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Post by kerry454 on Aug 1, 2015 17:53:04 GMT -6
Last week I became the proud owner of an '85 454 as my first bike and I could not be happier. I also could not be happier that there is a forum dedicated to this awesome bike! The previous owner is a good friend and offered to part with his bike after finding out I got my license and was looking. He gave me an incredible deal on it because of our friendship and because it needed some work done before being rideable. Here was the problem list when I first got it: -Bad battery -Turn signal plastic connectors broken (they work but just dangle) -No oil -Minor rust in gas tank -Tires low on air The bike has just over 2000 miles on it and has been sitting in his garage for the past 25 years. Long story short, I replaced/cleaned everything mentioned above and got it started the next day! I have been riding it for a couple of days now and noticed a problem that I was hoping to get some help on here with. The past couple of days, I've noticed that the temperature will rise until the white line just before the red and stay there for the rest of the ride. I have taken off the radiator and flushed with water and CLR, as mentioned previously on this forum. The only difference it made was that it takes the bike longer to reach the last white mark on the temp gauge. Does it need some more cleaning? Also, the reservoir tank keeps losing coolant. I am not for sure where it's going..I see no leaks and have not noticed any coming out of the overflow hose. Does this mean I have a bad radiator gasket? Something else that concerns me is that when I unscrew the bolt that holds the coolant, nothing comes out, even when I know it's full. Does this mean that it's seriously clogged? Below is a picture of the bolt I'm talking about because the clymer seems to be pointing to a different bolt than what everyone else seems to be referencing.. Thanks in advance for any help!  |
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Post by Blaine on Aug 1, 2015 18:26:48 GMT -6
Sounds like you system need flushed & cleaned......That is not the drain.....The drain plug is right under there on the bottom.  |
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Post by kerry454 on Aug 1, 2015 19:35:11 GMT -6
Thanks for the reply! So I guess the Clymer was right..the reason I thought it was the bolt circled in red is because I watched a youtube video of some guy flushing his radiator and that was the bolt he unscrewed. The one that is underneath is really hard to get to due to the frame..is this the correct one? Also, how do I flush the entire system? I bought some Prestone radiator flush and cleaner and basically replaced my antifreeze with this stuff along with some distilled water. Is this all I have to do to flush the entire system?
Another somewhat related question: do you think I should put some seafoam in the oil and gas since this bike hasn't seen the light of day for the past 25 years?
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Post by Blaine on Aug 1, 2015 21:21:52 GMT -6
Thanks for the reply! So I guess the Clymer was right..the reason I thought it was the bolt circled in red is because I watched a youtube video of some guy flushing his radiator and that was the bolt he unscrewed. The one that is underneath is really hard to get to due to the frame..is this the correct one? Also, how do I flush the entire system? I bought some Prestone radiator flush and cleaner and basically replaced my antifreeze with this stuff along with some distilled water. Is this all I have to do to flush the entire system? Another somewhat related question: do you think I should put some seafoam in the oil and gas since this bike hasn't seen the light of day for the past 25 years? Yes you can open drain & add water to the rad till it comes out clean.Yes SeaFoam will help get rid of deposits in engine & fuel system. |
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Post by kerry454 on Aug 2, 2015 14:57:43 GMT -6
I'm still in the process of flushing the coolant system and I'm still noticing the coolant disappearing. Is this due to a faulty rad cap? I am seeing no obvious leaks in any of the hoses..
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Post by Blaine on Aug 2, 2015 21:23:21 GMT -6
I'm still in the process of flushing the coolant system and I'm still noticing the coolant disappearing. Is this due to a faulty rad cap? I am seeing no obvious leaks in any of the hoses.. Yes a faulty cap could cause the coolant to boil away. |
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Post by kerry454 on Aug 4, 2015 12:29:56 GMT -6
A hole in the radiator would also be contributing to my problems..just found it today. Looked up the part online and almost fell over when I saw the price..almost $500!! Are there any other kawasaki models with the same radiator that I could find one cheaper?
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Post by heinz1 on Aug 4, 2015 20:10:20 GMT -6
eBay
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Post by eaglerider on Aug 5, 2015 5:50:26 GMT -6
1990 - 1994 Vulcan500
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Post by kerry454 on Aug 8, 2015 17:38:59 GMT -6
Thanks for the replies! I found a local radiator shop and asked them what they thought and they told me they could just use some epoxy on the hole. $20 vs almost $500 for a new one was worth the chance and it turned out great! Fixed the hole and now my coolant system is flushed. Still overheating on me but this time the fan isn't kicking on (and yes, I checked to make sure the fan was connected and grounded.) Next step is to replace the thermostat.
