new GG member with some GG questions powervalve breather and overflow bottle

[swazi_matt]

I have just been borne again into the dirt bike world with the purchase of a 2010 GG EC300, and have some noob questions:

i have just noticed that the breather pipe from the powervalve has been tied closed. surely this pipe should be able to breath?

I have also noticed that the bottle on the triple clamp is an expansion bottle and not an overflow bottle, so there is no recovery of coolant. can the overflow be connected to this, and is there enough space to fit another of those banana shaped reservoirs on the t clamp as an overflow bottle?

should it be std proceedure to replace the hose clamps with normal jubilee clamps? i had these leaking over the weekend in the tight rocks

[noobi]

Congrats on the new bike.

Yes that should be able to breath, it lets out pv goop, otherwise it can build up on the pv which is not good.
No, there is no coolant catch tank stock, but the expansion tank is good enough most of the time as you can see how bad the bike is getting by how full the tank is, if it wasnt there the bike would just boil without really any warning. If you plumbed the overflow pipe from the radiator cap, then the expansion tank wouldnt be pressurized and the water wouldnt expand into it because atmosphere would get in the top of the rad cap and into the expansion tank. I think....haha.
I guess you could plumb an overflow catch tank into the system, im not sure where is best though sorry
The stock camps are weird clip on things, it would be fine to replace them with regular hose clamps.

[swazi_matt]

thought about the reservoir not being preassurised, was considering a second one in the same place, maybe i should rather look at just fitting a fan for those nasty hot climbs!

Anyone tried fitting a fan? sure i could just connect it to the lighting circuit?

[wence]

To be honest mate you probably won't need it.
I had mine boil on one very slow technical hillclimb one year but have since changed the radiator cap to a 1.8 (I think), and put engine ice in the radiator....... No such probs at all since.
Cheers Mark

[WTEC]

If you add a fan you would have to convert your electrical system to 12VDC unless you can find a 12VAC fan that is low enough current draw to run without a battery.

If you want to add an overflow bottle all you have to do is use the overflow hose that comes off the radiator fill neck, just make sure the hose goes down to the bottom of the bottle. Honestly though, these bikes are very hard to over heat, I've done it maybe twice in 2 or 3 years.

Wes.

[gasgasman]

My MC does not have an expansion bottle.

I run the coolant about 1/2" from the bottom of the filler neck.
The coolant expands into that open area.

The Gas Gas radiators are based on KTM 400 parts. So, over heating shouldn't be an issue.

[Trailrider]

Some years had overflow bottle, some did not. My '98 EC250 had the bottle, '01 XC300 did not. I wouldn't worry about it.
Trailrider

[Jakobi]

I have what might be a silly question, but...

When your coolant moves from the rad into the expansion tank, is it normal for it to kind of bubble into the tank. Its not boiling as such. Just like its pushing air and coolant into the tank.

Have yet to see the 2010 lose any coolant onto the ground. Just wanted to clear up the expansion tank thing

[elemetal]

The expansion tank should be open to the atmosphere then connected to the overflow nipple at the neck/cap. When the pressure in the rad gets too high (water is too hot) it presses out past the resticted spring/seal at the cap into the overflow nipple. This goes out the tube and into the catch tank; here's what has to happen to make it work. The tank input/output needs to be at the tank bottom and the line from the tank to the cap needs to be tight and full of water. I typically use a turkey baster from Safeway or something with Tygon tube down around the bottom of the rad and up to the cap. Ziptie the baster to the rad louvers and cap it with a platsic motor oil cap (keeps dust out but lets it breathe). When the expanding liquid goes out it purges all the air from the rad and the overfill first; then when it cools the water contracts and sucks any needed water back past the cap into the rad. Works great and is super cheap.

Got this technique from a Supermoto site and used it on my SuMo and dirtbike with zero problems. It can get trashed and replaced easily and keeps the coolant level at a maximum. Might not need it with a Gasgas but it's way easier than a fan....