Radiator leak

[BobW03]

As the title states I have a self-inflicted radiator leak on the left side of my 2016 RT. I was removing the Ilium engine guards and a slip of a tool banged into the radiator to create a small leak. I only noticed when i pushed the house to remove the bolt and see a trickle of coolant. Stupidly I tried to epoxy the area, but warming the engine just melted the epoxy. There is a local radiator repair shop in Medford MA who is willing to look at the radiator. Pricing a new on from MAX BMW fiche is outrageous.

 

Bike only has 12K miles as I bought with only 4200 miles

 

Has anyone had a radiator repaired on a motorcycle?

 

Or do I need to search eBay for a used radiator? This is the left side as you sit on the bike.

 

Plus any advice on removing the radiator then flushing and refill?

 

Thanks

Bob

[TEWKS]

Bummer.  Is it in an accessible area where you could try Soldering it? 

[BobW03]

I dont trust my soldering skills, will remove it and bring it to Rogers Radiator in Medford. Not sure if you remember seeing their slogan ; may not still be posted.

 

Roger's Radiator "Best place in town to take a leak"

[TEWKS]

If you can bring it to them off the bike, I’m pretty confident they can repair it! 

[TEWKS]

Did you move to Medford? Martel Welding  in town are a crafty bunch, maybe they could stitch it up for you. 

[BobW03]

Nope, still in same town as you but my wife was from Meffa  (Medford) so I remember Rogers Radiator 

[BobW03]

For those who read or followed this thread, I wanted to post the final update.

 

I was able to borrow a BMW official service guide to display how to remove the radiator. Removed and brought to Rogers radiator in Medford after trying badly to use JB weld; not a good idea on aluminum.

They took it in , and used a aluminum specific epoxy to repair the leak and then pressure test using a water only solution. The resulting patch on the left radiator is guaranteed to not fail.

Next step, re-install radiator; neither removal nor re-install were pleasant tasks. Then trailer the bike to Max for a radiator flush and fill as a vacuum assist is need to be done properly. I had left the panels off so both sides were easily accessible for the service tech.

 

Lastly a road test this past weekend to Williamstown, PA for a spring fling with my friends from COG. 420 miles on Thursday mostly highway since I left here at 1:30.

shorter rides Friday and Saturday. Then another 400 plus mile ride home on Sunday with temps as high as 95. Even stuck in traffic on the Mass pike at the CT border didn't raise the temp bars more than 2 notches.

 

So this story had a happy ending with just under 100.00 for radiator repair and another 98.00 to MAX BMW for radiator flush and fill

[TEWKS]

Glad you got it fixed for relatively cheap money. 

 

 

[Geekmaster]

8 hours ago, BobW03 said:

Then trailer the bike to Max for a radiator flush and fill as a vacuum assist is need to be done properly.

 

BobW03 (or anyone else), do you know for sure that a vacuum assist is required?  This guy on YouTube (below) did a flush on his GS LC both with and without a vacuum assist and got the same results.  And BobW03, when you do take it to Max, would you mind sharing the cost for the flush?  I'd be interested.

 

Thanks!

 

 

 

[taylor1]

8 hours ago, BobW03 said:

and another 98.00 to MAX BMW for radiator flush and fill

 

[Skywagon]

Thanks for posting this.  I've been wanting to change my antifreeze for a while, but wasn't sure if BMW Bikes have some stupid expensive method to do it.  It looks like from the video above, you can do it the old traditional way.  Remove the hoses, drain fully, fillup, burp, heat, fill.  I've done literally hundreds of cars that way, but did not know how this would work.

 

Glad your radiator was easily repairable.  Keep us posted on the lifecycle of the epoxy repair.  We are all just one screwdriver slip from the same experience.  

[TEWKS]

Yeah, David’s point is probably the question everyone has. “Epoxy” longevity in that environment “heat” would probably worry me a bit. But, I’m sure the radiator shop has used it before with great success.

 

Any pictures of the repair, Bob? 

[BobW03]

I didn’t trust myself with the flush and fill after my self inflicted issue. I can’t guarantee you need a vacuum system but researching here and other forums seem to indicate the old fill and burp wouldn’t work. The 98.00 at MAX was with the panels off the bike. I am sure there would have been added labor cost if the panels had not been removed.

 

 I trust Rogers radiator as they have been in business for 50 plus years. The epoxy they have available is not the same as what we can buy at auto stores.  I am riding to Eureka springs June 3rd and then MOA rally later that month. 
 

I should know after 4 weeks on the road how well the repair was.

 

Cheers

Bob

[LAF]

I want to do mine and will buy the blue kit.  I have a gallon of BMW antifreeze to top off bikes as my 15 RT was a very brief weeper for about 600 miles so I am set there. 

 

I like the pressure way just for the leak test but my temp is never a issue.

