Radiator leak

[Buysomerice]

Hey all! Is there any danger in running with a small leak in the radiators? The plastics on my '12 mashed the left rad a little where they mount on. There is a very very little leak. The level doesnt even drop more than a inch after a long ride on a hot day. Just buying time for poorer weather. Will just keeping it topped off hurt? Or does it effect pressure and flow?

[desertgasser300]

Originally Posted by Buysomerice

Hey all! Is there any danger in running with a small leak in the radiators? The plastics on my '12 mashed the left rad a little where they mount on. There is a very very little leak. The level doesnt even drop more than a inch after a long ride on a hot day. Just buying time for poorer weather. Will just keeping it topped off hurt? Or does it effect pressure and flow?

If it's small now it would be an easy fix with some mapp gas and aluminum rod. You can run with it but if you have a tip over and it hits that side again it may cause the crack to become larger. Easier to fix it now then wait and chance a larger problem.

[gasgasman]

J B weld works well also.

[Moto7man]

It should be easy fix. I have had a slight tweak in my left radiator for 2.5 yrs but it doesn't leak a drop and it cools great. (I have a trailtech computer with a coolant temperature sensor.) I was waiting for it to fail but it never has.

[Buysomerice]

Hmm good points, thanks for that insight. On a side note the Unabiker rad guards worked well. The damage was purely from the way the plastics mount. In the guards there is a hole cut out for the shroud stud to connect to the radiator and it was that plastic stud that mashed the rad at point of connection. Minimal crushing because the guards took over the impact after the shroud bottomed out and they took the hit well.

[gassergrant]

Originally Posted by Buysomerice

Hey all! Is there any danger in running with a small leak in the radiators? The plastics on my '12 mashed the left rad a little where they mount on. There is a very very little leak. The level doesnt even drop more than a inch after a long ride on a hot day. Just buying time for poorer weather. Will just keeping it topped off hurt? Or does it effect pressure and flow?

get it fixed mate, send it to a radiator repair place and get it sorted it will only get worse,
ive had my cr5 rad done my gg rads a oil cooler and now a alloy rad for my delta(bloody car). its better than topping up all the time lol

[Buysomerice]

So I dug into the rads today. Got the guards off and all the clamps, but I pulled back the reigns. I dont want to rush into this. What levels do you see throughout a riding season in your coolant? I've rode this bike since January and my level is just below the fins(got lazy checking it, snuck up on me). The leak may have been from the neck where there is residue around it. Or It may not have been coolant? I get paranoid on blowing my engine and just jumped to a leak without thinking it over because it got me to check the level. Think I'm going to top off and watch it without the guards on during some easy riding and see what I can see. Thoughts?

[Buysomerice]

Here is a pic

[desertgasser300]

Originally Posted by Buysomerice

Here is a pic

From the pic that rad looks fine. My left rad looked like a banana and I ran it for over a year that way. Until a rock finally put a hole in it.

[Jakobi]

Originally Posted by desertgasser300

From the pic that rad looks fine. My left rad looked like a banana and I ran it for over a year that way. Until a rock finally put a hole in it.

+1

The fins don't carry coolant. All they do is transfer heat and get passively cooled by the passing air. No visible leaks there, and as stated, you can usually smash them into all kinds of weird shapes before they crack/leak.

Check the sealing surface in the rad throat where the cap seats and make sure its clear/clean. If you've got it too hot it'll spit it out the cap as well. I check my coolant before every ride. Its up there with oil in the fuel, air filter seated, and tyre pressures set.