GUEST? Registration opens up many more resources which are not available to guests. Registration is free, we never sell or give others access to your information.
Posted by Bucko
- July 03, 2014, 13:36:14 PMHi Guys:
A bit of an update on this....
Subsequent riding last season confirmed that I was loosing coolant.
Over this past spring I finally pulled the tank off my 1500 in order to have a look at the coolant hoses at the top of the motor. After some Googling, I had discovered that it's pretty common for the 1500/1600 Vulcan engines to loose coolant from these upper hoses. The connections for the rear cylinder hose looked pretty clean but the there was some crustiness visible at the lower front cylinder hose connection (although it very difficult to get a clear view down there without removing a bunch of stuff which I didn't really want to do if I could get away with not absolutely having to do so). I tightened up the clamps for the rear hose a slight bit (mainly because they were just easy to get to) but tightening the clamp on the front hose where it meets the head was very difficult. It's almost impossible to get a wrench or screwdriver in there but i did manage to get a very small length wrench in there and tightened it up a bit. I would have liked to tighten it up further but had no luck with further fiddling which may have been a sign that the clamp is as tight is it's reasonably going to be.
A front head coolant hose leak would explain why I wasn't seeing any cooling pooling on the floor: any drips would boil off a hot motor before it ever pooled anywhere - at least that's my theory at this point (not sure why I wouldn't smell it when parking though). It's been a busy spring so I haven't got the bike out yet; hoping to have it out early next week at which point I'll put my theory to the test (and keep you posted as I know you're all riveted by this subject 
)
Posted by greenbarn
- July 12, 2013, 20:05:06 PMI agree with Troll in that I would just keep a close eye on it for the next few days. Unless, of course, you're leaving tomorrow for a long trip. Like you said, it may very well have just been low from over the winter.
Posted by Bucko
- July 12, 2013, 19:21:41 PMI put about a 200 Km's on last Saturday and 20 or 30 or so last night. Can't remember the last time I chedked the coolant but it would have been last summer when I had it out last.
Oil sample looks pretty clean.
I'm not smelling anything so I don't think I'm burning it.
Thee are definitely no leaks while sitting as I park it on a clean garage floor and I'd notice the drips right away if there were any. I guess thee could be leaks while it's running (never in the garage) In any case I'll take a closer look.
My theory at this point is that when I last changed the coolant - summer before last I think - I'll have to check my records. I maybe never got all the air out - me not paying much attention to purging and all - and over the course of riding it, gradually purged the air out and the overflow tank gradually emptied. I didn't drive it much last summer.
Posted by John Hopkins
- July 12, 2013, 15:08:19 PMYou say you just got back from a ride, but you don't say how far..You also say you got the bike out of winter storage last week but don't say if you have been riding it all week..
without further knowledge I suggest you drain all the old oil out, remove the old oil filter, drain and flush the coolant system and examine all the waste liquids for cross contamination..
Many people think that because these engines are so large, that they are indestructable..they are not..
Coolant is the single most important part of your engine..
Before you remove all the fluids from your engine lay down beside the bike with some kitchen towel and wipe all around and under the engine to find any wet spots..if you find any carefully trace them upwards until you are sure you have located the source, then replace the part that is causing the leak before refilling the fluids.
don't undo a single nut or bolt until you have taken a clear photo of it because this will save you wondering where that pipe or wire or cover went.
John.
Posted by Troll
- July 12, 2013, 12:11:10 PMIf it's burning coolant you will know it pretty quickly. Very distinctive smell in the exhaust, even without white smoke. I would monitor it over the next few days. Are you sure there are no external leaks?
Posted by Bucko
- July 12, 2013, 11:39:16 AMI got back from a ride last night and happened to notice the coolant looked low so I removed the right hand side cover to discover the overflow bottle was completely empty. What the ^&%$? My experience over the years is that I often have to ad a bit of coolant after the bike has sat over the winter (I just got the bike out of storage last weekend) but this is the first time that the bottle was empty. In any case, I filled the bottle to the full level, then checked this morning (after cooling overnight) and some of the fluid has been sucked back in to the cooling system as it should.
Just wondering if i need to go through the full burping process once the bottle has gone dry? I usually don't get overly concerned about burping as the cooling system will generally self purge over a number of hot/cold cycles as long as the bottle is topped up and as long as there's minimal air in the system to begin with.
Still wondering where that coolant went though. I don't smell anything odd in the exhaust and no sign of leaks. Oil Looks fine. 
?? I hope it's not being sucked into the cylinders.
Comments?