Coolant seep

Snave · Apr 18, 2014

When I took my ST1300A to the dealer for winter storage, I pointed out a slight coolant seep. Nothing spectacular, just a drop on the ground below it. When i picked it up yesterday, they said that all bikes seep to one extent or another, and this is not a problem.
Are they right? Do other bikes - ST's or not - lose any coolant? Where is the most likely place for coolant to escape, and how can I check where it's coming from?

justin_sabre · Apr 18, 2014

i would have to agree they seep, but its cause something is failed or not tight, u should not have coolant on the ground, i just keep smelling it when i rode but that was enough to drive me crazy. i ended up pulling everything and found hose clamps where loose and o-rings had failed. so i did a whole redo... but first i would see if it's coming from the side drain on the motor, if u look threw the front nose down low, u can see there is a square spot where it might be coming from. if so then u have an issue with a hose under the throttle body's at the thermo housing, that"s where i would start.

Snave · Apr 18, 2014

Justin: Is it easy to get the lower plastics off? not the fairing? So I can at least trace upwards where it may be coming from?

justin_sabre · Apr 18, 2014

if u pull the Allen head bolts u can get the black lowers off, not hard at all u can see what is happening easier, but u don't have to pull to see the spot im talking about, if u lay on ground and u can look threw front lip on front or side and see with a flash light.

u only need to pull the right side to see

970mike · Apr 18, 2014

Sounds like you have a loose clamp, bad hose, or a bad "O" ring or all of the above. I bet the leak is up in the "V" area below the throttle bodies. It sounds like it is time to pull it apart and find your leak and get it repaired before you start riding it a lot. Good luck.

SupraSabre · Apr 18, 2014

Here is a diagram of the cooling system. Study that, usually the clamps around the larger hoses are the issues, although small ones can be loose too.

Snave · Apr 19, 2014

Well, I started her up for a ride, and this is what I found while she was still warming up. Not even reached three bars. So I ran her back to the dealer, and of course there's no visibility of a leak when she's standing there. But they said that when warm perhaps which seal or clamp is leaking tightens up, so it's only visible while warming up. But we'll see.

justin_sabre · Apr 19, 2014

yeah u should not end up with a spot on the ground, i would take it somewhere else if the dealer is not willing to take a look and find the issue,

Blrfl · Apr 19, 2014

Given the location, it's probably a leaky clamp in the vee and the fluid flowing down through the drain channels to the clutch cover.

--Mark

BakerBoy · Apr 19, 2014

If it is the kind of leak most of us have seen on our bikes, it tends to lessen or stop as the bike warms up and during the hottest weather. Mine put tablespoons on the ground one cold morning in Kansas, but leaked none of the ride home (I still opened it up and replaced the skinny, cheap OEM clamps).

ST-Traveler · Apr 19, 2014

https://www.st-owners.com/forums/album.php?albumid=2205

NO more leaks since 2010 when I made the repairs to the clamps and hoses deep in the "V"

ST-Traveler · Apr 19, 2014

Snave said:
When i picked it up yesterday, they said that all bikes seep to one extent or another, and this is not a problem.

Oh yes - Not!! This is basically a 1.3 liter car engine that was put into a motorcycle. Sooooooo would it be OK that most new cars seep and its not a problem? Of course it is a problem, you will get tired of smelling the coolant burning off your engine till it is fixed. I presume your bike is still under warranty, so make them fix the" all bikes seep" problem.

970mike · Apr 19, 2014

Like others have said if the dealer will not fix the problem take it to another dealer that will or fix it yourself. Good luck.

Igofar · Apr 19, 2014

the rubber tube in the front of one of your pictures is attached to a zerks fitting on the later model ST's, if you notice the end is not that damp from seeping, which means the coolant is "leaking" from somewhere its not supposed to be....I bet you'll find the common loose hose clamps, and as said before, the dealerships will lie and tell you its normal, its not, and very easy to correct, by either tightening the oem clamps, or replacing them with standard stainless steel hose clamps from your hardware store.

