Sanity check on radiator hoses, please.

The upper hose on the RH radiator (the one that connects up by the spout where the rad cap goes)......... what is the thingamajig the other end connects to, and is it normal for it to be loose/wobbly?

I ask because I had a bit of a scare today. I rode the bike to work (about 5 minutes, maybe) and got a couple tiny drops of what I initially believed to be coolant dripping off the lowest portions of the fairings. Additionally, there was a bit of steam coming out from the RH fairing up near the top. This is after a pretty spirited ride to work where I was intentionally trying to put the cooling system through its paces to shake down the work I had done as described in this thread:

http://www.vfrdiscus...e-running-temp/

I let it idle in the lot and didn't get any more drips. When I got it home, same thing. I tore off the RH fairing and couldn't find a single drop, even after letting it idle half an hour in the garage. I shook every coolant hose I could, pinched 'em all, etc, and couldn't get a thing. And, FWIW, I checked the coolant level under the cap and it was to the brim like I had left it.

As to what caused the coolant drips this morning, I have a theory. While doing all the coolant work, I was pretty sloppy with letting the rad overflow while burping the system, leading to a lot of coolant residue all down the RH side of the bike (along the frame, off the hoses, etc.). I had ridden it a couple of times since doing the work with no issues, but this morning there was a VERY dense and thick fog. My guess is that the drips were actually just condensation/moisture dripping off the fairings, but combined with the coolant residue to give it the sweet smell I noticed when I checked out the drops. It'd make sense, especially since the drips on the fairings were not blue in color like they should be (the current coolant is Engine Ice).

Sorry for the long post, but I'm trying to work out everything before the next track day on Monday.

Mike

The hose is wobbly because it is connected to the thermostat housing inside the Vee of the engine. The thermostat housing is not solidly attached to anything, just held in place by all the hoses clamped to it.

I would rinse the bike down, paying careful attention to getting lots of water into the center of the Vee of the engine, and if it happens again, you probably need to tighten all the clamps on the hoses.

To reach all the clamps, the fuel injection system has to come off. I was able to pop my throttle bodies off and tilt them 90 degrees to the left side of the bike and get it done that way. Saved me from draining the fuel and splitting the fuel lines, etc.

Well, so much for my theory.

Just got in the lot today and was greeted with the exact same thing. And no mistaking it this time; it's coolant. So now I have a leak that only likes to manifest itself while the bike is in motion. Hooray.

I'll try tightening the clamps. I wasn't aware you could pop the TBs without yanking the tank. I'll give it a shot.

Mike

Tip the tank back while the fuel level is low, the remove MOST of the hoses from the throttle bodies (not the fuel supply or return) and you should be able to wriggle the entire throttle body assembly off to the left enough to get access to the clamps in the center of the Vee.

I'm so confused.

So, after work, I took the very long way home (about a 30 minute round trip) and rode the wee out of it. We're talking full throttle runs through third at every opportunity, hanging the revs at 8K while cruising, the works. I pulled over twice to check it out. Nothing. Not a drip. I kept a good eye on the RH side for steam while sitting at the lights. Again, nothing. I even let it idle a good 10 minutes in the garage when I got home. You guessed it. Nothing.

I confess that I did fill the overflow tank with a bit more coolant last night, possibly over the limit. And also, the fluid was brimming to just under the rad cap when I checked it last night (after it cooled of course), but shouldn't any overflow from the RH rad flow through the tiny hose just off the spout, and doesn't that hose lead directly to the overflow tank? Is it possible I just had a wee bit too much coolant yesterday, burped it out on the trip to work, the did the whole cycle over again when I filled the overflow last night?

Mike

OK, now I'm really, really confused.

So, since my last post, I've taken the bike to a track day at Willow Springs (Big Willow). I ran the ever-loving wee out of it; not a drop. But since then I've ridden the bike back and forth to work a handful of times, and the last two times (including today), I've been greeted with coolant dripping off the fairings and a bit of steam coming off the RH radiator. The commute is maybe 10 minutes long and the bike doesn't get above 190ish the whole time (as opposed to my track days where even on the last one I was touching 240s), so it appears I have some sort of leak that only occurs at certain temps.

I'm gonna drop the bike off with my mechanic after work because I'm sick of trying to troubleshoot this thing, but I'd appreciate any input. At minimum, I'll update everyone when I get an answer.

Mike