warm/hot & keeping it like that while ensuring the coolant stays topped up above the low level in the exp tank for 20-30 mins or so?!? Did they do that after they swapped in the new water pump??
I also just found an anti freeze leak.
Being in Minnesota with the Spyder in her hibernation it will have to wait till she wakes up.
I did look under her and it looks like it's leaking from the water pump area.
Never hurts to do as Bob suggests & check the easiest things first, buuut, if they are tight.... Nothing you've told us yet excludes the possibility of it being an over-filled expansion tank; it may have over-flowed while everything was hot & then a 'puddle' of coolant was expelled & collected somewhere on the frame or panels etc, instead of draining to the ground; basically just collecting somewhere under the tupperware (there are lots of spots that could hold a fair whack!) Then later when you stop, that collected puddle of coolant can drip down onto the floor leaving you with your puddle, while at the same time the engine is cooling & the contracting coolant drains the expansion tank so that it's empty when you look - nett result being the exp tank is empty & you have a puddle underneath!!
But it can get worse!! If that's ever happened & you've just topped up that exp tank without bleeding the cooling system of any air that's been sucked out of the by then empty tank, then you've pretty much ensured it's gonna keep on happening too - or worse!! You've got to make sure that the cooling system is properly filled with coolant & then 'bled' properly to ensure there's no air pockets left caught below the exp tank level or in the system anywhere else; then & only then, knowing that the level of coolant in the tank is correct & there are no air pockets trapped in the system, you can run your Spyder until it heats up enough to fill the expansion tank & then as things cool down after your ryde, suck the excess back into the system & still leave the tank level above the LOW mark - if it doesn't remain above that LOW mark, then you've either got an air pocket still or there's a leak somewhere!!
If you do that & the tank doesn't empty or go much below the LOW limit, you are fine & your 'problem' was only an over-filled exp tank that may have then been improperly refilled; but if you've done all that above, made sure you've 'bled' any air pockets out of the radiator &/or the hoses, block etc below the exp tank level, and it STILL leaks coolant out once it's stopped & things cool down, or blows coolant out when everything is hot, then it is likely you have a failure or leak in the cooling system somewhere. Check carefully for a cracked expansion tank or to see if one of the radiator hoses is split or leaking somewhere, but I'd guess that if you've had work done on the exp tank recently, then it's likely you were left with an air pocket in the cooling system that was blowing coolant out once it all got hot enough - but surely it'd have 'burped' itself by now if the water pump work was done in March?!? The bleeding/burping thing generally only takes getting it warm/hot & keeping it like that while ensuring the coolant stays topped up above the low level in the exp tank for 20-30 mins or so?!? Did they do that after they swapped in the new water pump??
The water pump was changed out late March. I rode then until I found the puddle just recently without any leaks or puddles (over 9000 miles). I took it in last Wednesday after riding about seventy miles. It was put on the lift immediately. The tech and I both looked at the hoses, clamps, radiators, expansion tank and water pump. We found no leaks or any remnants of leaks. I rode over a hundred miles before going to the garage. Put a paper towel under it. Thursday morning there was nothing on the towel. Rode about eighty miles on Thursday. Friday morning there was no puddle. Friday night/Saturday morning we had about a thirty degree drop in temperature. That being said, the temperature in the garage only dropped about five degrees. But there was the wet towel. I confirmed that it is coming out of the overflow tube. The dealer is talking to BRP about how we are going to proceed. The puddles are always two to five inches around. Although it is somewhat frustrating, I have to laugh. I remember back in my mechanical engineering days when we would have buildings that had barometric pressure sensitive hydronic cooling and heating systems. Any coolant that has been added has been added by the dealer under warranty.
Before you tighten the clamps, make sure the engine is warm enough that the hoses are flexible. This type of problems usually happens because the hoses were not warm enough when being tightened.
Went to let the dogs out this morning and this is what I found. Can't understand why the dealer can't find the leak. Glad it is still under warranty. 20170112_075507.jpg20170112_075521.jpg
It is probably warm when they are working on it. It is not unusual for a cooling system to leak at the hose connections when it is cold and be just fine when warm. One of the fun service problems when you are working on cooling systems in a cold climate. If they just tightened the clamps when hot, the problem would probably just go away.
It is probably warm when they are working on it. It is not unusual for a cooling system to leak at the hose connections when it is cold and be just fine when warm. One of the fun service problems when you are working on cooling systems in a cold climate. If they just tightened the clamps when hot, the problem would probably just go away.
Not a hose problem. The clamps have been gone through both warm and cold. Comes out the overflow when it is sitting nd has not been ridden.
As far as I can work out, the ONLY ways that coolant is gonna repeatedly end up coming out of the overflow (or tank) once the bike has stopped running is 1). if there's a split or pinhole leak in the tank somewhere near the o/flow outlet (but then it should leak every time you stop & should probably be worse under operating pressure too); or 2). there is a trapped 'bubble' of air somewhere inside the engine/radiator/cooling galleries/cooling system somewhere that every now & then 'burps' some air out after you've ridden it enough to move the bubble's position enough to let it vent, releasing air & pressure into the o/flow tank which causes it to vent about the same volume of coolant onto the ground.... BTW, I've seen EXACTLY this set of symptoms occur on quite a few motor vehicles that have had their cooling systems worked on & then returned to service quickly without taking the time to purge the system of trapped air pockets properly....
If the cap had failed it would simply empty the tank whenever the coolant gets up to operating temp & never return coolant into the radiator. If it's a hose or clamp problem the leak would occur under pressure & eventually result in overheating during use. If it's a water pump problem, same thing, occur under pressure & eventually result in overheating during use.
Have you (or a dealer/mech) ever actually TRIED purging the cooling system to ensure there are no pockets of air trapped somewhere deep inside the system?? Might be worth a shot, & certainly shouldn't do any (more?) harm.... Not saying it's the ONLY option left to you, but until you do the purge thing, you really can't exclude it, can you?!
Last edited by Peter Aawen; 01-12-2017 at 06:38 PM.
If that is the case, the problem has to be mechanical. There must be a hose or coolant recovery tank problem or the cap itself might be bad.
I have had it in to the dealer twice for this problem. The anti-freeze is only coming out the overflow. The recovery tank cap has been changed out. It happens with weather changes. Seems to be a barimetric pressure thing.
My wife today kindly reminded me that I go past a Harley dealer when going to the Spyder dealer.
Anyone else have this problem
Taking it back in again. Just checking if anyone else is or has had the same problem.
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Originally Posted by NM Wrench
Can't understand why the dealer can't find the leak.
BTW, I've seen EXACTLY this set of symptoms occur on quite a few motor vehicles that have had their cooling systems worked on & then returned to service quickly without taking the time to purge the system of trapped air pockets properly.... 
