Member Contributer tomk1960 Posted August 18, 2014 Member Contributer Share Posted August 18, 2014 I took my VF1000F for the longest ride I've ever gone with it at one time - a couple of hours. It ran great the whole time and didn't overheat, at least according to the gauge. When I got home I found that the coolant reservoir was empty and there was rusty antifreeze splattered on the back end - swingarm, chain guard, caliper, etc. I pulled the radiator cap and it was low. It looked to me like the coolant boiled over and forced it's way out the overflow into the reservoir, then out through the cap and the other overflow tube that's on the reservoir. It took 1.5 liters to refill the radiator. Not sure what to make of this - does anyone have any ideas? I'm sure glad nothing catastrophic happened out on the road. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer Switchblade Posted August 18, 2014 Member Contributer Share Posted August 18, 2014 Head gasket ? Any steam out of the exhaust ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer tomk1960 Posted August 18, 2014 Author Member Contributer Share Posted August 18, 2014 Head gasket ? Any steam out of the exhaust ? None that I know of. Is what I described head gasket failure symptoms? This looked more like a boil-over. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer gll429 Posted August 18, 2014 Member Contributer Share Posted August 18, 2014 did your fans come on? you may have a bad thermoswitch for the fan or a stuck thermostat Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer Cogswell Posted August 18, 2014 Member Contributer Share Posted August 18, 2014 If the coolant was rusty, sounds like it's time to flush the system and get the sludge out. If the coolant's rusty the thermostat ^^^ probably is too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VF1000Fe Posted August 18, 2014 Share Posted August 18, 2014 1.5 liters is half the system capacity. The cylinders were probably always covered with fluid, so you might be OK there. The Rad Cap might not be keeping pressure. The Rad Fluid side of the cast iron cylinders do get real rusty, even when rad fluid is in them. Maybe some of the Through Ports (from Cylinder thru Head Gasket to Head) are plugged (getting too hot in there). It might be Rust, if its rusty in the Overflow Tank. I have a Upper Rad (set aside) that is almost plugged on the Intake Side with Rust Flakes. I used the ZEP version of CLR and ran an Acid Loop (using a Aquarium Pump) thru the motor (for 6 days) to clean out the fluid channels in the motor. Squeaky Clean now. Head Gasket stayed intact (factory even glued it into place). I use a Laser/Infrared Temp Reader to meter the Cylinder Temperatures (and Exhaust Pipe Temps), see if they are all the same. Clean the Rad Cap, run some Prestone Rad Flush through it, to start,,.. you might have to repeat my CLR Flush. Good Luck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer tomk1960 Posted August 18, 2014 Author Member Contributer Share Posted August 18, 2014 New radiator caps and thermostats aren't that expensive, so I think I'll order them just to be safe. I can also flush out the system (hopefully the Prestone rad flush will do the trick) and replenish with fresh anti-freeze, say a prayer and hope that it got it. Are there gaskets that need to be ordered with the thermostat? I don't see any in the parts fiche. Thanks for all the advice everyone. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer Switchblade Posted August 18, 2014 Member Contributer Share Posted August 18, 2014 Head gasket ? Any steam out of the exhaust ? None that I know of. Is what I described head gasket failure symptoms? This looked more like a boil-over. Where did the boil over water go? Did you see any of the water on the street ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer gll429 Posted August 18, 2014 Member Contributer Share Posted August 18, 2014 Head gasket ? Any steam out of the exhaust ? None that I know of. Is what I described head gasket failure symptoms? This looked more like a boil-over. Where did the boil over water go? Did you see any of the water on the street ? you wont see it boil over when riding... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Veefer800Canuck Posted August 18, 2014 Share Posted August 18, 2014 Also your rad cap may not be holding pressure. