AAARRRRGH!!

[AApple]

:sensored: :headscratch: :rant:
Yeeeesh...I just cain't get a break...
Since I completed my stator swap, and finally got the ignition fixed, the bike has been runnin great. I had noticed that it seemed to be runnin a little cooler than before, which is a gud thing. But....this past week I noticed it was starting to run hotter than before when I get into traffic. Now, usually, the temp would climb when I stopped, but go back down once I started moving again. Recently, however, it doesn't seem to cool back down...it just kinda stays around mid-way on the gauge, but will climb past halfway in traffic eventually.
I have been smellin a little coolant at times, but I have yet to see evidence of any leaks. So, this mornin, once I got to werk, I checked the overflow bottle, and it was pretty much empty. I get a bottle of water and pour some in, and I see.....OIL.... :rant:
This is NOT gud, I says to meself....not gud at ALL. :crying: I check the oil, and there is no evidence of coolant/water in the oil, so...what the heck? Are the water pump seals capable of allowing oil into the coolant, but not coolant into the oil? I know I have had a small oil leak thru the weep-hole below the water pump ever since I've had this bike, and I have always assumed it was the water pump seals leaking.
Someone PLEASE tell me changing the water pump & seals will stop this madness.... :beg:

 

[mcgovern61]

Joel,

If it is any consolation, my '81 engine (I know....sounded like a diesel) but ran like a clock otherwise. It also followed your same heating up and cooling down pattern in traffic AND I always had a bit of oil in the reservoir. The engine had the original water pump (still does) with over 169K miles. I never had the reservoir run dry, but oil in it a lot (black oil that is, Texas Gold). I always assumed that lubricating the water a little wasn't a bad thing? :smilie_happy:

Either way, it did not harm anything, but it is a good indicator that the seals are bad. Changing the water pump should solve that.

Now, empty reservoir.......that is a different story. Do you always add water only or 50/50 mix?

 

[joedrum]

yes joel it will ....and also you be a whole lot better off to rid yourself of the thermostat ....it is the number one cause of head gaskit failure ...in texas i dont know how your getting away with it ...it just to much for the system ....i know you think im cazy on this but heck ive got yrs of consistantcy with no head gaskit failures or over heating issues ever

 

[dan filipi]

I hate to say it but usually running warmer like that (as long as there's coolant in the system) means a leaking head gasket.
Monitor it though.
Since it was low it has to be going somewhere.

 

[dan filipi]

What the heck, try what Joe says but also look for leaks.
Your smelling coolant so if it's not leaking it it's burning it.

 

[joedrum]

gee dan you are making good point ....check the plugs for steam cleaning joel too ....maybe you didnt get away with it :rant:

 

[AApple]

:shock: :ahem: :headscratch:
Huh?

The temp does not go up unless I get into traffic. As long as I am cruizin down the road, it stays on the cool side(left) on the gauge...and I usually run aboot 80mph. It just runs up when I slow for traffic, or stop. Once I get moving again, it cools down some, but not like it was before this week.
Since having the engine out, I have only added water once before today, and it only took aboot a pint then, just to bring it up to the "Full Hot" mark(it was hot at the time). I checked the level earlier this week, and it at the low mark, but I dint add any. Dint notice any erl film in it then, either.
I have been smellin coolant since I put the engine back in, but I know the cross-over pipe seeps a little if it sits for more than a couple of days. It's not a constant, smell, tho...I just get a whiff every now and then...not even sure if it is coming from the 'Wing....could be someone else's turd leaking.
I have not seen any leaks on the ground, either at the shop, or in the garage, but..when the crossover seeps, the coolant kinda wets the top of the engine, and then it gets blown dry while riding.
I do still have most of the gasket set I bought for the stator swap...including head gaskets. Don't have a clue what brand they are...there were no markings on the package at all, except a paper tag stating they were for the '80-'83 GL1100, and a part number(I think).
I had a really bad feeling of dread come over me this morning after I found the oil in the coolant...almost as if someone had died.....can't explain how bad that felt.

So....how can oil get into the coolant from a head gasket leak, but no coolant get into the oil? I know this has been discussed to death, but it still makes no sense to me. Of course, I'm prolly overthinking it, and making it harder than it actually is. oh2:

 

[mcgovern61]

:shock: :ahem: :headscratch:
Huh?
So....how can oil get into the coolant from a head gasket leak, but no coolant get into the oil? I know this has been discussed to death, but it still makes no sense to me. Of course, I'm prolly overthinking it, and making it harder than it actually is. oh2:

I am in the camp that it is the water pump seal (from my experience). It put a tiny amount of oil into the water, but never water into the oil. As far as I can tell, the water pump is the only place this type of exchange can take place?

