Where can this coolant possibly becoming from?

New RSV (1999) owner as of this past Friday. Took it out for a good 500+ mile trip over the weekend to shake it down and honestly only found one thing that has me bothered and confused at the same time. Well two really, the other is an oil leak but its manageable.

In the morning when I go out to start I see coolant on the ground, but it looks to be coming from behind the cylinder. This is on the left side of the engine. The coolant will leak more heavily right after I start it but then as the motor warms up I can see it stop. I di not believe it stops entirely as I can see some fluid on the pipe after a long drive.

I am supplying some pics, if anybody has any thoughts or can forward me to a thread that I missed in a search I would appreciate it.

Awesome site BTW, very helpful

http://www.webtrendsguy.com/images/rsv/rsv3.jpg

http://www.webtrendsguy.com/images/rsv/rsv4.jpg

http://www.webtrendsguy.com/images/rsv/rsv5.jpg

Thanks, love the bike!

http://www.webtrendsguy.com/images/rsv/rsv2.jpg

Hey Goat,

Coolant Loss is not a "Weakness" that this XVZ1300 motor is known for but if it is going to leak, and it IS NOT leaking in the front of the bike out of the radiator or the big hoses to and from then it leaks in this area (part #35, #36) in the pic attached below. We call this the "Twinkie". You have two complex O'Ring assemblies and I have seen hose #53 leak as well. Sometimes the hose clamps for hose #53 will not be clamping properly, (after all, they are an 11 year old Jap spring clamp) and coolant will ooze from the lower end of the hose.

Remove the Ornamental Cylinder Covers, Get the bike running, and use a flashlight to see where the coolant is coming from. Until you find the source of the leak, you will just be throwing parts at it. By the way, welcome to the site!

Earl

It's the "freeze plugs" behind the fake fins. I believe the fake fins hold the plugs in. Somewhere on the site here there is a replacement plug which works more gooder if I remember correctly.

Actually, it is a lot more simple than suggested by Skydoc. I think there is about a 95% chance that you just have a simple leak from the rubber plug under the fake fin cover. Do not run the bike too long with those covers off or the plug (s) might blow completely out when the pressure builds as it comes up to temperature.

When you remove the cover, look near the bottom in the center of the cylinder wall and you will see a black rubber plug with a threaded metal insert. When you change the coolant, you use the top of a spark plug to pull out those plugs and drain the water jackets. If you look inside the fake fin cover you will see a flat spot that is supposed to push on that rubber plug and keep it in place. When they get older, those plugs sometimes leak. Replacement is simple, but you can also just place a dime or washer on that flat spot of the cylinder cover to simply apply a bit more pressure on that plug and stop the leak for now.

Goose

I have yet to look at the removal of the fins but is it safe to assume it is fairly straight forward?

A couple of obvious hex heads hold it on. A 2 minute job to remove 1 of them.

I have yet to look at the removal of the fins but is it safe to assume it is fairly straight forward?

Yes, just take out the three socket-head screws. Nothing else holds them in place. Might take you 1 whole minute to do (if you're real slow).

Goose

yes, it is straight forward. I had the oposite problem you did. i removed my fo fin covers for something else. left them off to continue next day. I did not know about these drain/freeze plugs. i soon learned when one popped out over night and i woke to a pool of anti froze on the floor.

assuming yor covers are off -

then i learned what you are a fixin to. as stated, add a washer, dime or penny to the flat spot with some tape, put the plug back in and put the fin back in place, this will hold ya till new ones are in. order some new ones. take out the old one put in the new ones. and that's it. when you order, tho, order one extra. don't ask why, you will know when it is time.

remember what Goose said about the spark plug. that is for the drain/freeze plug threaded centerhole. screw the drain plug on the spark plug, insert into the drain/freeze plug into the drain hole, unscrew spark plug. reinstall fin cover. if you lost enough anti froze liquid, replace that. one more item under yor belt.

if you look on ebay, they show the fins for sale, layin on a table for photographs. as you remove them, you will think - oh, now i see.

there ya have it.

Just a minor point of terminology and function, but these plugs are purely DRAIN plugs for the water jackets, not freeze plugs.

A freeze plug is a thin metal disk glued into a hole in the water jackets of an engine block. It's purpose is to rupture or pop out BEFORE the engine block can split open if the coolant actually does freeze. Since these rubber plugs are held in place by the fin covers, they can never function as freeze plugs, even if the coolant freezes solid.

Most people call them freeze plugs just because that is what they are used to on a car engine. Like I said, this a very minor point, but it never hurts to fully understand the function of a part.

Goose

New RSV (1999) owner as of this past Friday. Took it out for a good 500+ mile trip over the weekend to shake it down and honestly only found one thing that has me bothered and confused at the same time. Well two really, the other is an oil leak but its manageable.

 

In the morning when I go out to start I see coolant on the ground, but it looks to be coming from behind the cylinder. This is on the left side of the engine. The coolant will leak more heavily right after I start it but then as the motor warms up I can see it stop. I di not believe it stops entirely as I can see some fluid on the pipe after a long drive.

 

I am supplying some pics, if anybody has any thoughts or can forward me to a thread that I missed in a search I would appreciate it.

 

Awesome site BTW, very helpful

 

http://www.webtrendsguy.com/images/rsv/rsv3.jpg

 

http://www.webtrendsguy.com/images/rsv/rsv4.jpg

 

http://www.webtrendsguy.com/images/rsv/rsv5.jpg

 

Thanks, love the bike!

 

http://www.webtrendsguy.com/images/rsv/rsv2.jpg

Been there done that I know what this is!!!

I had exactly the same issue and the same location. Behind that fin is a small black plug with a screw hole in it. This is what you would call a "drain plug" Mine got tired and old apparently and dried up somewhat and therefore was too loose in its hole and leaked. If you take the fin off and tape a penny on the back side of the fin exactly to match the plug you can test and see if the leaks stop to verify or spend $4.95 to get a new drain plug to insert into the cylinder hole. Its important to note that the bolts that hold the fin on are important to maintain a firm grip on the plug so it can't dislodge itseld from pressure and it someone leaves out tha bottom bolt on the fin cover you may experience a full or partial water loss.

My suggestion change all of them. You can remove them with a spark plug and just stick the new ones in the hole and put the cover fin back over it making sure you have all the bolts necessary.Special note: Do not run your engine with these fins off as the plugs will eject themselves from the pressure. I replace all 4 of mine and the issues on my 99 disappeared.

just my 2:2cents:

Thanks for all the info! I will try and get out tomorrow and get these off.

... Do not run the bike too long with those covers off or the plug (s) might blow completely out when the pressure builds as it comes up to temperature.

...

The problem has likely been isolated (the plug thing) so I won't repeat that.

BUT, it is absolutely critical that you don't start the bike with the fins off - I figured that was worth repeating, JUST to make sure!!

It is an easy fix. While you are at it you may as well replace the 4 of those plugs and the coolant too.