Snave · Apr 19, 2014

Thanks guys! When I took her into storage in October, I pointed it out, it wasn't so bad then. It was still under the original manufacturers warranty which expired on 31DEC2013. I have since bought an extended warranty so it's still covered, and she is back withe them now.

BakerBoy said:
If it is the kind of leak most of us have seen on our bikes, it tends to lessen or stop as the bike warms up and during the hottest weather. Mine put tablespoons on the ground one cold morning in Kansas, but leaked none of the ride home (I still opened it up and replaced the skinny, cheap OEM clamps).

BB - yes, when I dropped her off today there was nothing on the ground at the dealer (the photos above were on my drive while she warmed up). What you say makes perfect sense - as she warms all the clamps tighten up, so it's only obvious when cool / cold.
I'll keep you posted...

Snave · Apr 22, 2014

Well, it's been with Honda since Saturday and they are insisting this is "normal". I asked them: If I take a new ST out of the showroom, will it leak like this? he replied: yes, it will. To which I said: Well, mine did 24,000kms without a leak, so why has it started now. I asked him if they had taken the plastics off to see where it's coming from, and he said: no. So I replied: how can you possibly know it is normal then? So he has now taken it back into the workshop, and said he will get the clamps tightened down. All this resistance to do real investigation is - I bet - because the bike is on an extended warranty and they get minimum pay from Ma Honda for warranty work. If my Visa card was on his desk, I am sure it would have been stripped down, all clamps replaced, put back together and test driven by now. I have Honda's Customer Service in Toronto on speed dial and I am ready to hit it.

T_C · Apr 22, 2014

fnmag said:
I'm not sure I'd trust that dealership after their reply and failure

I know I wouldn't. Now I would be worrying and figuring they are rigging it to last just long enough till you are out of warranty. Maybe add some silicate to the coolant, or a little radiator stop leak.

Hate to not point out crappy customer service, but then you have the issue of needing it.

970mike · Apr 22, 2014

Snave said:
Well, it's been with Honda since Saturday and they are insisting this is "normal". I asked them: If I take a new ST out of the showroom, will it leak like this? he replied: yes, it will. To which I said: Well, mine did 24,000kms without a leak, so why has it started now. I asked him if they had taken the plastics off to see where it's coming from, and he said: no. So I replied: how can you possibly know it is normal then? So he has now taken it back into the workshop, and said he will get the clamps tightened down. All this resistance to do real investigation is - I bet - because the bike is on an extended warranty and they get minimum pay from Ma Honda for warranty work. If my Visa card was on his desk, I am sure it would have been stripped down, all clamps replaced, put back together and test driven by now. I have Honda's Customer Service in Toronto on speed dial and I am ready to hit it.

Wow I would run away from that dealer and do it myself taking lots of pictures and then take them back to the dealer and show them what the problem was.

ST-Traveler · Apr 22, 2014

If you lived closer I would help you fix it right and be done with it. I think the problem is with most dealerships they see very little ST100 or ST1300 in their shops, so they are not sure what is going on with them vs say a Goldwing or a shadow.

Snave · Apr 23, 2014

Thanks guys, and thanks for the offer ST-traveler ! After they stripped the plastics off, they now say there is evidence of a slight weep from the coolant pump inspection hole, and unless there is a "flow" they will not replace the seal or pump under warranty. They say there was no actual leak during several cold-hot cycles in the shop.
I told them my Honda workshop manual says: Inspect for signs of leakage. If there is leakage, the mechanical seal is defective and you need to replace the water pump. We will see!

Coolant seep

Snave

justin_sabre

Snave

justin_sabre

970mike

Mike Brown

SupraSabre

48 Years of SoCal Lane Splitting/Commuting-Retired

Snave

justin_sabre

Blrfl

Natural Rider Enhancement

BakerBoy

It's all small stuff.

ST-Traveler

ST-Traveler

970mike

Mike Brown

Igofar

Snave

Snave

T_C

970mike

Mike Brown

ST-Traveler

Snave