Anti-Freeze Seep in cold weather

[BuddyRich]

Found My bike leaking AF at night during cold weather. Also had a slight oder when riding I could not locate. Finally found it. There is a small rubber seal behind the false heads. It seems to seep during cold weather. I seem to remember seeing it here on the site before. Don't remember what they did . I took and put 3 layers of duct tape on the button that pushes the seal in and it seems to have solved the problem.

[pegscraper]

They do cry a little through the winter time when they don't get ridden enough.

 

A new use for duct tape. I used small washers to do the same thing. I've heard of some using beer can shims.

[Steve S]

Buddy you are letting it set WAY too much. Good job on the fix though.

Ride safe.

[DMooch]

I find that winter riding has nothing to do with the weeping, but more of a general low temperature when the bike is parked.

 

Any time it dropped below 20ºF, I would see a little green on the floor, from either the front or rear just on the left side. the cylinder heads contract every which way in the cold, and that includes causing the cylinder drain plug holes to 'grow'. A few years back I even got new cylinder drain plugs, gooped 'em up with some monkey snot sealant (not a brand name, just know it by that affectation), and yet they still weep from time to time when it drops way down in temperature.

 

Since the plug is shaped with an edge on it, keeping pressure on this edge ought to keep them sealed against the cylinder heads. A look at the inside of the finned covers has a small raised circle right where the cover would align with the plug. Please note: while the manual says to thread a spark plug top into the drain plug to remove it, these things will pop out all on their own! Coolant is quite slippery, and if they're leaking now, they will fly right out just from the weight of the coolant. Imagine a leaking dam... I speak from experience here. Have a spare hand on hand to help out.

 

Invest 4 pennies (or 4 dimes if you don't need so much thickness) and tape or glue them onto the high spots on the covers. Re-install and you should hopefully be leak-free.