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Post by kerry454 on Aug 15, 2015 11:52:42 GMT -6
In case anyone else comes across this problem, I will keep updating. I am still waiting for my thermostat to come in the mail but in the meantime I figured I would take out the old one to see if unobstructed coolant flow would help my problem. Took the thermostat out with little trouble and got everything put back together. Saw some crud underneath the thermostat and figured I would do a quick flush with distilled water before putting the coolant back in. Water came out clear so I put the coolant back in. Took her out for a ride and found that it takes longer to overheat but she still overheats. Not as bad when going 35 mph or slower but quickly reaches the last white line/red when going cruising speeds of 55+. Any ideas of what might be causing this? Is there so much crud built up within the system that I need to do another flushing with chemicals? My next step is to let some CLR sit in the lines for about 30-60 minutes. Oil and filter have been replaced so I know I can mark that off my list of potential causes. I have pictures of the thermostat below..it didn't look too bad to me but then again, this is my first time replacing a thermostat and don't know what a bad one is supposed to look like.    |
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Post by kerry454 on Aug 15, 2015 11:53:06 GMT -6
Whoa..not sure why the pictures are so big..sorry!
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Post by eaglerider on Aug 16, 2015 4:34:33 GMT -6
Bad thermostats look no different...it is the heat that opens or closes them. Get a pan of water, drop the thermostat in the pan of water, along with a thermometer....start heating the water, and watch to see if the thermostat opens, and at what degree the water is when it does. That will tell you if the thermostat is good or not. It should open up (I think) around 165 - 185 degrees.
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Post by kerry454 on Aug 18, 2015 10:21:51 GMT -6
Bad thermostats look no different...it is the heat that opens or closes them. Get a pan of water, drop the thermostat in the pan of water, along with a thermometer....start heating the water, and watch to see if the thermostat opens, and at what degree the water is when it does. That will tell you if the thermostat is good or not. It should open up (I think) around 165 - 185 degrees. It didn't open until about 205 degrees. I bought and new one and will replace it. Regardless, it still overheats without the thermostat in it. After reading an earlier thread that sounded exactly my situation, I checked out the water pump expecting a ton of crud. However, the water pump was spotless. I dumped some water through the radiator head to check the flow and it appears unobstructed. I know I have to be getting close because there are only so many things that can cause an engine to overheat...what would be the next thing to check? What I've done so far: -Drained and flushed radiator (radiator is in excellent condition, at least on the outside, can't tell on the inside) and rest of coolant system and then replaced with fresh coolant -Drained and replaced oil and oil filter with Rotella 15W-40 diesel oil that was recommended -Checked water pump for blockage Other than the overheating, the motorcycle rides great. No backfires, no acceleration lags, etc. |
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Post by eaglerider on Aug 18, 2015 14:35:24 GMT -6
Check fan connections....fan should come on a bit past halfway or a bit more on the temp gauge. Did the radiator shop clean out the radiator when they repaired it???
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Post by kerry454 on Aug 18, 2015 19:26:21 GMT -6
Check fan connections....fan should come on a bit past halfway or a bit more on the temp gauge. Did the radiator shop clean out the radiator when they repaired it??? Fan works as you said and the guy from the radiator shop told me that he flushed out the radiator. He didn't mention anything about it being clogged or anything. |
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Post by kerry454 on Aug 18, 2015 19:27:59 GMT -6
I read from another post about an air bubble being the cause. Could a little bit of air cause the engine to only overheat at speeds 35mph and greater?
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Post by eaglerider on Aug 19, 2015 3:27:04 GMT -6
Air bubbles can do that. When filling the cooling system, that can happen. Also, the water passages in the engine can get clogged just like a car.
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Post by Blaine on Aug 19, 2015 4:56:17 GMT -6
I read from another post about an air bubble being the cause. Could a little bit of air cause the engine to only overheat at speeds 35mph and greater? Yes....Possible. |
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Post by kerry454 on Aug 19, 2015 8:03:12 GMT -6
Air bubbles can do that. When filling the cooling system, that can happen. Also, the water passages in the engine can get clogged just like a car. I read from another post about an air bubble being the cause. Could a little bit of air cause the engine to only overheat at speeds 35mph and greater? Yes....Possible. I see..I will make extra sure all of the air is out before capping the next time I fill it up. Eaglerider, if the water passages in the engine were clogged, wouldn't the flow have been restricted when I poured water through the lines with the water pump cover off? |
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Post by eaglerider on Aug 20, 2015 6:40:48 GMT -6
Well...depends...they could have some build up crud and still allow coolant to seem to flow ok. But if there is any flow, it should not cause severe overheating...just was "grabbing at straws", so to speak.  |
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Post by kerry454 on Aug 20, 2015 9:44:17 GMT -6
Well...depends...they could have some build up crud and still allow coolant to seem to flow ok. But if there is any flow, it should not cause severe overheating...just was "grabbing at straws", so to speak. That's what I'm doing at this point as well. Once my new water pump gaskets come in I will make sure there aren't any air bubbles and see if that's been the cause this whole time. |
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Post by kerry454 on Aug 25, 2015 18:35:37 GMT -6
I was talking with a buddy of mine who also likes to ride and he mentioned something about my problem maybe being the water plug sensor..what do you guys think? I have a part ordered and will find out either way, but has anyone else experienced this?
