My bike wants me to kick it over I think.

[z9nine]

Bit o' history: Bought bike, good deal. Bike ran great. Bike needed clean carbs. Bike ran great. Bike crapped a coil pack. Bike got new coil pack. Bike worked great. Bike ran hot, this brings us up to now.


I have made posts in the past about my bikes overheating problems, I have changed T-stat, got oil changed, got cooling system flushed replaced cap with one from car that I read would work. Bike ran fine after flush for a week or so. Rode up to the college to drop off paper work and bike ran hot again pissing all of the coolant out to the ground, had to buy water to get it home. Pulled off the radiator cap that was supposed to be a replacement and looked at the old one. The stock one seems to be a bit larger, thought hey this could be my boiling over issues here, put stock one back on. Went to go ride it and see, the damn thing is now missing like crazy, runs fine until warmed up a bit then it stumbles till it dies unless I give it gas it is also burping out of the right exhaust. The same thing it was doing when it crapped a coil pack. It is also acting like the carbs are clogged, but it only acts up once it is warm is why I am leaning towards a spark issue. I need to find a place that can get me aftermarket coils, as you cannot get them from the factory anymore.

I am beginning to hate this damn bike, but it is a love hate kinda hate.

[goalie]

Well you can't complain that you have nothing to do.

[z9nine]

Originally Posted by goalie

Well you can't complain that you have nothing to do.

You're a half full kinda guy aren't you?

[cmonSTART]

Some things which come to mind:

-Are you sure the water pump is OK?
-Head gasket issue? (water in oil, oil in water reservoir, compression issues?)

[marcn]

Antifreeze will eat up wires like crazy; run the bike at night and check arcing in the plug wires.Sometimes the antifreeze will eat pinholes in the wires causing the arc and the bike to run rough.

[z9nine]

I'm would think that when they did the oil change and coolant flush they would have mentioned mentioned oil coolant mixing. I will most likely see about getting a new water pump when I go try to get my coils and wires tested. When it runs right I have really good power so I do not think I am running really low on compression, it may be a bit low due to the age of the bike but I am not to worried about that.

It is boiling over, coming from the overflow at the bottom of the bike. I am assuming it is not holding pressure thus lowering the boiling point of the coolant which leads me to think radiator cap is my issue, or part of it anyway.

[z9nine]

Well, I feel as though I may have wasted 50 bucks on a new water pump. Just got done replacing it and pulled the original one apart after I got it off and it looks pretty much brand new. I am now left with the Radiator possibly being bad.

However, I am leaning back to the T-stat being bad. I was looking at the OEM one and the one I replaced it with and it looks to me like the rubber seals on it seem to be a bit smaller that the OEM one. Instead of trying to find a good radiator I think I am going to order a new T-stat that is OEM and not try and take the easy/cheap way out.

[aaronrkelly]

If you keep going back to the same shop......Id change shops.

Get a different prospective.....or atleast let someone else screw you out of money for awhile, spread the love around a bit, eh?

[z9nine]

I have been doing all the work myself. I have learned how to get shops to help me diagnose my vehicles for free just by talking to them about the issue and they tell me what they think is wrong. I have never had a shop tell me they won't know until they take a look.

I actually used to have a shop out in California that would run a full inspection and diagnosis for my truck completely for free.

[Massey]

I'm thinking head gasket. Check the spark plug for signs of it burning coolant. Compression test and an exhaust gas check in the coolant will let you know right away. If it only does it once warmed up that means the exhaust is not getting to the radiator till the t stat opens. This is pretty normal when a car/truck blows a head gasket.

Massey

[Eye_m_no_angel]

Originally Posted by z9nine

I have been doing all the work myself. I have learned how to get shops to help me diagnose my vehicles for free just by talking to them about the issue and they tell me what they think is wrong. I have never had a shop tell me they won't know until they take a look.

I actually used to have a shop out in California that would run a full inspection and diagnosis for my truck completely for free.

Looks like that's working out great for you too. Bike sure is running good, eh?

[OTD]

Originally Posted by Eye_m_no_angel

Looks like that's working out great for you too. Bike sure is running good, eh?

I know guys that'll intentionally give him crappy advice if he keeps that crap up.

[z9nine]

Originally Posted by OTD

I know guys that'll intentionally give him crappy advice if he keeps that crap up.

I have not just walked in there and asked them what was wrong with my bike then walked out. I am not that much of an ass. I have bought all my parts from this shop, they have done some work as well to my bike, and they will be doing more work to my bike, it needs fork seals done on it and will need brakes soon there is a lot on bikes I do not know how to do or don't have the space to do it. I am also not in there everyday asking what to do next, it usually comes up when I am in there ordering parts.


My last post was more in jest than being serious. I know it is a dick move to do that. The shop I used in CA for my truck did the work I could not do, such as alighnment work and some engine stuff I was to lazy to do myself.


I seriously think I am overthinking the issue on my bike and am gunna go back and get a brand new radiator cap, the right one, like I was told by the guy I bought coolant from the first time it ran hot on me. He saw my bike and started telling me he was havign the same issue on his old KZ and after spending money replacing everything it ended up being a bad cap. I was a dumbass and took the cheap way out with it. I recently noticed that the one I put on had a smaller rubber seals than the stock one I took off.

[OTD]

Gotcha, just a little misunderstanding. I have no problem with a customer "picking my brain" for a little DIY project.
As long as they don't abuse my time.

[aaronrkelly]

Ive actually become good friends with my local independent mechanic......and its handy. He kinda knows my skill level and what kind of tools I have so I just flat ask him "Can I do this....or you wanna schedule me in."

[z9nine]

Ordered a new radiator cap today. From Kawasaki at a pretty Kawasaki price of $45. I had initially found on-line that a certain car cap was supposed to fit and tried that. But it looked smaller than the Kawasaki cap and I just figgered that it was fine. I hope this is the fix I needed as I am running out of money to put into this bike, priced out a radiator while at the dealer today and it was $480 bucks. I may need to find someone around here that can rebuild this one if needed.

I am leaning far from a head gasket issue Massey, it is not acting like a head gasket issue and I have no oil in my coolant, my bike is not smoking, and when it is not overheating or missing it has good power all they way up. THis bike has all OG wires in it, and I have one cap go bad on me before and it was arcing against the head, running and sounding like it does now. I have all new caps on order and they ahould be in on Wednesday courtesy of the local Yamaha dealer, they had two in stock and got me two more for $3 each and the new radiator cap should be in from Kawasaki by Friday.

[Eye_m_no_angel]

Originally Posted by OTD

Gotcha, just a little misunderstanding. I have no problem with a customer "picking my brain" for a little DIY project.
As long as they don't abuse my time.

Me too. I thought he was being a prick. That's cool then.

[the8thst]

Originally Posted by aaronrkelly

Ive actually become good friends with my local independent mechanic......and its handy. He kinda knows my skill level and what kind of tools I have so I just flat ask him "Can I do this....or you wanna schedule me in."

That is pretty much the same arrangement I have with the service manager at the dealership that does the major work on my car. It works really well.

Plus it helps me stay up to date on maintenance items because I would much rather pay say $130 for a transmission flush (which includes a full inspection) vs. a $95 diagnostic fee.

Hopefully I'll have a bike next season and will be able to find a bike mechanic who will be just as helpful.