Coolant Level

I am checking my coolant level every 2 weeks since I noticed the level seems to drop from Full to just below Low mark in just a few days.
It seems to stabilise just below Low but I am worried so I keep an eye on it.
I am wondering if anyone else has seen similar things?
I don't think its my radiator cap otherwise the level would continue to drop, wouldn't it?

spanna wrote:I am checking my coolant level every 2 weeks since I noticed the level seems to drop from Full to just below Low mark in just a few days.
It seems to stabilise just below Low but I am worried so I keep an eye on it.
I am wondering if anyone else has seen similar things?
I don't think its my radiator cap otherwise the level would continue to drop, wouldn't it?

Make sure the expansion tank cap is pushed in firmly or it leaks when hot and the tank never stays quite full. If it's stable at a lower setting (ie not continually dropping) then that's probably it. If you don't feel the final 'click" on seating coolant can get out

Thanks for the heads up kewwig, I will check again tomorrow but I don't recall seeing any residue

It makes its way up past the ribs on the cap through the overflow which exits under the bike by the swingarm.  It won't be much fluid, and it will just drain off the excess caused by expansion of the fluid as the result of heating, which is why it drops to just below the low mark and then stays there.  If you had a problem like a leaking head gasket or  a holed radiator etc, the level would keep going down.

The cap on the header tank doesn't actually seal fully. It is designed to allow coolant to flow from the tank and out the hose, as stated. You cannot have a seal or coolant won't flow due to pressure build up.
The radiator cap allows coolant to expand into the header tank, when it expands with temperature, & suck back as it cools. The level in the header tank should remain stable, when checked cold. Sometimes a system will have a natural level that doesn't comply with the marks on the bottle.
It is worth checking the integrity of the header tank and hose that connects it to the radiator, making sure that there are no splits and that hose is firmly fitted to spigots.
So long as your radiator is full, when checked cold, and there is some coolant in the header tank, the actual level in the tank is not crucial.

spanna wrote:I am checking my coolant level every 2 weeks since I noticed the level seems to drop from Full to just below Low mark in just a few days.
It seems to stabilise just below Low but I am worried so I keep an eye on it.
I am wondering if anyone else has seen similar things?
I don't think its my radiator cap otherwise the level would continue to drop, wouldn't it?

If you follow the overflow hose that comes out of the neck where the radiator cap fits you will come to a Y piece, one goes into the bottom of the expansion tank and the other goes up along side the tank and connects to the overflow tube at the top of the expansion tank then loops around at the back where your tool bag sits and then connects to the tube that goes under the bike and exits near the centre stand, so when your bike gets hot and the coolant expands and comes out the overflow tube it takes the path of least resistance which bypasses the expansion tank and drips out under the bike while you ride along, cant explain why this system is fitted but that is where your coolant is going, ive removed the Y piece so all the coolant that comes out the radiator when the motor gets hot goes into the expansion tank, the tube that is on the filler neck of the expansion tank connects straight onto the overflow tube that comes out at the bottom of the bike near the centre stand, since doing this i have not lost any coolant and whatever coolant comes out the radiator goes back in, the level in the expansion tank never changes when its cold and the radiator is allways full when ive checked it, i leave the level in the expansion at the low mark, hope ive explained it ok

talon,
Thanks for the detailed description, I had a good look and your right about the circuit. It must be some sort of belts & braces safety 'feature' to avoid excessive pressure building up and cracking the expansion tank if the overflow orifice gets blocked. I think I will do as you suggested.
Cheers

Yes. Nice on, Talon.
No idea what pea brain came up with that plumbing, nor how it made it into production, but the hose really should go directly between the radiator over flow stub and the bottom of the header tank.
I will be modifying mine, something that I have not even looked at since I got the bike.
I suggest it be put up as a sticky mod.

Bosco15 wrote:Yes. Nice on, Talon.
No idea what pea brain came up with that plumbing, nor how it made it into production, but the hose really should go directly between the radiator over flow stub and the bottom of the header tank.
I will be modifying mine, something that I have not even looked at since I got the bike.  
I suggest it be put up as a sticky mod.

Thanks Bosco, after the problems i had with crystalisation in my radiator i removed the expansion tank to flush it out and found the plumbing to be totally wrong for a recovery system, and yea you are spot on, what pea brain designed it, so now to loose any coolant the whole tank has to fill up, i also cut a V out of another one of the ribs in the tank rubber cap that lines up with the overflow outlet just in case to make it breath better, the whole system works perfectly and have not had to replace any coolant since i did it back in Nov last year