Runaway idle issue ST1300

Took it out on a test ride.......brought it back on a trailer. 3 way coolant connector broke. No big deal, planning on replacing the plastic one with metal anyway, will fabricate one up tomorrow. This could explain my elusive coolant leak. I double checked all the hoses in the V when I was in there earlier, no sign there.

Ozzie said:

Took it out on a test ride.......brought it back on a trailer. 3 way coolant connector broke. No big deal, planning on replacing the plastic one with metal anyway, will fabricate one up tomorrow. This could explain my elusive coolant leak. I double checked all the hoses in the V when I was in there earlier, no sign there.

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This is a very common failure point on these bikes! Alot of the police motors snap these fittings off. Honda for some reason, uses worm clamps on these hard, brittle, plastic parts that sit right next to the HOT cylinder head, and they grenade dumping all the coolant out big time! These fail alot, so its a good idea to keep and carry a spare when traveling. You may have a hard time finding a replacement (fabricated) because two pipes are small, and one pipe is large. What I have found that works better, it to follow the large hose up to the radiator and you'll find a spring clamp holding the front end on, Order another one of these, then find two smaller spring clamps at the auto parts store and throw the worm clamps away. No more broken pipes after that conversion.
Honda, and owners, tend to try and solve leaks by over tightening them, cracking and snapping them off.
.02

Yup, mine has worm clamps, typical police garage work, but, working in my favor, all the hoses are the same size, so this is my fabricated replacement V1.0
If that fails, I'll make another using different sized lines. Tested the joint to 150 PSI, it'll hold. Not my prettiest work, but my mini brazing set has apparently grown legs, so I'm working with a full sized set, hard to get the flame as pinpoint as I'd like. Silver Solder would have been preferential, but I haven't convinced the boss I have a need for it at work yet

While we are on the subject, and this came to me in my sleep last night. When it blew, it was more steam than fluid, which leads me to believe that when I filled the system it probably had a large air pocket. If that was the case, then I was running with low coolant(but never over 3 bars indicated) Wouldn't that cause the wax idle module to misbehave also? Because the coolant was never flowing completely through it. When I refill this evening, I'm gonna use my vacuum fill system. It pulls a vacuum on the cooling system, which in turn, when you switch the valve, pulls coolant into the system, completely filling it. Nature abhors a vacuum.

Update: Got home, installed my homemade T, which fit quite nicely actually, replaced a clamp that seemed suspect, filled it up(don't have an adapter for my vac tool, darnit!) Ran it in the shop, let it cool, topped it off, repeat 2 more times. Took it out for a run, about 30 miles total, and I now appear to have a solid return to idle condition. Houston, it looks like we are a go for takeoff! I even managed to beat the rain home.
Sidenote: Of course, my luck being the way it is, a lens popped out of my glasses, last seen bouncing across the highway. I stopped, but no luck finding it. Rode home with my depth perception severely hampered. Of course, it was my spare pair, just started wearing them last week after I dropped my usual glasses, and stood on them while searching for them. I just can't seem to catch a break these past few weeks.... I'd go to one of those 1 hour places, but there isn't one nearby, and my work week is locked due to my upcoming trip. I will attempt to dig out an old retired pair, and repair them, because I know all my old pairs are broke. Lasik is looking really good right about now....but the cost, oh my.

Crap.... I either have a vacuum leak or a wax module issue. Sudden random high idle. Happened twice in the last 2K miles. Goes up to 4K at idle and stays there till it feels like coming back down in it's own. I thought ti was from running all my lights at low RPMs and the Alt kicking it up on me to recharge the battery. Guess not. Either way... looks like I'm going in... ugh!!!