Radiator leak!

[Robik]

Seems I do indeed have a leaking radiator, the leak seems to be coming from the top of the radiator, but not from any of the hoses or connectors.

My car engine fix would be to put some radweld in, but it seems that is the not advised for bike engines, is this correct?

I might have to replace the radiator, with new of 2nd hand rad (if I can find a fully pressure and temperature tested one that is).

[megawatt]

I used Kseal It and have had no further problems.

[eastanglianbiker]

they dont recomend it for bikes as the water ways inside the engine and the veins of the rads are that much smaller,if you can see where it is leaking from you might be bale to solder or get it brazed up if you can find a good replacement

[Robik]

If I can find the leak, I wonder if something like this J-B weld would seal it up from the outside of the radiator.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/J-B_Weld

[Robik]

I used Kseal It and have had no further problems.

 

Just seen advice against this sort of product for bike engines. Concerned that I might cause a bigger problem with the engine. That's great that it worked ok for you though!

[megawatt]

Like I said, I used it on a Fireblade system and have had no further problems. Please yerself if you don't believe me, just don't expect any more informed advice from someone that has been working on bikes for 37 years .

[Robik]

I appreciate the advice megawatt, sorry it seems that I may have touched you in places you don't like to be touched and for that I apolgise. I do believe you (why would you lie?). Just looking at all my options that's all.

[Tango]

I used k-seal on my speed 4........worked a treat. It remains liquid until it gets hot and comes into contact with air....ie, through a hole in a rad. But if your leak is that big it may be the rad has split......so may need a new core......or a new rad.

[megawatt]

Thanks Bob. No offence taken mate, but give us some idea of the leak rate/size of the hole and if not too big, at least try KSeal it. It's not thick and gloopy like Radweld.Costs about £10 a half litre and you get about 3 systems worth when mixed with water. If it doesn't work, then spend a lot more on a repair or a new rad?

[Robik]

Hi,

Thanks Tango and Megawatt, I can find this stuff easily on the net, but that means having to wait until next week to use it. In my quick search I can't seem to find it in Halfords, not sure who else might stock it?

[Robik]

I found out my local spares places places sells it (236ml) bottle for £10, this seems to be the only size they sell on the net too. Your 0.5l find for £10 was a good find megawatt!

For my cbr 125 how much would you suggest I put in?

Thanks!

[mealexme]

It seems that I may have touched you in places you don't like to be touched

http://www.tshirthell.com/shirts/products/a324/a324.gif?v11301bss2

I'm sorry, I had to. I have no useful information to add to this post, so I shall go away now

[Robik]

[megawatt]

Check on container, think it's a 2 or 3 to 1 mix. I used hot water in a 2 litre pop bottle. Fill your cooling system up with tap water and drain into a measuring container(pop bottle) or check a workshop manual. I had loads left.

[Robik]

Thanks megawatt,

Do you mean 2/3 water to 1 K-seal mix? I couldn't find any figures on this to confirm.

I found this from http://www.kseal.com/wp-content/uploads ... l-2013.pdf

"Shake the bottle vigorously for 30 seconds and add the entire contents to

the radiator or header/expansion tank. If adding to the radiator do not pour

directly onto the radiator core. (For very small cooling systems e.g.

motorbikes, it is possible to add just part of the bottle but you must make sure

that the contents are extremely well mixed first."

Would recommend flushing out the cooling fluid after the K-seal has done it's job or just leave it in with the current fluid thats already in there?

edit: found this information too from http://www.kseal.com/faqs/

"How much K-Seal do I need?

1 standard bottle of K-Seal (236ml/8floz) will treat cooling systems with a capacity up to 20 litres (this covers motorbikes up to light commercial vehicles). For larger cooling systems use our Heavy Duty (472ml/16floz) size K-Seal."

You had the Heavy-Duty bottle 472ml

[eastanglianbiker]

i would say you need to find out how much coolant your system holds then divide the kseal to find out how much of the botle you need as your cooling system is likely to only be 1 or 2 litres not the 20 the full bottle will work with

[Robik]

i would say you need to find out how much coolant your system holds then divide the kseal to find out how much of the botle you need as your cooling system is likely to only be 1 or 2 litres not the 20 the full bottle will work with

 

Thanks. According to the cbr125 bike manual. Cooling system capacity is 0.70L (Radiator and engine) and 0.28L (reserve tank), so just under 1L. So does this mean use only 1/20th of the K-Seal bottle?

[eastanglianbiker]

in theory yes but hopefully mega will be along soon who has used it to see how he worked out the figures on the amounts used,but yes in threory you would use 1/20th of the bottle

[Robik]

That makes "theoretical" sense thanks eastanglianbiker.

Looking forward to mega's thoughts on this hypothesis

[acting_strange]

OK so 20 ltrs = 700floz (35floz to 1 Ltr)

Your bottle = 8floz

700/8 = 87.5

87.5/8 = 11 therefore the correct dillution is 1:11 Fluid/Water

Your bike holds .7 ltr fluid and .7 ltr = 24 fluid oz

At this rate you would be better off mixing 1ltr of antifreeze solution and add 1/3 (85ml) to that then pour that into your machine and run it up. Keep whats left to top it up because you will surely need to.

[Tango]

I used about 1/3rd of the smaller bottle in my Speed 4.......with no ill effects......

[Tango]

Oh......and you leave it in the system as it will continue to seal any other leaks if they occur......you don't need to drain and refill the system.....

And.....I tend to use distilled water in the cooling system on my bikes.......stops the waterways furring up with limescale.......

[Joeman]

In the old days, they used to use egg white to seal up leaks.

Just crack an egg and pour in the egg white

[Robik]

Oh......and you leave it in the system as it will continue to seal any other leaks if they occur......you don't need to drain and refill the system.....

And.....I tend to use distilled water in the cooling system on my bikes.......stops the waterways furring up with limescale.......

 

Do you mean distilled water to flush out the cooling system or distilled water instead of antifreeze coolant?

Ok, so I am not sure when the last time the coolant was replaced in the bike (the bike is 6 years old, done about 9.5k miles). Not sure if it is a good idea to replace it with fresh coolant mixed with about a.... umm let me refer back to acting_strange's post...

 

At this rate you would be better off mixing 1ltr of antifreeze solution and add 1/3 (85ml) to that then pour that into your machine and run it up. Keep whats left to top it up because you will surely need to.

 

Sorry if I misunderstand this, but would this not mean that I end up putting too much coolant/k-seal mixture in the system?

[Tango]

Distilled water and antifreeze in the correct ratio........if you use tap water it can fur up the waterways in the engine.....much like your kettle furs up.......and don't forget that antifreeze also helps the cooling system......so it keeps the bike cooler in summer too......