Wilsons Sandbox

Did you get down on your knees and look at the little weep hole in the bottom of the water pump? If it is dripping even a tiny bit, you would smell it. It could be dripping so slowly that your coolant level would take forever to drop but still enough to smell. You probably already know that if it is leaking you are going to replace the water pump seals. ________________________________ From: Lars Lemberg To: DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com Sent: Thursday, December 18, 2008 10:53:56 AM Subject: [DSN_KLR650] Why do I smell antifreeze? DualSportNews' KLR650 Discussion ListHi all, I have a 2006 KLR with 21,000 miles, absolutely no issues with it. It doesn't use oil, and the coolant level is always stable. I have done no mods with the cooling system, so the temp gauge varies from "normal" twelve o'clock when stopped to almost "cold" when driving in the current winter temps around DC. Now, once the engine is warm and I stop at a light I can smell antifreeze. I have looked, but can't find any trace of a coolant leak. I see no evidence of coolant in the oil. I had the water pump off to clean the oil screen once, but that was a long time ago and this problem started long after that maintenance was done. I tell myself if the coolant and oil look OK and there are no leaks evident, there's nothing to worry about. But darn it, every time I stop and get that whiff of antifreeze I have to look down expecting to see coolant dripping somewhere. Is it possible to smell antifreeze if there is no leak? Maybe it's just the coolant transferring between the radiator and overflow tank when I stop and the coolant temp rises? Lars in VA, still in the 40'sF and still riding. [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

--- In DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com, "Lars Lemberg" wrote:

> > DualSportNews' KLR650 Discussion ListHi all, > I have a 2006 KLR with 21,000 miles, absolutely no issues with it.

It doesn't use oil, and the coolant level is always stable. I have done no mods with the cooling system, so the temp gauge varies from "normal" twelve o'clock when stopped to almost "cold" when driving in the current winter temps around DC. Now, once the engine is warm and I stop at a light I can smell antifreeze. I have looked, but can't find any trace of a coolant leak. I see no evidence of coolant in the oil. I had the water pump off to clean the oil screen once, but that was a long time ago and this problem started long after that maintenance was done.

> > I tell myself if the coolant and oil look OK and there are no leaks

evident, there's nothing to worry about. But darn it, every time I stop and get that whiff of antifreeze I have to look down expecting to see coolant dripping somewhere. Is it possible to smell antifreeze if there is no leak? Maybe it's just the coolant transferring between the radiator and overflow tank when I stop and the coolant temp rises?

> > Lars in VA, still in the 40'sF and still riding.

My guess is, if you are smelling coolant when you are on the bike with your helmet on, that the coolant is weeping/dripping/leaking somewhere and being vaporized on a hot surface, or it is getting into the cylinder during combustion and being vaporized and coming out the tailpipe. Alan

Lars Lemberg asked:

>Why do I smell antifreeze?

Well, I always try to check the easy things first, make sure the cap is on straight and tight on the coolant overflow bottle. Good luck

You don't need much anti-freeze, being flashed off a hot surface, to smell it. I haven't checked if the OEM anti-freeze is florescent (sp?) under a UV / blacklight but that may be a way to see the residue left behind from a small leak that is being evaporated. Don R100, A6F --- In DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com, "Lars Lemberg" wrote:

> > DualSportNews' KLR650 Discussion ListHi all, > I have a 2006 KLR with 21,000 miles, absolutely no issues with it.

It doesn't use oil, and the coolant level is always stable. I have done no mods with the cooling system, so the temp gauge varies from "normal" twelve o'clock when stopped to almost "cold" when driving in the current winter temps around DC. Now, once the engine is warm and I stop at a light I can smell antifreeze. I have looked, but can't find any trace of a coolant leak. I see no evidence of coolant in the oil. I had the water pump off to clean the oil screen once, but that was a long time ago and this problem started long after that maintenance was done.

> > I tell myself if the coolant and oil look OK and there are no leaks

evident, there's nothing to worry about. But darn it, every time I stop and get that whiff of antifreeze I have to look down expecting to see coolant dripping somewhere. Is it possible to smell antifreeze if there is no leak? Maybe it's just the coolant transferring between the radiator and overflow tank when I stop and the coolant temp rises?

> > Lars in VA, still in the 40'sF and still riding. > > > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] >

--- In DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com, "Spike55" wrote:

> > You don't need much anti-freeze, being flashed off a hot surface, to > smell it. I haven't checked if the OEM anti-freeze is florescent > (sp?)

fluorescent.

Jud Jones wrote:

> > --- In DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com > , "Spike55" wrote: > > > > You don't need much anti-freeze, being flashed off a hot surface, to > > smell it. I haven't checked if the OEM anti-freeze is florescent > > (sp?) > > fluorescent. > >

Could be the old lady is giving it to you a little at a time and it's coming out of various skin pores!