Suzuki GSX650F Forum - www.GSX650F.biz

Just picked up New GSX 650f yesterday. Today after a short 25 minute ride in 45 degree weather, I noticed some coolant drops coming out of the overflow tube after I shut the engine off. Not a lot of coolant, but enough to wonder if when the bike was prepped too much coolant was added and this is a normal situation. The reservoir shows the coolant level halfway between L and F. Does anyone have any suggestions or should I go back to dealer?

Just check the level of the coolant when cold before the next few rides to make sure your not consuming coolant....I'm sure you are OK

They most likely over filled it at the dealer and when it warms up makes it come out the over flow.

Had a similar problem myself awhile ago,but mine was spewing coolant after a ride.Did your overheating llight come on? If not sounds like a little to much coolant as aforementioned.

Turned out i needed a new thermo/Radiator fan.Make sure yours is working.Check the fuse as well.

Great answers, I will ride it a few more times and see if the overheat light comes on and if the coolant drops get worse. I just don't want to give this machine up to the dealer unless I have to. Too much fun to ride!!

soontobuy display your location my friend! sounds like your from my longitude or so. if its as crappy out where you are a little coolant spilling isnt a big deal, if your not revving the poop out the air will be enough to cool das engine!

From Michigan. I rode today about half hour, no overheat light and no coolant dripping!! Will keep an eye on this but hopefully it's okay now.

My 650 is losing coolant, apparently out either the overflow tube or the "telltale tube" from the water pump- I believe these are the two tubes that exit directly behind the engine. Each time I fill the reservoir to the full mark, it is emptied within a few rides. No other leaks are evident, and I had hoped to find a loose hose coupler or something- no joy. But it does drip from that tube a little after a ride.

Hey all, really old post i know, but I've recently just had this problem myself. At first i thought it was just because they overfilled it at the dealer, so it didnt bother me. THen today, my overheat light came on for the first time in almost 2 years... I opened her up to find a full reservoir, but when i took off the tank to have a looky see, she was dry... WTF? I filled her up, swased the bike around to get rid of any air pockets, rinse repeat until she didnt go down any more, and then let it warm up with the fairings off. I looked for leaks, but no love. Nothing. Fans came on, fans went off... No warning light... All signs point to a head gasket, but I'm seriously doubting it... Not after 25000km's... ANd my oils normal coloured... Coolant doesen;t just disappear, but I'm buggered if i know what's going on... I'm currently just waiting for the bike to cool down so i can check to see if the coolant is still in the radiator... It did lose a fair bit out of my overflow hose though... Any suggestions why? Maybe a blockage or something?

Dash, replied to you in PM.

Just remember though, don't fill the reservoir to the full mark. It should be just above the L mark as when it pressurises it gives the coolant somewhere to go inside the reservoir rather than out of the bike via the overflow pipe.

Al.

Check that your radiator fan moves freely. There was another thread in the last year about someones fan not working...That would cause the overheat too, but if I remember right in that one it also blew a fuse.

just remember it takes time to build pressure in the cooling system, just because the coolant is up "temp" does not mean that pressure is present. You might have filled the coolant up, and got the engine up to temp, but there was not enough pressure to push the coolant out.

well i actually had a thought last night. Im thinking there could be a little hole in my radiator cap. After i warmed it up and left it sitting there last night for about 15 minutes or so running at temperature with no leaks, i left it to cool. I went out later that night and undid the cap while it was still a bit warm. When i did that, i obviously broke the vacuum seal, and a whole bunch of coolant got sucked back through my block, and into the reservoir, and it filled up so quickly a bit came out the overflow... What im thinking, is that i may have a small problem with my radiator cap sealing. If it's been sucking a bit of air in every time it gets under pressure, and pushing coolant into my reservoir and out my overflow, over the past 1500 k's since they changed the coolant at my service, then that could be why its suddelny run low on coolant. It didnt take much to top up the radiator, so im thinking that if it was low on coolant up the top of my engine, where all my thermo sensors etc are, they've detected the engine getting hot up there, and thrown the alarm on... So, hopefully with a new cap, that seal can be fixed, and i can again that vacuum back into my engine so the coolant doesen't get sucked out my overflow hoses... If that makes any sense whatsoever...

A cooling system Cold, does not have pressure or vacuum. As the coolant warms up it expands and pressure builds, as the pressure builds the radiator cap regulates that pressure by releasing some into the reservoir, this could be air or coolant, when the cooling system cools after being warm the temperature difference creates a vacuum, the radiator cap will allow coolant from the reservoir back into the cooling system. If the reservoir is low it will suck in air. A few things can cause an engine to over heat, improperly filled cooling system, a cooling fan not operating, a plugged radiator, or a water pump that can no longer flow coolant. (A coolant pump does not create pressure it only creates flow) and a thermostat that is not functioning properly.
So yes there are "holes in your radiator cap, they are supposed to be there, the cap may still be bad though.

Well, the new cap arrived last night, and i just finished putting it on... I've topped up my radiator and given her a good shake down to try and remove any air pockets etc. I'm going to take her out for a jolly good thrashing after i knock off work and see what happens... I'm expecting a bit of overflow as i may have put a little too much coolant in my reservoir, but hopefully this fixes the problem. Btw, this is a video i made of the bubbles in my reservoir earlier this week... wierd 0_o


Any suggestions? I can;t see it being a head gasket, as the bikes less than 2 years old (and still under warranty) and the oil isnt milky and my coolant isnt oily...