Two ouches today

[smokster]

New findings...Checked the bottle today after yesterday's short ride. There was still some coolant in the bottom, about 1.5 inches. It was not dripping anymore, so I filled it to the top line with distilled water. No leak. I started the engine and let it run until 3 bars, with cap off bottle...no leak! I replaced the cap, dripped in less than a minute. Worked the flashlight around, no leaking from where I applied the silicone. Got a mirror to check underneath the bottle...BINGO! There is a tiny stream running from the front of the bottle. Next is to let it all cool off and try to remove it and look farther. Seems like it leaks under pressure, not when cap is off. Cap has a 13 PSI rating, so it's not much pressure. Would it be OK to run with a aluminum foil cover????:dontknow:

I found if you kept the fluid 1" under the min mark, you would have no issues. Only when it heated up and the fluid rose did it have issues. So keep the fluid below the min mark until you get it replaced. Keep riding and of course, keep your eye on leaks just the same.

 

[bjt]

...

Looking at your new avatar, do you have a new pup?

 

[Dudley]

Looked at the coolant bottle again today. Removed it from it's position and found the crack in what appears to be the same place as docdoru's picture. So, in a trial and error attempt I applied some clear silicone and covered it with about 4 layers of duct tape. This will sit until tomorrow and then we'll see what happens. Right next to the bottle wall is a support brace with an outer ridge that the bottle rests on. The ridge is not smooth, so I suspect that this is the culprit that is causing the bottle walls to develop a crack. Without being able to smooth the ridge, one solution may be to duct tape something on the outside of the bottle to add an extra layer to absorb the abbrasive behavior of the brace.

Pic 1...hairline crack, does not leak unless under pressure

Pic 2...brace with abbrasive edge

Pic 3...Engineering of the Southern-Most kind

 

[Tom in NM]

On my list to check.

The ridge is not smooth, so I suspect that this is the culprit that is causing the bottle walls to develop a crack. Without being able to smooth the ridge, one solution may be to duct tape something on the outside of the bottle to add an extra layer to absorb the abbrasive behavior of the brace.

Makes sense. I don't have the problem, but will check it out and probably will apply a foam cushion of some sort to protect it.

I ride too many bad roads (vibrations) to ignore this as a potential issue.

Thanks

Tom

 

[Putt-Putt]

I think that this might be a problem I have. As the think keeps going dry.

 

[Tom in NM]

I don't see the connection . . . .

I think that this might be a problem I have. As the think keeps going dry.

. . . . but it is an explanation.

Tom

 

[Dudley]

I will be testing my "quick fix" today and see how it holds up. Will report later.

 

[Dudley]

About as best as I can do with the temporary fix

This is the conclusion of the "fix" as explained on posting # 23.

I cut 2 pieces of rubber hose, (1/4 inch I.D., 2.5 inches long) and sliced them open on one side. Applied some clear silicone to the abbrasive edges of the brace, slipped the hose pieces over the edges and used a plastic tie for good measure. When repositioning the bottle, I found that the hoses provided a good backing against the bottle which should greatly reduce any vibrations against the bottle, which I think causes fatigue in the wall and eventually leaking. I ran the engine until 3 bars...the water in the bottle was plenty hot...no leak. Now it's road test time. Will post later.

 

[Dudley]

Just got back from a short (40 mile) ride. The bottle still leaks, but not nearly as much as before. Dealer also called, the new bottle is in, so tomorrow in AM we will be good as new. Ran three bars on the interstate, 4 bars otherwise.

 

[Tom in NM]

Just got back from a short (40 mile) ride. The bottle still leaks, but not nearly as much as before.

I am surprised. I thought only my repairs on things like that didn't work. Given your pictures and description, I thought you were probably doing a lot more than it would require.

Good to hear the replacement is in - and you have nice weather to ride in - raining here.

Tom

 

[Dudley]

I am surprised. I thought only my repairs on things like that didn't work. Given your pictures and description, I thought you were probably doing a lot more than it would require.

Good to hear the replacement is in - and you have nice weather to ride in - raining here.

Tom

Was really just seeing what I could do to make it work until the new bottle was in. A good experiment to help others in a similar situation to get home. The 2 rubber hoses I would highly recommend installing. Better to have a rubber backing against the bottle instead of rough metal.

 

[docdoru]

Nice quick fix; IMHO not seeing any contact between the bottle and the frame, the stress rupture is done by the heat.

 

[Dudley]

Nice quick fix; IMHO not seeing any contact between the bottle and the frame, the stress rupture is done by the heat.

Could be, but the bracket abbrasive edge is right where the leak occurred. I am just thinking a combination of all factors. My bottle was for sure having enough freeplay to do some pretty active contact with the bracket. And, adding pain to injury, I live at the end of a 2 mile dirt road that when the washboard gets really nasty, I just can't miss the bumps. So, hopefully all this has been resolved. If not, we ride anyway until it leaks again. Can't let this baby cool off too long!

 

[Roaddog2]

Looked at the coolant bottle again today. Removed it from it's position and found the crack in what appears to be the same place as docdoru's picture. So, in a trial and error attempt I applied some clear silicone and covered it with about 4 layers of duct tape. This will sit until tomorrow and then we'll see what happens. Right next to the bottle wall is a support brace with an outer ridge that the bottle rests on. The ridge is not smooth, so I suspect that this is the culprit that is causing the bottle walls to develop a crack. Without being able to smooth the ridge, one solution may be to duct tape something on the outside of the bottle to add an extra layer to absorb the abbrasive behavior of the brace.

Pic 1...hairline crack, does not leak unless under pressure

Pic 2...brace with abbrasive edge

Pic 3...Engineering of the Southern-Most kind

Will give Southern engineering a try :thumbup: