Urgent help!

First topic message reminder :

I did my plugs and filter over the weekend, so had the tank mostly off (left the fuel hose attached as it was long enough to maneuver the tank around still). Got to work this morning and have noticed a couple of drops of clutch or brake fluid dripping from one of the drain hoses. Could I have possibly loosened something while I had the tank off? What should I be looking for? I'm 74km from my tools so I'm hoping it's a slow enough leak that I can make it home and fix it tonight

Cardboard Tube Samurai wrote: New radiator cap time?

For what they are worth , it wouldn't hurt .

That's my train of thought too. Now, where's the cheapest place to get one?

Cardboard Tube Samurai wrote:That's my train of thought too. Now, where's the cheapest place to get one?

You could try fleebay , but I would check the OEM price first

Certainly sounds like it. My bike has never dropped coolant even on very hot days

Cardboard Tube Samurai wrote:Great morning to test this. 15km traffic jam down the highway meant lots of low speed filtering. Dropped a little bit of fluid and the reservoir was full. New radiator cap time?

You know the reservoir should not be full when cold, it should only be at the lower mark. If it's too full when cold, then when the bike does get hot and the normal expansion process occurs there is no where for the extra fluid to go other than out the top overflow and pool under the bike. Never did like the terms "Low" and "Full", it is "Min Level when Cold" and Max Expansion Level when Hot"

Check the rubber seals on the cap.  One large, one small. 
The small seal is the recovery cct. If it is gummed up, coolant may not be sucking back into radiator from bottle.  
Also check that your fan is kicking in. Slow speed,  under 40km requires fan
No fan, overheat, coolant expands onto floor.  
Buying coolant. Buy a quality antifreeze concentrate. Don't buy pre mixed crap. Look for 1050g/l orbetter of ethylene glycol. Usually comes in 1 liter bottles. mix 30/70 coolany/water not 50/50

Fan is definitely working. Reservoir was empty before ride, full after. Tried to see if there was anything that might be preventing the cap from doing its job but it appeared to be okay. I've ordered a new cap which should arrive Tuesday ($43)

It does sound as though the recovery valve of the cap may not be functioning correctly.  
Try local  radiator shop for cap. Should be in stock and a little cheaper.  
Show them your original.

Not a bad idea but I need to get coolant and do a flush anyway. Plus, I've already ordered it. Interesting that the problem didn't present until I took the cap off for a quick look when doing the plugs. In it's defence, it's probably been sitting on there unopened since December 2007

The bike shop I got mine from didn't have a cap tester, in fact the chap behind the counter didn't even know what I was talking about, wanted to put it in a jug of hot water (this method is used for testing the thermostat). Might take it down to one of the radiator shops to see if they can test it.

It will be interesting if a new cap fixes the problem, that would make two 2007 Bandits with the same issue inside of a couple of months. It might be that 9 years is the life of the radiator cap, something for other riders to keep an eye on as the bike ages.

barry_mcki wrote:The bike shop I got mine from didn't have a cap tester, in fact the chap behind the counter didn't even know what I was talking about, wanted to put it in a jug of hot water

Old Terry, not the sharpest tool in the shed

Wasn't your cap about $15?

I think it was something like that, certainly not $43 as I would have had a WTF moment at that price. This was at a Suzuki dealer, but I don't think it was an OEM cap as the packing and cap label were very generic.

Cardboard Tube Samurai wrote:I've ordered a new cap which should arrive Tuesday ($43)

was that gold or silver plated?

Honestly don't care as long as it fixes the problem

barry_mcki wrote:I think it was something like that, certainly not $43 as I would have had a WTF moment at that price.  This was at a Suzuki dealer, but I don't think it was an OEM cap as the packing and cap label were very generic.

Yeah that dealer mixes it up with OEM and aftermarket parts, probably because of price. They recommended and stocked EBC pads rather than originals when I replaced mine

Radiator cap didn't fix the problem. Turns out the thermo fan has not been kicking in after all. I wear ear plugs when I ride and thought I had heard it running but obviously it was just some other noise that my tinnitus-ridden ears were "hearing". I've checked the relay and it seems to be working (switches when 12V applied and has continuity across the switched contacts). Could I be looking at a thermostat issue? Or a dead fan? Is there something I may have dislodged when removing the tank and then moving the thermostat out of the way to get to the spark plugs? I just think it's a strange coincidence that the fan would die at the same time as I have fumbled my way around under the tank for the first time in my life. I use the bike as my daily commuter, doing 144km round trip each day, so I really need to get to the bottom of this problem ASAP!

Fuse ok
Relay ok
ECT???
Fan???

Fan relay is switched through a thermosender, completes circuit at specific temp. Should be bolted into radiator or maybe thermostat housing. Check that terminals are connected.  
Put 12v to fan terminals and it should spin, ruling it in or out. 
I would be guessing that you have dislodged a wire somewhere

http://images.google.com.au/imgres?imgurl=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.totalparts.nl%2Fpicture%2Fboonstra%2F000000056492-1.jpg&imgrefurl=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.boonstraparts.com%2Fen%2Fparts%2Fmke%3Dsuzuki%2Fcat%3Dcooling%2Bsystem%2Fprt%3Dradiator%2Fprc%3D200&h=768&w=1024&tbnid=r3jvalDTd1dmlM%3A&q=gsx1250fa%20cooling%20system&docid=r2eHSe_eYDSmxM&hl=en&ei=K4MoV7mcMcWzmAWJn7GQDw&tbm=isch&client=ms-android-optus-au&iact=rc&uact=3&page=7&start=41&ndsp=8&ved=0ahUKEwj53Yzc3r3MAhXFGaYKHYlPDPIQMwhrKC8wLw&noj=1&safe=images&bih=295&biw=533

Best pic I could find. Fan switch is at bottom left of radiator.  
Disconnect the plug from the sender, short the terminals of the plug together (at end of loom, not the bit in the radiator). This simulates coolant getting up to temp. When you turn on the ignition, the fan should be powered and spinning.

My radiator looks nothing like that and there's nothing like that thermosender on it

Ok. I just googled Gsx1250fa. 
Your sender could well be on the thermostat housing. 
If you have tested relay good already,  repeat the process with the ignition on and the fan should kick in.

Not sure how to add photos via phone so can't show the setup. It's a GSF1250S and there doesn't appear to be a sender off the thermostat either.

Shorted out the fan at the relay coupling and it works. ECT?

I 

downloaded the manual.  

http://myweb.tiscali.co.uk/daz1234/1250manual.pdf

Looks like the ECT (engine coolant temp) sensor is on the block .

That's great that the fan works. Worst comes to worst just short it so that it runs full time until you fix it properly. At least you can still get to work. 
Sorry about the delay.  Doing it all on phone. 
Check connection at ect sensor. On block in diagram.