Author Topic: yellow fluid leak  (Read 746 times)

Sabinn

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yellow fluid leak
« on: July 24, 2020, 04:36:10 PM »
What is the yellow fluid leaking from my bike? it just under the rad, so it's coolant?
What is it? Do I fix it by just getting a new seal for whatever hole it's coming from?


HadesOmega

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Re: yellow fluid leak
« Reply #1 on: July 26, 2020, 04:09:53 AM »
That is definitely coolant.  It looks like your overflow port barf'd out some coolant.  That's about the area its in.  Did your motor run really hot?

I had a similar leak after I rode my bike on the freeway and the motor was overheating because the coolant pump wasn't working.  This was right after I topped up the radiator also =(
 

It could be your radaitor cap may be going bad also.
2016 Victory Empulse TT - #139

siai47

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Re: yellow fluid leak
« Reply #2 on: July 26, 2020, 08:18:40 AM »
One of the problems with the Empulse cooling system is that there is no expansion tank in the system.  If you fill to the top of the fill pipe where the pressure cap goes there is no place for excess coolant to expand to when it heats up.  I try to leave the coolant level toward the lower end of the hose that is attached to the radiator cap.  Its not easy to do that as the hose is black and there is no easy way to see the level.  In my case, I put a small hose on the hose barb located by the radiator cap to direct any excess coolant that might come out if it is overfilled.  I a perfect world, that hose should be attached to an expansion tank (like almost every other cooling system in existence) but there is no real room for one on the motorcycle.  I think that it is important to keep some air space in the system to limit the pressure in the system.  With no air space for the hot coolant to expand into pressure spikes will occur in the system on a regular basis.  The normal coolant temperatures in the Empluse don't even require a pressure cap to keep the fluid from boiling.  I haven't looked at the cap, but a very low pressure cap should be used.  It's possible cooling system excess pressure is causing some of the motor coolant leaks we are seeing.

HadesOmega

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Re: yellow fluid leak
« Reply #3 on: July 27, 2020, 03:58:51 AM »
Hmm that's a good idea putting a lower pressure cap in and adding some kind of small catch can at least to catch the fluid.  It's just a normal large radiator cap shouldn't be hard to find in an autoparts store.  I wonder what pressure it is, next time I'm in there I'll check.

The radiator cap is in such an inconvenient place to access also.  =(
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siai47

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Re: yellow fluid leak
« Reply #4 on: July 29, 2020, 08:05:45 AM »
I checked the cap, it's only a 4 PSI cap which is about the lowest pressure you can buy from normal parts houses.  Nothing should be bothered by that low a pressure but I still think it is possible that pressure cycling the system with no expansion area could be a problem.  I don't know if there is any data on what Parker says about cooling system pressure but I would think it would be designed for something higher than 4 PSI.

When I have refilled or serviced the cooling system I do the system purge, check for coolant at the motor vent and make sure there is no air in the system.  I then have a little hand pump and a hose I drop down the radiator fill hose and suck the coolant level down in the hose about 6 inches to allow for an air space in the hose for expansion.  I have never had a coolant drip out of the drain hose I attached to the hose barb near the cap.  I have never had any leaks in the system whatsoever.  Maybe a good way to fill it, maybe I have just been lucky.  Even with 4 psi in the system it seems like a poor design without any area for expansion.