Does this look particularly BAD to you?

[RedTitan]

Both sides look like this ... Slight corrosion on the pipe itself and obvious rust on the clamps. It's not as bad as it looks in the photo but still ....

This is an '05 with 21K on the odo ... No real maintenance history other than recalls. I put a couple of hundred miles on it before starting the tear down and inspection and didn't notice any cooling problems or smell any thing that would indicate coolant leak. Bike runs great! Planning to just clean the rust up and when I get the tank back on, I'll bring it to temperature and see if there is any sign of leakage.

Don't want to remove the pipe to replace o-rings it YET if I can help it ... fear the $100 cost of the new pipe since the clamps are integrated. Coolant looks good and PO indicated that it had been recently changed and new plugs installed. Work was done by his local mechanic and I believe him (looked at the plugs and they are indeed new.

Am I being delusional? ... Should I bite the bullet and do this now? Plan is (was?) to clean it up, do a TBS, fluids, lube and ride it through the autumn with another tear down next winter. Probably put 6 or 7K on her before next service.

Your sage advice is greatly appreciated!

David Hunt

 

[Mihalis fjr]

Looks bad but,i believe that the corrosion is only at the surface and not deep.

I believe in the most fjr includes mine looks same..

 

[0Face]

Mine had a bunch of road crap in there too. Not the rust though. It's doesn't look bad to me. Somebody smarter will come along and let you know.

If you do decide to change the O rings just be careful lifting it out. Oh, and vacuum all the crap out first, use a pointy thing-ama-jigger to loosen the crud.

 

[rPGoatBoy]

Here's my advice:

Blow it out with compressed air (cover your eyes). Replace the screws if you think it'll be awhile until you pull the coolant tube for your next (first?) valve clearance inspection. The rust in the pocket there means there was water sitting in it for awhile. Georgia rain? Or a leaky o-ring(s) / faulty coolant tube? Might want to fire it up with the tank up to see if it leaks while running. Make sure you run it long enough for the thermostat to open up.

When it comes time to do a valve clearance check, blow it out with compressed air, gently pull on the coolant tube to remove it (be sure not to bend it, DAMHIK). Clean it up with some steel wool or scotch brite and paint the outside with a rust inhibitive paint. Replace the o-rings, and the screws if you already haven't.

P.S. Nice McMaster-Carr high temp rubber PAIR caps, that's what I did with mine.

 

[audiowize]

Take it out and clean it up! There are used assemblies on eBay for $25, if you break it, it isn't the end of the world.

When you get the pipe out by itself, get all the rust off with a wire brush. I would suspect that it's just the mounting flanges that are giving your the trouble. If you can get the rust off, a little VHT roll bar black might be a decent choice over the bare metal (tape off the parts that slide into the block and into the t-stat housing).

You'll have to pull this for valve clearance inspections anyway, you could do that while the paint is drying on the coolant pipe.

On my '03, mine is getting pretty ugly too, I may end up doing a bit of powder coating to clean it up.

 

[jeremyr62]

Over here in a wet climate that is the norm. Looks bad but they clean up OK and still function fine. Squirt some ACF50 in there for now.

 

[hppants]

Mine looked (and looks) the same way. As others have stated, you have to pull this part very soon when you do your first valve check (26K). At that time, you can address it then. Be sure to lubricate the O-rings in addition to cleaning up the entire area before re-installing the old (or new coolant pipe). I've just used the old pipe through 2 valve checks, but the next time I think I might just replace the part.

good luck

 

[Fred W]

Yeah, that area traps and holds water, so most bikes that actually get ridden in rain look like that.
The important part of that pipe is what's below that flange, where the o-ring mates with the head.

When you do remove it to do the valve check in a few more thousand miles, you will want to replace those o-rings, as well as the larger one that goes in the thermostat housing. Don't bother trying to re-use the old ones because they will be all hardened and squared off and will most likely not reseal. Then it's a pain to pull it all apart again just to replace the o-rings. Do clean up the bores in the head and the pipes where the o-rings sit and lube the new o-rings with a smear of silicone grease on assembly.

 

[BigOgre]

Mine looked the same way and I'll second what most have said above, including waiting until your valve check. Only thing I'd add is maybe hitting those bolts and area with penetrating fluid the night before. Then, as been mentioned, slowly work that pipe out when it comes time as it'll look to bend right in that rusted area.

 

[Bounce]

You think that looks bad?

 

[RedTitan]

Thanks all ...

 

[FJR30FAN]

Here's my advice:
Blow it out with compressed air (cover your eyes). Replace the screws if you think it'll be awhile until you pull the coolant tube for your next (first?) valve clearance inspection. The rust in the pocket there means there was water sitting in it for awhile. Georgia rain? Or a leaky o-ring(s) / faulty coolant tube? Might want to fire it up with the tank up to see if it leaks while running. Make sure you run it long enough for the thermostat to open up.

When it comes time to do a valve clearance check, blow it out with compressed air, gently pull on the coolant tube to remove it (be sure not to bend it, DAMHIK). Clean it up with some steel wool or scotch brite and paint the outside with a rust inhibitive paint. Replace the o-rings, and the screws if you already haven't.

P.S. Nice McMaster-Carr high temp rubber PAIR caps, that's what I did with mine.

You have the P/N for the caps?

 

[rPGoatBoy]

Here's my advice:
Blow it out with compressed air (cover your eyes). Replace the screws if you think it'll be awhile until you pull the coolant tube for your next (first?) valve clearance inspection. The rust in the pocket there means there was water sitting in it for awhile. Georgia rain? Or a leaky o-ring(s) / faulty coolant tube? Might want to fire it up with the tank up to see if it leaks while running. Make sure you run it long enough for the thermostat to open up.

When it comes time to do a valve clearance check, blow it out with compressed air, gently pull on the coolant tube to remove it (be sure not to bend it, DAMHIK). Clean it up with some steel wool or scotch brite and paint the outside with a rust inhibitive paint. Replace the o-rings, and the screws if you already haven't.

P.S. Nice McMaster-Carr high temp rubber PAIR caps, that's what I did with mine.

You have the P/N for the caps?

92805K21

They're thinner than the hoses you're replacing, so the original hose clamps won't work. IIRC it was a semi snug fit. I zip tied mine in place, although the caps probably aren't going to move without them.

 

[bluesdog]

You'll know more after you clean out all the debris, but I doubt it's a coolant leak. There is usually a distinctive, bright color to the corrosion, and you certainly would notice the smell of heated and evaporating coolant. DAMHIK

I pre-soak rusty fittings overnight using quality penetrating oil, such as liquid wrench or 3-M Multipurpose, prior to dis-assembly.