Please Help! Running weird after overheating.

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Docktor V

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So I performed a lot of mods - Lars airbox, removed sub throttle plates, and flushed radiator. Also changed spark plugs, wrapped coils in electric tape.

Went for first ride was running awesome really noticed a difference from mods. 2-3 miles or so I looked down and was squirting radiator fluid. Turned around to go home, engine was running 213 ish then by the time i got home just got to 230.

Let it cool down to 165. Connected hose that I found disconnected, filled radiator with fluid.

Went for another ride. Now engine runs normal temp, but I have lost a ton of power. Sounds a little weird at all RPMS, hard to describe.

Could I really have caused serious damage just from running a little high for a short period of time? Please help Thanks,David
 
Docktor V said:
So I performed a lot of mods - Lars airbox, removed sub throttle plates, and flushed radiator. Also changed spark plugs, wrapped coils in electric tape.

Went for first ride was running awesome really noticed a difference from mods. 2-3 miles or so I looked down and was squirting radiator fluid. Turned around to go home, engine was running 213 ish then by the time i got home just got to 230.

Let it cool down to 165. Connected hose that I found disconnected, filled radiator with fluid.

Went for another ride. Now engine runs normal temp, but I have lost a ton of power. Sounds a little weird at all RPMS, hard to describe.

Could I really have caused serious damage just from running a little high for a short period of time? Please help Thanks,David
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Do you know where the coolant was squirting during the leak? Just wondering if it may have gotten past the spark plug boots? Maybe a fouled plug? Just a guess.
 
FZ1riderNY said:
Do you know where the coolant was squirting during the leak? Just wondering if it may have gotten past the spark plug boots? Maybe a fouled plug? Just a guess.
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Thanks FZ1.

Interesting, haden't thought of that. I was suspicious of having seated the boots wrong, but it wouldn't have ridden so well on the first ride. Also, i thought that if I haden't seated a boot properly, it would be MISFIRING, which I've never experienced in a motorcycle, but would expect the whole thing to shake, and I would expext a misfire to be obvious.


Where the leak was coming from is the small radiator tube on the upper clutch side of radiator. It could very well have squirted on the plugs. Also on the fans and spread it all over.

Would foul plugs these symptoms? Maybe need to change them again?
 
Docktor V said:
Thanks FZ1.

Interesting, haden't thought of that. I was suspicious of having seated the boots wrong, but it wouldn't have ridden so well on the first ride. Also, i thought that if I haden't seated a boot properly, it would be MISFIRING, which I've never experienced in a motorcycle, but would expect the whole thing to shake, and I would expext a misfire to be obvious.


Where the leak was coming from is the small radiator tube on the upper clutch side of radiator. It could very well have squirted on the plugs. Also on the fans and spread it all over.

Would foul plugs these symptoms? Maybe need to change them again?
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Well once on my GenI I had water get in past the boot while riding and when it hit the plug it cracked the porcelain from the heat and the bike had the same symptoms. Once the bad plug was changed the bike ran normally again.
 
FZ1riderNY said:
Well once on my GenI I had water get in past the boot while riding and when it hit the plug it cracked the porcelain from the heat and the bike had the same symptoms. Once the bad plug was changed the bike ran normally again.
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Well I guess that would be a good start. Considering that it dumped a radiator full of coolant, i wouldn't be surprised if some got on the plugs.
Maybe change them again.. I can't help but think there's probably nothing major wrong. Why would it run fine all the way home and not show symptoms until turning it off, reconnecting hose, filling radiator, and going on another ride though.

Will take your advice and change spark plugs again maybe next weekend..
 
Docktor V said:
Well I guess that would be a good start. Considering that it dumped a radiator full of coolant, i wouldn't be surprised if some got on the plugs.
Maybe change them again.. I can't help but think there's probably nothing major wrong. Why would it run fine all the way home and not show symptoms until turning it off, reconnecting hose, filling radiator, and going on another ride though.

Will take your advice and change spark plugs again maybe next weekend..
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Just to make it easier to diagnose, warm the bike up to operating temperature. Once shes hot, take a spray bottle of plain water and squirt a tiny bit near the top of each header pipe one at a time. The water should boil off immediately from the pipe, each one the same. If one looks like it's not boiling off the same as the others, that should be the plug you should start with.
 
FZ1riderNY said:
Just to make it easier to diagnose, warm the bike up to operating temperature. Once shes hot, take a spray bottle of plain water and squirt a tiny bit near the top of each header pipe one at a time. The water should boil off immediately from the pipe, each one the same. If one looks like it's not boiling off the same as the others, that should be the plug you should start with.
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OK I will test this possibly tomorrow. I may be getting off a little early so will have time to try a few things.
 
FZ1riderNY said:
Who knows, maybe if you wash it down with some fresh water and dry it out with a blower she'll be back to normal. Could be that something just got wet that normally doesn't. Let's hope so.
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Wait what part should I wash down?

I would think getting water around the coils may make it worse if that is in fact the problem..

Thanks again..
 
Docktor V said:
Wait what part should I wash down?

I would think getting water around the coils may make it worse if that is in fact the problem..

Thanks again..
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There's no issue with just washing your bike like a normal wash to clean up any coolant residue. Just wash it as you normally would. You'd want to remove the coolant that leaked over it anyways.
 
Damn. So oil is now milky.. Bit of water from exhaust. Guess I managed to affect head.

Thanks guys. Guess I know I'll always double check radiator hoses now..

Looking at head change at the minimum, I assume, will be talking to shop this afternoon.
 
Docktor V said:
Damn. So oil is now milky.. Bit of water from exhaust. Guess I managed to affect head.

Thanks guys. Guess I know I'll always double check radiator hoses now..

Looking at head change at the minimum, I assume, will be talking to shop this afternoon.
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Oh wow, that sucks. You must have blown a head gasket seal if you have water in the oil.
 
Am going to ask mechanic this when I am able to reach him but - would it be safe to drive 2miles to shop? It's not overheating anymore just running weak and sounds a little off.
Hoping he can just change head gasket to fix...
 
Docktor V said:
Am going to ask mechanic this when I am able to reach him but - would it be safe to drive 2miles to shop? It's not overheating anymore just running weak and sounds a little off.
Hoping he can just change head gasket to fix...
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I doubt very much if a short ride at temps about 230 degrees were enough to do all that damage. I think you'd be safe to run a couple more miles as long as it's not overheating, to get it to the shop. Are you sure it's coolant in the oil?
 
No temp now is normal.. Not overheating.
Not sure that it's coolant. Just after everything I read Overheat -> milky oil + loss of power + condensation at exhaust = blown gasket or worse.
What else could it be?
 
Docktor V said:
No temp now is normal.. Not overheating.
Not sure that it's coolant. Just after everything I read Overheat -> milky oil + loss of power + condensation at exhaust = blown gasket or worse.
What else could it be?
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You know, it would have been nice to find out first what year your bike is and how many miles do you have on it. Sounds like a head gasket to me. Shouldn't be that hard for a shop to do however it's probably a lot of work to remove and replace.
 
Just because the gauge read 230F, the motor could have been much hotter, that can happens if the coolant level is below the sensor, would not take long to pump out 2 litres of coolant, hope this is not the case
 
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Sounds serious Doc...you may want to get the engine compression tested ...one scenario would be a cracked or warped head or maybe a blown gasket caused by overheating which would result in loss of power. If the spark plugs are ok testing the motor would be my next step
cheers & good luck
 
Alright loading it up on a trailer to take to a trusted mechanic..
Hoping for only problems with the head, but I'm aware that it may be worse..
Thanks guys, I'll let you know what comes out of it..
 
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