we need an official klr song...

[Thomas]

My riding partner has a A19 with about 12,000 on it. He has a bad habit of letting his bike run with the choke on for 10 to 15 min. Well a couple days ago he call me and said there was coolant coming out of the exhaust pipe. When I got there there was about 1/2 to 1 pint of coolant on the garage floor. I'm thinking he blew the head gasket. I pulled the side case off to check the seals. there was no coolant in the case. But the oil screen has more rubber gunk on it then any picture I had ever seen. (so no wasted time there) I have talked my friend into buying the 685 kit. My question is before I get started on the top end. What kind of damage can there be besides the head gasket. What should I look for. I'm hoping the 685 kit will take care of it. Might be valve damage? Thanks Tom

[spike55_bmw]

Tom: Installing a $400 685 kit doesn't necessarily fix a coolant leak if the head / cylinder is cracked. I'd install a new $40 - $50 head gasket and ride it. You are right in thinking that it is mostlikely a head gasket leak but it's interesting that you removed the coolant pump and the right sidecase when the coolant was coming out of the exhaust. Was there other leaks? By all means clean the oil screen while you are in there, you're buying new gaskets anyway. Remember Kawi offers a 0.5mm and 1.0mm overbore piston / ring kits. Once you take off 2.0mm for the 685, you can't go back. Not sure idling on choke for excessive amounts of time could damage anyting other than soot-up the spark plug and valves. It's surprising how much soot / oil gunk can build up in there (I had oil bypassing the rings) and the KLR still runs like a champ. Don R100, A6F

--- In DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com, "Thomas" wrote: > > My riding partner has a A19 with about 12,000 on it. He has a bad habit of letting his bike run with the choke on for 10 to 15 min. Well a couple days ago he call me and said there was coolant coming out of the exhaust pipe. When I got there there was about 1/2 to 1 pint of coolant on the garage floor. I'm thinking he blew the head gasket. I pulled the side case off to check the seals. there was no coolant in the case. But the oil screen has more rubber gunk on it then any picture I had ever seen. (so no wasted time there) > > I have talked my friend into buying the 685 kit. My question is before I get started on the top end. What kind of damage can there be besides the head gasket. What should I look for. I'm hoping the 685 kit will take care of it. Might be valve damage? > > Thanks > Tom >

[Jud]

What's the problem with Johnny Cash?

--- In DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com, stuart sullivan wrote: > > > "Not a bad choice"Yes except It's sung by johnny Cash,"Nuff Said". > > To: chris.eckert@...; DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com > From: tenntimtwo@... > Date: Fri, 15 Jul 2011 13:51:04 -0700 > Subject: Re: [DSN_KLR650] Re: We need an official KLR song... > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Hmmm, you know that might not b e such a bad choice...when you think about where a KLR can go, where they have been, and where they are goiong. It has merit > > > > From: skypilot110 > > To: DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com > > Sent: Sunday, July 10, 2011 11:00 PM > > Subject: [DSN_KLR650] Re: We need an official KLR song... > > > > > > This song was the impetuous for the coolest rally I ever entered. It was one of Team Strange's rallys several years ago > > > > --- In DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com, James Buck wrote: > > > > > > http://youtu.be/MmFN9C9PVpg > > > > > > > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] >

[Eric J Foster]

I hate to say it, but step away from the bike and do some reading and edumahcating before you do anything, especially attempting mods. Find and fix the existing issue (if there is one) before changing anything from stock or it can make troubleshooting a nightmare because of the guessing game it creates. If there is coolant coming from the exhaust, it is a head gasket, which does not necessarily mean you would find coolant in the oil. Are you guys POSITIVE it was coolant, not just stray water from sitting in the rain or careless washing? Coolant from the exhaust, if it came from within the cylinder, would make a LOT of white exhaust clouding. To dump 1/2 pint, I would have to say I find it hard to believe the bike would even run with a slug that wet. Check the head gasket (the most likely culprit), then check the head for either cracks or warping, the latter of which is fixable by a somewhat skilled mechanic and a flat surface. If both of those items pass, then look for a cracked jug, which I highly doubt. Have you checked fluid levels in the cooling system? Top them off and see if they stay. Also, leave the cap off and run the bike. If it bubbles, you have an issue, if it doesn't, I'd do a LOT more investigating before I turn a single bolt. Far more often than not, a leaking gasket with leak both directions, forcing combustion gases into the cooling system along with sucking coolant in on the intake. The rubber in the screen was most likely stray sealant from the factory. Pretty common on some bikes and not an issue until it clogs the screen or makes it's way into an orifice (baha ha! He said "orifice"!) or gallery. Running the bike with the choke on too long would only cause two problems. Fouling the plug and contaminating the oil with fuel. It would make the bike run with much lower head temps because of the cooling effect from running rich, it would NOT cause any issues such as a head gasket failure. Bottom line, in bike repair, is always look for the free, then the cheap, fixes before throwing money at an assumed problem. You'll be left with more money for bling bling! Good luck, E