[wmdaricthompson]

Hi all, I have two issues at hand.

I started tearing into my 1996 Goldwing SE following a bit of a coolant smell when riding this fall, and a small coolant puddle underneath (dripping off the front of the timing belt cover) that's formed since I put it up for the winter. I'm generally planning to check everything I can for seeps. Wherever it's coming from, it's seeping when not running too. If anyone has advice on some known issue spots, I'm all ears.

Since I know I should check the coolant pipes on the carbs too, I've got the bike down to no plastic (including the front fairing). When I went to remove the airbox, on the left side I found the pink taped tube, but the green taped tube was a nipple with no tube on it. Down underneath the airbox I eventually did find the green tube. It looks like it broke off, and whoever owned it before just shrugged and moved on. I understand this has something to do with the PAIR system. Does anyone have any guesses as to what operational effect it would have on the bike? I was planning on hunting crumbly vacuum tubes too, so the carbs are coming out, and I'll be replacing at least the green taped tube. I have had a surge at idle. It revs up about 800 rpm from idle speed and then drops back down, repeat until I'm back underway. I figured this was due to something vacuum tubing related, just wasn't sure if I was lucky enough to have a smoking gun already.

Any advice for digging around with the vacuum lines and the coolant is appreciated.

 

[AZgl1800]

it is not uncommon to have a coolant leak over the winter months, the bike is cooled down to 0 degrees or worse, and the metal shrinks, but the hoses don't.

when you go for a ride, the leaks nearly always stop until next winter.

but, if you want to take off enough plastic, you can tighten up the hose clamps a bit.
IIRC, the OEM clamps are springs, not gear clamps.... that being the case, they stop leaking when the bike is warm and the hoses get softer, the clamp will tighten up by itself.

 

[wmdaricthompson]

Good to know about the seasonal leak development. That's reassuring that whatever I have going on isn't a massive leak. Since I had the coolant smell while riding in the fall (just whiffs here and there, nothing out the tailpipe) and with a slow decrease in coolant tank level (topped off after 400-500 miles) I think I will go ahead and hunt for leaks around the tubes and clamps, and replace the spring clamps with worm gear style. I just feel more confident that when I get those tight, it's tight. Plus I've already got all the fairings off, so I may as well at this point. I've got all winter to work on it. They put too much salt on the roads here near Pittsburgh for me to want to bust it out on the freak warm days (it made it to 71 today).

 

[wmdaricthompson]

I haven't gotten to my crossover pipe to inspect it yet, but is there available board wisdom on replacing the radiator crossover pipe with suitable bulk hose? In reading posts, apparently it is commonly rock hard when removed for inspection, and looking at the fiche, it looks like a Honda OEM chunk of pipe is an eye watering $80+. If it's that much for a reason and it's truly worth it to shell out for, I'm not opposed to paying it, but I can't tell why this is anything but radiator hose of a particular length, that I should be able to trim a generic piece down to.

Thanks for any available wisdom.

 

[DaveO430]

You can get a piece of hose from a parts store. Don't remember what size but that shouldn't be a problem when you have yours off.

 

[wmdaricthompson]

You can get a piece of hose from a parts store. Don't remember what size but that shouldn't be a problem when you have yours off.

Awesome. Just looking at it I thought that would be the case, but I've thought that about parts in the past, and more experienced people than myself steered me otherwise for good reasons.

 

[SMEDEN(=the blacksmith)]

I haven't gotten to my crossover pipe to inspect it yet, but is there available board wisdom on replacing the radiator crossover pipe with suitable bulk hose? In reading posts, apparently it is commonly rock hard when removed for inspection, and looking at the fiche, it looks like a Honda OEM chunk of pipe is an eye watering $80+. If it's that much for a reason and it's truly worth it to shell out for, I'm not opposed to paying it, but I can't tell why this is anything but radiator hose of a particular length, that I should be able to trim a generic piece down to.

Thanks for any available wisdom.

Not sure what you call "crossover pipe" , but if you mean the pipes from the cylinder heads to the thermostat housing , they are actual metal pipes and there is an o-ring "gasket" in either end . Those O-rings get hard with age and can leak .

 

[Bryanlj]

There is a Y pipe bottom and top which i suspect are specials but there is a length just joining the tops which could be generic.
What i have found in the past is that inch size pipe whilst sold as compatible may not seal properly on metric fittings

 

[GL1800Ryder]

Something to consider. The water pump housing has a drain hole, often referred to as a weep hole, on the bottom that will allow coolant to escape to signal possible water pump seals starting to fail. Could this be the source of your puddle?

 

[wmdaricthompson]

I ended up pulling off all fairings, removing the radiators, and pulling out the reservoir.

Based on the paint peeling on the (driver's) left radiator, and the visible cracking on the reservoir grommet (top center), I think the grommet is one of my issues. I went ahead and ordered all new rubber between the filler neck and the reservoir. It's not all wasted effort though. The left-right radiator crossover pipe seemed like someone had already replaced it with a generic length of pipe, so it was relatively supple. I mean, pretty stiff, but not dry and cracked. Whoever put it back on did a pretty limp wristed job of tightening the clamp. I suspect I was also weeping just a little bit there.

I now have the radiators back on with the clamps all confidently tightened (getting the clamps on the back of the radiators was /much/easier with the reservoir pulled. I ended up tightening them from above.)

I still have my carbs out. I decided based on still having a good bit of time till riding season that I would pull them entirely and take a peak underneath. I don't have any visible issues with the vacuum tubing, under or above the insulation blanket. They all seem pretty supple too, so that's promising. I think my surging issue may have had to do with the green taped vacuum tubing pulling entirely free of the airbox. No other issues were noted.

At this point I'm waiting on my carb rebuild kit from Randakk's (I have had good luck with his kits in the past), as well as new carb supports (the old ones are pretty stiff and not at all confidence inspiring). I'm enjoying wrenching on this complex beast. It's very cathartic.