2013 TE 449 Anti Freeze issue?

[JimxWar]

I've recently just done a bunch of regular maintenance to the bike and checking the anti freeze level was on of them. This is the first time Ive checked the anti freeze and when i took off the cap it kinda popped off making a pressurized kind of noise. The level was maybe about a inch from the top, so I assumed that was all good. After that I kept smelling the smell like when i first opened the cap. So i checked to make sure the cap was on correct and it was but this time when i took it off, it didnt make that pressurized pop. On a ride today, all seemed well until i pulled into the shed and noticed a liquid dripping on the floor. Antifreeze is coming out of the overflow hose at a decent amount. Should i be concerned, or was the antifreeze possibly overfilled and now just spitting it out until it reached optimum levels? Thanks for any information in advanced

 

[Dangermouse449]

Did you top it up when you first looked at it? If so, it probably just spat out that amount again to get down to the 'working level' that it runs at.
If not, maybe the sealing rubber was stuck to the filler neck & has been damaged undoing it. I'd have a good look at the cap rubber seals.

Some guys have made up over-flow bottles to keep the system running as a recovery type system.

My own personal experience, even riding hard at low speed on hot days, my regular automotive coolant never over-flows if the level is checked cold & down a bit from the neck.
My fan keeps it all cool. We ride steep country in 35degC heat with all the usual 'didn't make it, slip the clutch, have another go' situations.

 

[Big Timmy]

The cooling system works under pressure, the level will be down some when normal.

Anytime you heat a liquid it expands. Hence the pressure when you removed the cap. Like a car the worst thing you can do is open the cap when its warm or hot..

Not just because you might get burned, besides that.

The system being sealed keeps the boiling point at a higher temperature. If you release the pressure when warm it can begin to allow the coolant to boil off at a lower temperature until it builds up pressure again.

Like a pressure cooker water will boil at a higher temperature, 255+ degrees fahrenheit, at 15lbs. pressure. Rather than the water boiling say on your stove in ambient air at sea level, which is 212 degrees fahrenheit.

Thats why the system is sealed with a pressure release cap. Increase the lbs. per square inch rating on the cap itself and the water within the cooling system will boil at an even higher temperature.

 

[underwatersimon]

I can't remember off hand but I think the coolant should be about 10mm above the cells in the rad when cold.
If it still overflowing I would investigate a possible blockage somewhere.

 

[JimxWar]

I checked the cap one more time just to be sure of the rubber seals. I can't be guaranteed this was the cause, but there was some debris around the neck where you fill and some on the rubber seal. I've got my fingers crossed that it was just something simple like that but thanks to everyone for the feedback, ill know the extra steps to take if that wasn't the solution. Thanks big Timmy too, very good insight and good piece of knowledge to know.

 

[Tinken]

Or... You could run waterless coolant like my XF Coolant and never worry about boiling over, nor changing your coolant for the life of the motorcycle. 6mm's above the top coils is fine.

 

[Big Timmy]

You Bet Tinken; Of course. I run it myself.
Just explaining the pressure relationship of the cooling system and the effect of the caps pressure rating.