possible head gasket failure

[smccormilla]

Finally decided to try a bike touring holiday and decided on going to corsica.

This involved riding to dover and across the channel then riding to paris. We used the overnight train to nice (mates wife wanted to cut mileage) and then on ferry to corsica.

Problems started after leaving train station. The port is only a couple of miles away, but by half way temp gauge was at max which it's never done before. Within a 100m of the port & a minute after noticing the temp the coolant res cap blew off.

After coasting into the port and leaving it an hour I was able to get on the ferry, but temp shot up within a minute. The crossing is 5hrs and the bike was cold when started, but again temp shot up getting off. The bike was parked up and left until Recovery was organised the day after and luckily there was a yam dealer in the town. At first I thought it was the water pump as there's plenty of coolant left, but the mechanic thought head gasket. Bear in mind I don't speak french and his english wasn't great, but he spoke to the breakdow insurance rep who relayed what she could. I endedup hiring a car and the breakdown insurance are sorting out getting the bike back to the uk.

Has anyone else had a head gasket failure, what happened & what were the repairs, was a head skim needed? Looking around and searching doesn't seem to show many failures.

The bike is a usa import, 2008, on a uk 58 plate with 64k miles. It's a high mileage for a 3 yr old, but is used mostly on motorways. The only other issue has been the dire wiring with problems since the first winter. The bike is still under an extended 3 yr warrenty, but the dealer says head gasket isn't covered as it's a wear item. Anyone any ideas?

 

[HotRodZilla]

The head gasket is a wear item?? There's no way thats true. This is the first I have heard of a head gasket failing on an FJR; however, I have heard of a water pump or two taking a dump.

Unless your head is warped, it shouldn't need to be machined.

 

[kevins]

The head gasket is a wear item?? There's no way thats true. This is the first I have heard of a head gasket failing on an FJR; however, I have heard of a water pump or two taking a dump.

Unless your head is warped, it shouldn't need to be machined.

I'm with you. If head gasket goes, you have pressure inside your overflow tank, loose coolant, then run the motor without coolant. No water pump turning makes temp sensor go to hot quickly.

Unless motor had overheated in the past, your head gasket doesn't just fail (unless it is a Harley).

 

[SkooterG]

Well, in all my years here I have never heard of one single case of a blown head gasket or a water pump failing on an FJR. Though either one is possible, both are unlikely imho. What about a thermostat that is stuck closed? Though it sure sounds like you are missing coolant inside the engine. Coolant leak somewhere? And a head gasket a wear item? That is total crap.

Best of luck and be sure to update us with what happened. And 64,000 miles is nothing for these bikes.

 

[wfooshee]

I'm with the "it ain't the head gasket" crowd. It sounds like the cooling system is not building pressure, which sounds counter-intuitive if the reservoir cap blew off.

But the reservoir is not pressurized. At all. The only way that cap blows off is if the reservoir is pumped full of boiling water and steam.

The bike will overheat if the thermostat is stuck closed. Coolant won't be allowed to circulate. It will also overheat if there's a leak in the system somewhere, which would prevent pressure from building in the cooling system. Pressure keeps the coolant from boiling. At normal engine temp, the water boils without pressure, and will overflow the reservoir.

A water pump failure would be something like no impeller blades left due to corrosion. Very unlikely, unless you've been topping the system off with plain water instead of a proper coolant mix.

It's possible that it's a head gasket, but you'd be the first. Very unlikely.

 

[03HiYoSilver]

You could have a Sticky Thermostat and/or a Trapped Air Pocket where a good Burping would help:

https://www.fjrforum.com/forum//index.php?showtopic=957

 

[Pepperell]

I did have a thermostat go bad, stuck open, though. Sucker wouldn't go above one bar. They are a PITA to get out, but not as tough as yanking the head...

 

[carlson_mn]

If you're low on coolant steam will get to the temp sensor and it will quickly read hot. Thermostat isn't too tough if you have a friend to help hold hoses steady when you re-install it.

 

[Geezer]

I think that French tech.wants to open up your engine so he can reduce the hp. Don't let him touch it. <_<

 

[ionbeam]

...At first I thought it was the water pump as there's plenty of coolant left, but the mechanic thought head gasket...the dealer says head gasket isn't covered as it's a wear item...

A blown head gasket on a stock FJR should not be the leading event to cause over heating. After an extended period of over heating a blown head gasket or warped head could happen. Do you notice excessive white vapor coming from the exhaust when you start your bike? Is there a milky-white appearance inside the oil fill cap that would indicate water in the oil? These would be signs of a failed head gasket.

I believe the thermostat on the FJR is supposed to be a Fail Safe type that fails OPEN and never closed but could be mistaken. (Shit happens and a Fail Safe part could yet fail.)

The radiator cap can be pressure tested. The coolant level should be checked at the radiator fill neck just to be sure it is OK. Examine the radiator for signs of escaping fluid, an indication of a hole in the radiator. Does the radiator get hot at all?

The water pump will leak through the weep hole if it is bad but the impeller should still turn unless there has been a mechanical failure. It is unlikely that the pump has an air pocket causing it not to prime.

Have you recently done anything to your FJR? Did the condition of your FJR indicate that the previous owner may have done anything to contribute to this problem? Is it correct that this is a sudden onset problem with absolutely no hints that there could be any problem?

 

[RaYzerman19]

Don't jump to conclusions about the head gasket. One can pull the spark plugs and do some other pressure tests to confirm. Was there steam coming out the exhaust when hot?

First, you had to be low on coolant (don't go by the reservoir, open the rad cap), which will have its own cause. Could be water pump seal leak, leak at a hose, stuck thermostat, and the dreaded head gasket. Test rad cap and refill slowly. Burp the system, fill reservoir to max line. Ride, what happens? Any weepage at the water pump or hoses? After a couple of rides to operating temp and cooldown, reservoir should stabilize level. Keep an eye on it after that. I'd do a lot of stuff before I would pull the head.

 

[smccormilla]

Glad to hear so many opinions that it's unlikely to be head gasket. Never had one go on a bike, but two on cars. One gradual that made a mess of the ali head and the other. Suddenly.

History on the bike is all services as per yamaha schedule as the extended warranty is dependant on it, it's not a yam dealer but they service everything as they sold a lot of imports when the pound was stronger. It was back at the dealer 500m before going on hols as the electrics were playing up again. They stripped the bodywork, but when I told them about the earthing recall they just chucked it back together. Suppose they thought why bother if it's likely to get a new harness.

I only did a few hundred miles before leaving for france & all seemed okay. I never noticed the temp rise or saw any damp patches in the garage. Didn't check oil filler cap, but oil in site glass was fine.

When the french mechanic looked at it we started it & there was a small amount of steam from the left exhaust, but not much. It only took a minute or two for the temp to hit max. He reckoned if it was just water pump it would take longer.

The only other thing I remeber was a few minutes before the temp dramatically rose we were sitting at a stop light and the engine felt slightly rough at idle, almost like a slight pulse through the grip. Temp was at half way, but outside temp was 90 so didn't think to much of it.

The bike is still in france & won't be back in the uk for atleast a week and dropped off at the dealer. Just have to wait and hope it's just a thermostat & that it hasn't caused any more damage.