Just did a coolant flush.

Recharged and burped the system, topped off the reservior. Warmed the bike up, then shut off and watched the thermostat do its cool down. It's working fine. New thermoswitch on the radiator, the fan works fine.

I let it sit and idle for a long time and then the coolant in the reservoir started bubbling and a steady stream of steam started blowing out the outlet tube.

I'm suspecting the radiator cap and I have a new one on order

Thoughts?

 

The cap sounds like its not holding pressure. You can have it tested to be sure, but new ones are cheap enough. It's a standard automotive cap that is available at any auto parts store.

 

You get me with the title every time Woof!

Hopefully it is just the cap, what does the rubber seal look like?

Cheers, SB

 

Hell, Seb. I'm always blowing steam out my hole

Rubber seal on the cap is worn

@ Demon. Do you know what lb rating I should be looking for at the autozone?

I ordered one from cheap cycle parts the day after I ordered my speedo cable. The cable arrives. The cap is somewhere in transit

 

How long sisnce you flushed the radiator Woof. Might be worth doing it at the same time. Did the fan kick in? And have you thought of the possibility of a thermostat problem?

I think the cap might be 1.1 bar but I'll confirm that.

Cheers, SB

EDIT: Radiator cap pressure = 16 Lbs or 1.1 kg/cm2

 

I did the flush today,

With the cap off and warming up the bike, I could look down the filler spout and see the arched part of the thermostat. While the bike was warming up I could see the thermostat working by noticing the expansion that revealed the shaft that actuates the diaphragm. When I cooled the bike down I could watch the thermostat contract and that little bit of exposed shaft disappear. That leads to believe that the thermostat is good.

Rubber seal on cap is pretty chewed. Did a search and found a couple of threads on an automotive equivalent. A quarter of the price of the Honda one.

1.1 bar is 16lb psi.

I'm off to the auto parts store

 

Correct Woof - see my post above.

Good to see the rest of the system is peachy.

Cheers, SB

 

Hah! You won't believe this.

The radiator cap on my Honda is identical to the one on Mrs. Woof's Ford!

Now I know what to ask for!

 

Yes been there done that last year with both my bikes. Got 2 new ones at Supercheap auto for 11 dollars each. Honda wanted 20 odd dollars here for one from memory. I tested both new ones and they took about 15 psi. Honda Parts House in the USA have it for $24.86 so who knows what it would be here....

http://www.supercheapauto.com.au/onl...pid=4217#Cross

 

Right you are, Bordo.

Paid $31.76 with shipping from cheapcycle parts on the Feb, 8 and it still isn't here. Their price is 10 bucks less than dealer list.

Went to Autozone and got a cap for a '97 Ford Explorer with a 3.0 SOHC V-6.

$7.99 plus tax

All seems well now. Let it idle while putting the fairings back on. Didn't even reach the halfway