Author Topic: Small Amount of Coolant on floor after winter storage?  (Read 2194 times)

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Putts255

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Small Amount of Coolant on floor after winter storage?
« on: April 09, 2017, 22:44:49 »
Hello Folks, I just moved the bike from my enclosed trailer in the backyard of the house and as I was pulling it out there was maybe a tablespoon of coolant on the floor of the trailer.   

My old 2001 Triumph Tiger 955i did the same thing and it was common.  Especially in Edmonton Alberta where we get -30°C for weeks on end.  The bike sits in the trailer from November to April.  I just bought the bike last year and it was stored indoors until this year. 

Regardless I started the bike up without a hitch, runs perfect.  Ran it for over 15 minutes, temp crawled up, no odd smoke from exhaust, no discoloration of the oil.  No visible coolant leak before, during or after running the bike. 

Does anyone have an opinion on this?   

Thanks!
Edmonton, Alberta
2008 Honda Varadero
2001 Triumph Tiger
2006 Honda Foreman ATV
2013 Polaris Sportsman 500HO ATV

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Jyrays

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Re: Small Amount of Coolant on floor after winter storage?
« Reply #1 on: April 10, 2017, 15:02:07 »
Maybe your coolant reservoir got frozen during the winter? You know ice has bigger volume so it will need to overflow some water...
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SB

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Re: Small Amount of Coolant on floor after winter storage?
« Reply #2 on: April 10, 2017, 23:09:19 »
Maybe your coolant reservoir got frozen during the winter? You know ice has bigger volume so it will need to overflow some water...

If the reservoir froze why would the water in the engine not freeze ?

Jyrays

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Re: Small Amount of Coolant on floor after winter storage?
« Reply #3 on: April 12, 2017, 11:23:38 »
Maybe your coolant reservoir got frozen during the winter? You know ice has bigger volume so it will need to overflow some water...

If the reservoir froze why would the water in the engine not freeze ?
SB, I lived in cold country, did you. :)

Reservoir is "out" of the engine and therefore less isolated. If some water has been added it might not have been mixed with engine coolant if the engine was not ridden to full hot. The coolant in engine can"freeze" without getting fully frozen and not break the engine. I have seen "ice cube" in reservoir without anything else broken on vehivles.

Just my 5 cents from experience...
Current: HONDA CRF1000L Tricolor DCT
Honda NC700X DCT
Past: Honda VFR 1200 X Crosstourer / Honda SLR 650 / HONDA XLV 1000 Varadero / Honda XR 650 R / KTM 640 LC4 / Honda CB1100 / Yamaha XJ 850 / Honda CB 500 1977...

superfunkomatic

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Re: Small Amount of Coolant on floor after winter storage?
« Reply #4 on: April 14, 2017, 04:20:02 »
Have you checked the worm-gear clamps on the radiator hoses? They've been known to expand and contract with heat and allow a trickle of fluid to seep out during storage.
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