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Post by mik3 on Aug 27, 2015 21:08:55 GMT -6
My bike sat for 20 years, i took the entire cooling system off the bike, including the block down tubes and really flushed it out, ensured to soak the radiator and clean anything that needed. You can use a flashlight and look into the entry points of the block to see if there is build up. Even after flushing tgree times really well, i still got muddy coolant during my first two changes a few thousand miles apart.
If you can open the drain plug and nothing comes out while the resevoir and fill cap are on, that means they are sealing properly, you have to open one of them to have it properly drain.
Are you certain that your carbs are dialed in, no air leaks at the carb boots causing you to possibly run lean? This could also cause you to overheat. If you haven't rebuilt the carbs, i'd highly suggest it and ensure your jets are cleaned and you are tuned just slightly rich. Float height is also extremely important.
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Post by kerry454 on Aug 28, 2015 13:05:30 GMT -6
My bike sat for 20 years, i took the entire cooling system off the bike, including the block down tubes and really flushed it out, ensured to soak the radiator and clean anything that needed. You can use a flashlight and look into the entry points of the block to see if there is build up. Even after flushing tgree times really well, i still got muddy coolant during my first two changes a few thousand miles apart. If you can open the drain plug and nothing comes out while the resevoir and fill cap are on, that means they are sealing properly, you have to open one of them to have it properly drain. Are you certain that your carbs are dialed in, no air leaks at the carb boots causing you to possibly run lean? This could also cause you to overheat. If you haven't rebuilt the carbs, i'd highly suggest it and ensure your jets are cleaned and you are tuned just slightly rich. Float height is also extremely important. Thanks for the response! I have not taken the carbs out yet as the previous owner drained all of the gas before storing for 20+ years and I didn't think they would need to be rebuilt. I have thoroughly flushed the system multiple times to the point to where it runs clean when I drain it now. It's properly sealed as I do have to take off the radiator cap before the coolant comes out of the drain plug. If the water plug sensor doesn't work, then I will look into the carbs. It was last on my list as it seems to be the most exhausting thing to do (at least for me since I've never taken one apart before!) I'm going to ride it to my buddy's house to see if it's truly overheating or not since he has a laser thermometer. I will mention the carbs to him and see if we can't get to the bottom of this. Thanks! |
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Post by kerry454 on Aug 30, 2015 19:28:25 GMT -6
Took the carbs out today and found 2 plugged jets, so I think I found the cause of my overheating problem! The carbs seem more complicated than what I'm comfortable with so I will be taking them to a mechanic to have thoroughly cleaned. Once I get them back and put on, I'll let you all know if my problem is fixed! Thanks for all the help!
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Post by mik3 on Aug 30, 2015 20:40:45 GMT -6
I'd just give it a shot woth some cleaners and a rebuild kit. If you mess up, or can't reassemble them, you'll take them in anyhow but they can be a real pain the bottom sometimes, especially if the jets are stuck and you cant get them out, and drill out the caps etc. Hopefully that's it though! |
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Post by kerry454 on Sept 2, 2015 19:54:17 GMT -6
Got the carbs on today and definitely noticed a difference in power and acceleration. It also sounds completely different but for the better! Unfortunately, it's still overheating. I am at a loss here, guys. The only other thing it can be at this point is a clogged radiator, despite all of the flushes I've done. Do the radiators on these bikes get clogged easily? Any suggestions on how to break up the gunk?
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Post by mik3 on Sept 3, 2015 1:43:39 GMT -6
Got the carbs on today and definitely noticed a difference in power and acceleration. It also sounds completely different but for the better! Unfortunately, it's still overheating. I am at a loss here, guys. The only other thing it can be at this point is a clogged radiator, despite all of the flushes I've done. Do the radiators on these bikes get clogged easily? Any suggestions on how to break up the gunk? I soaked a clr mix in mine for 12 hours, then put a hose to it and slowly ran water through it until it was clear. Did that a total of three times. Are you sure you are getting flow through the block itself? Do you have any vacuum leaks anywhere else? |
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Post by kerry454 on Sept 3, 2015 8:42:51 GMT -6
Got the carbs on today and definitely noticed a difference in power and acceleration. It also sounds completely different but for the better! Unfortunately, it's still overheating. I am at a loss here, guys. The only other thing it can be at this point is a clogged radiator, despite all of the flushes I've done. Do the radiators on these bikes get clogged easily? Any suggestions on how to break up the gunk? I soaked a clr mix in mine for 12 hours, then put a hose to it and slowly ran water through it until it was clear. Did that a total of three times. Are you sure you are getting flow through the block itself? Do you have any vacuum leaks anywhere else? No vacuum leaks that I can tell. I am not sure that flow is getting through the blocked part of the radiator. I just know that water flows in and out steadily, so maybe it's just passing up the blockage? I soaked mine in CLR for 1 hour. I will try soaking it for 12 hours like you did and see if that helps. Wow! A total of 36 hours of soaking in CLR..I'll give this a shot and see what happens. Thanks! |
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