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VF1000Fe Posted August 18, 2014 Share Posted August 18, 2014 I have replaced the Thermostat, they are not cheap. I boiled 2 old and the new Thermostat on the stove,,.. they all opened at the same temp, but the new one opened 40% wider. There is a O-Ring in the Thermostat Housing, and probably tired after 30 years. http://www.hondapartshouse.com/oemparts/a/hon/506c3916f870023420a324b3/water-pipe-thermostat I use a local Seal House to get my O-Rings, cheaper and always in stock. Rad Cap is not cheap either. http://www.hondapartshouse.com/oemparts/a/hon/506c3994f870023420a324d5/radiator The Rad Cap has 2 valves in it, one for heating/expanding fluid to get out, to the Overflow, and a small return valve for rad fluid to get back into the radiator when cooling. I've had the return valve fail (on an old 91 Suburban) and so the rad fluid never gets back into the rad. As the Rad gets more and more air in it (air expands more than water) more blows out the Overflow. The water level in the radiator keeps dropping, the Overflow Tank blows out excess. Its a runaway situation. The system will then run at lower pressure and so the fluid boils sooner too. Use the good stuff (5 year 250,000km), the green stuff seems to precipitate silicates out, that stick to everything (hardening of the Arteries). You might wanna pull the Spark Plugs, see if any "Steam Cleaning" has been occurring in the cylinders (failed Head Gasket). The Rad flush says to run the motor hot for 10min,,.. not long enough or me. Good Luck Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer Switchblade Posted August 18, 2014 Member Contributer Share Posted August 18, 2014 Head gasket ? Any steam out of the exhaust ? None that I know of. Is what I described head gasket failure symptoms? This looked more like a boil-over. Where did the boil over water go? Did you see any of the water on the street ? you wont see it boil over when riding... Over flow tube will dump it(water) every where's. It's very obvious. My 84 over heated twice both times the t-stat stuck, there was no doubt something was wrong. Pull up at a right light and liquid was every where's. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Veefer800Canuck Posted August 18, 2014 Share Posted August 18, 2014 I was able to use a rad cap for an Isuzu or Subaru. Same pressure. Less money. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer tomk1960 Posted August 18, 2014 Author Member Contributer Share Posted August 18, 2014 Head gasket ? Any steam out of the exhaust ? None that I know of. Is what I described head gasket failure symptoms? This looked more like a boil-over. Where did the boil over water go? Did you see any of the water on the street ? My son was riding behind the Interceptor and noticed liquid coming out the back and spraying on the ground. Sounds like it was coming out that overflow tube that's on the reservoir. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer Switchblade Posted August 18, 2014 Member Contributer Share Posted August 18, 2014 Head gasket ? Any steam out of the exhaust ? None that I know of. Is what I described head gasket failure symptoms? This looked more like a boil-over. Where did the boil over water go? Did you see any of the water on the street ? My son was riding behind the Interceptor and noticed liquid coming out the back and spraying on the ground. Sounds like it was coming out that overflow tube that's on the reservoir. What I thought . Head gasket ? Any steam out of the exhaust ? None that I know of. Is what I described head gasket failure symptoms? This looked more like a boil-over. Where did the boil over water go? Did you see any of the water on the street ? you wont see it boil over when riding... Over flow tube will dump it(water) every where's. It's very obvious. My 84 over heated twice both times the t-stat stuck, there was no doubt something was wrong. Pull up at a right light and liquid was every where's. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer tomk1960 Posted August 27, 2014 Author Member Contributer Share Posted August 27, 2014 Clean the Rad Cap, run some Prestone Rad Flush through it, to start,,.. you might have to repeat my CLR Flush. Good Luck. Since this isn't set up like a car, the flush kit (fitings for hoses, etc.) only has one or two parts that will be useful. Should I drain the cooling system first, then hook up a hose to the radiator and let it run out through the drain plugs? Then fill with the Prestone radiator flush and run that through the system as well? I want to make sure I do this right. Hopefully I'll have time over the long weekend - I have a new thermostat, O-ring, and rad cap ready to go. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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