That tiny drip on the water tubes is enough to run your resevoir down over a few weeks.

 

[joedrum]

yes gerry is right there for sure that was my thinking too ....im sure the oil leaks one way from oil pressure being more potent than the water pump pressure ....seems the water pumps and fuel pumps on the oldwing are darn near next to nothing in operation ....no thermostat for me im helping that pump out as much as i can....all the system has to do is loose just a bit of water and its in the danger zone as ypur temp guage indicates ...

do me a favor joel just drop the thermostat and prove me wrong ....you also need a water pump too but you could dam near loose all the over heating i bet with thermo drop and the water pump seal wont cause it to over heat ...

if it was me id drop the thermostat so i could ride while im getting the pump seal or new pump :mrgreen:

 

[slabghost]

My 81 has the same issue with oil in the coolant.

 

[AApple]

Well...the ride home was ok....it ran about 1/2 mark on the gauge, maybe a little less. Normal, basically. I checked the reservoir when I got home, and it was still full, with pink antifreeze...and the oil slime.
Went back out after it cooled off and checked it again, and the level in the reservoir was down again, so I added aboot a pint or so to bring it back up. Also added a little oil to bring the oil level up to mid-way in the glass.
Looked as best I could all over for an external leak, or evidence thereof, and found none, except a small amount of corrosion around the ends of the coolant crossover, and some slight staining on the top of the engine case under neath the crossover. I'll try to get a better look tomorrow when I start it, to see if I can see anything then.
It runs fine, no miss, fires right off soon as I hit the start button, idles right down nicely. Don't see any steam from the pipes out back. Dint feel like pulling the plugs....too dam hot outside.
I think someone musta put a hex on me, with all the trouble I've had lately....
Is it too late to get me a gremlin bell? oh2:

 

[AApple]

Well folks...I'm loosing way too much coolant for it to be an external leak...gotta be head gasket(s).... :crying: Still no water in the erl, tho, so that's a gud thing. Guess I'll hafta tear back into this turd. I haven't had time to check the plugs, but I know it has to be goin out the tailpipes. I'm gunna take a chance on the head gaskets I got when I did the stator job. I'll check them closely against the originals, to make sure all of the holes are where they should be.
This sux...I still need to replace my front tire, too.... :fiddle: :crying:

 

[dan filipi]

Strange this happened after having the engine out then back in. Hmm.

Since there was a problem with ignition do ya think maybe a backfire into the intake or out the exhaust could have blown a head gasket?
Possibly, maybe, related to something else?

If it's burning it one or more plugs should be steam cleaned though I've had blown head gaskets on these beasts not do that.
There should be other signs. Bubbles coming into the reservoir, steam out the exhaust.
I've found the coolant reservoir will smell like exhaust and also blacken the white plastic from combustion gasses getting into the coolant. You might also see like a carbon film floating on top of the coolant in the reservoir.

 

[joedrum]

geeee joel ...its sounds like your unfortunitly plobably right ...well dan that could do it for sure ...switched wires on the motor sure dose blow carb slides apart

 

[dan filipi]

Another tell tale sign of a blown head gasket is when filling the radiator while running you'll get air coming out the filler neck that doesn't ever stop........well it might stop for a bit but once the thermostat opens again air and coolant will blow out again just like air is burping when you first filled it from empty.

 

[AApple]

That's it fellers....blame it on ME....yeeesh...just cain't get no respect.... :cheeky:

:smilie_happy: :mrgreen: :smilie_happy:

I have not seen any steam from da pipes, at least not while idling...hard to see while riding. All I have in the reservoir is coolant, and an oil film. I do have a combustion gas tester, and I plan on doing that before I rip the heads off, but I'm gunna check the plugs first. It's just loosing too much coolant for me to not be able to see an external leak.
I'm sure, if it is a head gasket, it was just time for it....it just happens to be a bad time for it. Summertime, 100 deg temps....I wanna ride, not work on my ride. Dadgummit! :rant:
Plus, I have a trans out of a '64 Olds I'mma 'posed to be fixin for a friend, and I've put it off as long as I can, so I gotta start on that tonite.
The fun never ends! :whistling:

 

[slabghost]

The plan for mine doing the same thing is change the water pump first. See if that fixes it.

 

[blkhot08]

I remember when i was beating on my high school rides( cars) i blew a few head gaskets and knew it because of that sweet smell of antifreeze coming thru the windows.Or like one time coming home from a drive in movie my exhaust looked like a smoke machine just rolling.. Good Luck on finding the problem :music: :music: