Antifreeze leak is back....

[Mike]

ST is back in the shop for another water leak. The leak is from the weep hole. Last time I took it in I told the wrench that the bike never leaked from the weep hole and that I had seen some coolant in the valley of the block.

They basically blew me off and replace the water pump. I took the bike home hoping they were right. Now I have a new water pump that is leaking and still have the original leak.

I saw a new 07 with ABS there on the showroom floor so I asked the manager what he wanted for it. Told him my ST was in for the third time for a coolant leak and I was none to happy about it. He said he would look into it and also write me an offer on the 07.

Don't think I want an 07 ST, I have been looking at the Ducati ST4 and may go that way unless the manager makes one of those deals you can't walk away from.

 

[STArnie13]

I doubt that they will make that good a deal. If you get the Ducati let us know how you like it.

 

[Mike]

Thanks! I registered but cannot get acess to the file as yet.

I am a pretty good wrench and can probably fix this thing myself but I have a warranty and little time to do this with.

I hope the dealer will get it right this time, I think they cut corners to shave time as mother Honda does not pay them flat rate so it's a money loss for them. Then again it a lot of money loss when the job is not done correctly and becomes a redo....

I really don't think I'll get a good deal on the 07, they are no longer sitting on the showroom like they did a couple of years ago.

 

[Mike]

Got to the write up and it is well written and I have done everything as outlined excet the water pump, shop did that although I feel the waterpump was not at fault.

I still think it's a leak in the valley and now of course the waterpump.

As you can see the weep hole has drainage, that was never there before. My only leakage was from that notch which still has drainage despite Honda trying to repair the bike.

 

[dmulk]

Have you confirmed that the shop used Honda coolant when they did the water pump and not something like Prestone?

This is huge... the prestone crap has silicates in it that is known to cause leaks in Honda's. ALWAYS USE HONDA BLUE COOLANT.

If you coolant is green...they probably used something else and this could be causing your problems...



<D>

 

[adamk]

Have you confirmed that the shop used Honda coolant when they did the water pump and not something like Prestone?

This is huge... the prestone crap has silicates in it that is known to cause leaks in Honda's. ALWAYS USE HONDA BLUE COOLANT.

If you coolant is green...they probably used something else and this could be causing your problems...



<D>

I didn't read the bottles my coolant came in, but they came from the Honda dealer and are full of green liquid?!? Not the right stuff??

 

[dmulk]

The Honda Coolant that comes in the blue 1 quart bottles have blue liquid.

I am not sure if Honda makes any other color....can someone else confirm?

Thanks,
<D>

 

[dmulk]

PS: All I know is that there are a ton of people over on the VFR boards (a friend of mine included) that have used "green" coolant (Prestone, etc) and have had leaks develop within a couple thousand miles.

I also remember reading someone had their work done at a Honda dealer and that dealer put Prestone in....leaks developed....

<D>

 

[adamk]

The Honda Coolant that comes in the blue 1 quart bottles have blue liquid.

I am not sure if Honda makes any other color....can someone else confirm?

Thanks,
<D>

Well, I just went out to my garage and checked my Pro Honda HP blue coolant bottles. This is the coolant recommended in the owners manual. The bottles also state it is engineered without silicate inhibitors as recommened by Honda. The fluid in these bottles is green in color and <looks> like Prestone, but it's not. I wouldn't think any Dealer would be dumb enough to not use the Honda brand, but you never know.......

 

[Blrfl]

My '04 had green stuff from the factory and when the STealer did my first leak, the replacement coolant was green, too.

The blue stuff is the Type II coolant (or that stuff they use on combs at the barber shop). And we all know that the blue coolant cools faster. :duck:

--Mark

 

[Scaredy Cat]

This interesting! My ST came with bright gree coolant from the factory. DMULK, are you saying it should have been blue coolant (which I'm running now)?

 

[dmulk]

Actually, looking at the bottles I just bought, it is green coolant now.

The bottom line is you don't want to use prestone (or any other high silicate based coolant). Otherwise you are asking for leaks.

Sorry for the confusion.

<D>