 

I have read of people doing a burp and fill with success.

 

I just do not think anything is lifetime.  Coolant is a small but important part of our cooling system and I want to make sure it is in good shape.  I am thinking 5 or 6 years is time.

[Skywagon]

I don’t get this vacuum idea. Seems like a lot of trouble for not much additional benefit. I’m sure I’m missing something. 
 

If you get all the fluid out, fill, heat, burp, fill, ride, check, and top off if needed, what additional benefit does vacuum provide. 
 

one of the things I do on all fluids for the bike, car, boat, airplane, etc is measure the amount of fluid exited and insure at least that much goes back in. 

[dirtrider]

24 minutes ago, Skywagon said:

I don’t get this vacuum idea. Seems like a lot of trouble for not much additional benefit. I’m sure I’m missing something. 
 

If you get all the fluid out, fill, heat, burp, fill, ride, check, and top off if needed, what additional benefit does vacuum provide. 
 

one of the things I do on all fluids for the bike, car, boat, airplane, etc is measure the amount of fluid exited and insure at least that much goes back in. 

Morning David

 

The vacuum thing is just about mandatory if you want to do a coolant change or of a flush/fill then go ride without more fiddling .  It's about the only way to do the job, put the cap on then ride. (or give motorcycle back to the customer & send them on their way)

 

On the other side, if it is your own the motorcycle & you have plenty of time to fill, burp, refill, then do a few full heating & cooling cycles to purge any remaining air out then allow time to suck replacement fluid back in from the recovery bottle to replenish, then re-fill the recovery bottle to the correct level (possibly a couple of times). Then it can be done at home with no vacuum fill. 

 

I have done them both ways & the vacuum method is much quicker & I don't have to keep fooling with it until I am sure all the air is purged out.

 

 

[Skywagon]

Thanks DR. I understand. Out of curiosity do you know how much additional fluid you added doing the heat burp?  Was it a little or a lot. Still learning

[dirtrider]

33 minutes ago, Skywagon said:

Thanks DR. I understand. Out of curiosity do you know how much additional fluid you added doing the heat burp?  Was it a little or a lot. Still learning

Morning David

 

It sort of depends on the motorcycle & how much you get in to begin with & how much air comes out with the burp. 

 

I really don't keep track of how much as I just keep adding as I run a few hot to cold heat cycles until I am sure no more air is coming out during the heat cycle. Sometimes a few days later I might need to add a little more. 

[LAF]

dirtrider I guess my question is when you dropped the hoses did all the antifreeze come out? 

 

Does the vacuum evacuate the system without breaking any hose connections?

 

I have done a zillion cars and would make it a winter project for the heat cycles and pretty sure I could do it manually.  However if the Blue Pill(kit) will evacuate the system then it is worth it to me to buy to control the draining of said system.

 

Thanks for any information.

[alegerlotz]

I wouldn't think the burp method would be too hard.  Fill it and slosh the bike around like that guy in the posted video did.  When you see no more air escaping from that, go for a "spirited ride" on the most twisty road you know.  Unless you're somewhere with straight flat roads, I would think that you would have eliminated any air pockets by then.  When the bike cools all the way down, top off the coolant and set to max in the reservoir. Check after the next couple of rides to make sure that the reservoir level isn't going down.  When it stabilizes, you're done.

[Scott9999]

On 5/23/2022 at 9:36 AM, BobW03 said:

For those who read or followed this thread, I wanted to post the final update.

 

I was able to borrow a BMW official service guide to display how to remove the radiator. Removed and brought to Rogers radiator in Medford after trying badly to use JB weld; not a good idea on aluminum.

They took it in , and used a aluminum specific epoxy to repair the leak and then pressure test using a water only solution. The resulting patch on the left radiator is guaranteed to not fail.

Next step, re-install radiator; neither removal nor re-install were pleasant tasks. Then trailer the bike to Max for a radiator flush and fill as a vacuum assist is need to be done properly. I had left the panels off so both sides were easily accessible for the service tech.

 

Lastly a road test this past weekend to Williamstown, PA for a spring fling with my friends from COG. 420 miles on Thursday mostly highway since I left here at 1:30.

shorter rides Friday and Saturday. Then another 400 plus mile ride home on Sunday with temps as high as 95. Even stuck in traffic on the Mass pike at the CT border didn't raise the temp bars more than 2 notches.

 

So this story had a happy ending with just under 100.00 for radiator repair and another 98.00 to MAX BMW for radiator flush and fill

 

::::: Note to self.  Wrap all tools in velvet when working around radiator, particularly when putting radiator guards on said radiator, to prevent leaks from said radiator, when projectiles other than tools by clumsy wrenchers hit the radiator area.:::::: 

 

Glad it worked out for ya.  👍🍻 🏆