Coolant leakage....

[Norway Max]

Hello fellow Max'ers!

I come from Norway and new here, but have read a lot of your advice during the "shine-up" of my MAX. It has been very helpul, so thank you for that. :biglaugh:

I bought a well used 88 VMAX last year (55000 miles) that has been sitting in the garage over the winter. I don't really have any history on the bike. I drove it home from the buyer, and had no problems with it. This spring, i have taken it apart, painted the engine and frame and basically all parts on the bike. It looks really good. :biglaugh:

Yesterday i added the coolant, which was the last thing to be done, started it up and added some more coolant to top it. Everything looked great. I switched over the drain plug, and after a while i noticed some leakage under the bike. It came from the exhaust where the downpipe (front cylinder) on the right side goes into the muffler. Well, it told me i had a exhaust leak, but i think the water needs attention first. Would also like to add that there is white smoke from the exhaust, and after draining the oil i can't see any water in it. It is black...

My question to you guys is; can this be a bad seal in the waterpump, or does it really mean i have to change the head gasket...? :ummm:
A huge setback this, since everything was looking so good and the bike is standing there looking almost mint... :bang head:

Really hope you can help me out with this problem, as i am new to this kind of bike... All help and comments are appreciated.

 

[PDWeyand]

How much are leakage you talking about, a little less than a cup or a lot more than a cup and need to add more coolant to the system? Can you see a coolant trail on the motor? Now I have head gaskets go bad on car motors they will either leak in side the motor, your will burning coolant and have your white smoke or mix in the oil. or it will leak on the outside. If you getting while smoke pull your plugs and look at them if your burning coolant you will be able to tell, one of the plug will look very diffident. Any amount of coolant burning will be seen on the plugs. And if too bad you will end up with a 'dead' miss from runing on 3 instead of 4

 

[Norway Max]

Thank you PDWeyand for your effort and time, i really appreciate it.

Hello again!

Went out again today, bought new oil, filled him up, topped the missing water from yesterday and started. Waited patiently for the moment the water would start flowing in the engine....

Then the VMAX God looked down up on him and thought; This isn't right..., the poor man has spent so much time, and done so much work to this bike, I just can't stand here and look at this.... I'll fix it for him!!!

So, joy o' joy, the bike is working fine!!! No white smoke, no water leaking, and the sun is shining!!! :surprise: :clapping::eusa_dance: I had it running for almost an hour, and the temperature went up to almost redline and then down again several times. Excellent!!

So, that's it for now. Hope you all have a trouble-free year!!

Greetings from Norway,

Norway Max

 

[gamorg02]

can u put a pic? i'm having trouble understanding where you're talking about.

 

[Norway Max]

Hello gamorg02!

The leakage was from where the right front downpipe enters the rear muffler. It was really pouring out, so i was a bit worried. It was like a big cup before i turned it off yesterday... It started right after i turned the drain plug from from drain to normal... What happened today i don't know, but everything is fine again. Maybe it's because it's been standing for so long or something...? Maybe some gasket was dried out... I don't feel quite safe yet, but will keep an eye on it and see how it developes... All is fine for now anyway... :biglaugh:

 

[PDWeyand]

well being you have let the bike sleep over the winter it could have been from that and after running it just a little bit it seemed to have a leak. Glad it was nothing but I would pull the plugs out and check them out anyway, good way to see what is going on inside

 

[Norway Max]

Yes, i will do that. Thank you. :Happy: