Hi there,
I recently purchased an old GL1200 and have driven it a few different days (maybe 100 miles or so) without any noticeable concerns. Most recently, when I parked it, there was a distinct white smoke (coolant I assume) coming from the forward right-hand cylinder exhaust pipe. Since then, I've started it twice in the driveway, just to verify that it was indeed smoking, and it was indeed the same cylinder, and both times it has and is.
I intend to change the head gasket, then.
Not right away, unfortunately. I'd like to put the bike up for a month or two until I get some other things settled down, and I'm curious as to whether I should drain the coolant before letting it sit, or the oil, or possibly both? I'm up for the do-it-yourself repair, but I frankly don't know how serious the risks are, potentially having coolant dripping into the cylinder over time.
Also, though I imagine its probably irrelevant, I did go to check the spark plug for signs of 'steam cleaning', and the thing was dirtier than a pig in the mud. I was surprised to find water sitting around the spark plug (only the one plug, not both of them) when I pulled up the rubber plug cover. While strange that it was only the forward plug that had water sitting around it, I don't imagine this being the cause or result of anything other than letting it sit outside for a few rainy days?
I recently purchased an old GL1200 and have driven it a few different days (maybe 100 miles or so) without any noticeable concerns. Most recently, when I parked it, there was a distinct white smoke (coolant I assume) coming from the forward right-hand cylinder exhaust pipe. Since then, I've started it twice in the driveway, just to verify that it was indeed smoking, and it was indeed the same cylinder, and both times it has and is.
I intend to change the head gasket, then.
Not right away, unfortunately. I'd like to put the bike up for a month or two until I get some other things settled down, and I'm curious as to whether I should drain the coolant before letting it sit, or the oil, or possibly both? I'm up for the do-it-yourself repair, but I frankly don't know how serious the risks are, potentially having coolant dripping into the cylinder over time.
Also, though I imagine its probably irrelevant, I did go to check the spark plug for signs of 'steam cleaning', and the thing was dirtier than a pig in the mud. I was surprised to find water sitting around the spark plug (only the one plug, not both of them) when I pulled up the rubber plug cover. While strange that it was only the forward plug that had water sitting around it, I don't imagine this being the cause or result of anything other than letting it sit outside for a few rainy days?