RZ RADIATOR

Message Share Topic Printable Version Google Delicious Digg StumbleUpon Windows Live Yahoo Bookmarks reddit Facebook MySpace Newsvine Furl Topic Search Topic Options Post Reply Create New Topic

   Have had my RZ350 for 3 days and was a light today and its starting smoking like crazy, so i look down and its pouring out anti freeze all over.  

My question are there new radiatiors for these ? or is there another radiator from another bike that people use ? the bike is a 1985, thanks.

Author	Message Share Topic Printable Version Google Delicious Digg StumbleUpon Windows Live Yahoo Bookmarks reddit Facebook MySpace Newsvine Furl Topic Search Topic Options Post Reply Create New Topic
califmike2003 Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Newbie Joined: 07-July-2010 Location: calif Online Status: Offline Posts: 46	Quote Reply Topic: RZ RADIATOR Posted: 28-July-2010 at 4:36pm
	Have had my RZ350 for 3 days and was a light today and its starting smoking like crazy, so i look down and its pouring out anti freeze all over. My question are there new radiatiors for these ? or is there another radiator from another bike that people use ? the bike is a 1985, thanks.

Speedy2222 Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Fanatic Joined: 02-December-2007 Location: United States - Indiana - Valparaiso Online Status: Offline Posts: 361	Quote Reply Posted: 28-July-2010 at 4:42pm
	where is it coming out of? sounds like more than a radiator issue. probably stuck thermostat.

califmike2003 Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Newbie Joined: 07-July-2010 Location: calif Online Status: Offline Posts: 46	Quote Reply Posted: 28-July-2010 at 4:52pm
	Not sure, have to go back and pick up my bike from where it broke down. I know the bottom of the fairing was full of antifreeze, hose looked ok, nor really sure.

rzyzrider Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Hardcore Biker Joined: 19-September-2005 Location: United States - Tennessee - Online Status: Offline Posts: 1168	Quote Reply Posted: 28-July-2010 at 5:46pm
	Rode my Rz in florida for 25 years, never overheated, not once. If you sit still in traffic for a long time the temp will go up and overheat eventually but they are not known for running overly hot. There is something else going on. A bad head gasket will push colant out the overflow, probably the most common reason for coolant on the ground.
	Real racing engines make power EVERY time the piston goes down.

cookie Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Visit Members Homepage Add to Buddy List Hardcore Biker Joined: 05-December-2005 Location: Canada - B.C. - Vancouver Online Status: Online Posts: 1629	Quote Reply Posted: 28-July-2010 at 6:24pm
	^+1 Look at your head gasket first.
	It's like my dad always said - you just can't argue with stupid. Failure is not fatal, but failure to change might be.

califmike2003 Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Newbie Joined: 07-July-2010 Location: calif Online Status: Offline Posts: 46	Quote Reply Posted: 28-July-2010 at 11:33pm
	Ok i got my bike back, i took off the fairings and checked the hoses, no leaks there, the radiator doesnt leak, the overflow tank was very low, so im guessing it got hot and came out of the overflow tank ? didnt know about the head gasket area, how can i tell if it came from there ?. I really cant find where it came from, i was at the light for 30 sec to 1min and overheat, but before that i rode like 8-10 miles and fine. So theres no known overheat problems with RZS ?. Anybody here have a fan on there radiator ? thinking thats the only sure fix.

Coyote Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Hardcore Biker Joined: 20-December-2005 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 1929	Quote Reply Posted: 29-July-2010 at 12:59pm
	Interested in spending money. The 2Strokeshop has replacement radiators that are twice as thick for high output applications. I think their 120 HP bike qualifies as high output. Dave

WERA#9 Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Newbie Joined: 09-November-2008 Online Status: Offline Posts: 34	Quote Reply Posted: 29-July-2010 at 1:08pm
	Chances are it's a bad head gasket. To check it, start the bike up with the tank loose enough for you to look into the radiator filler. (cap removed, obviously...) If you see bubbles, the head gasket is bad. 2nd most likely thing would be a stuck thermostat. Easiest way to check is to remove thermostat and drop it in a pot of boiling water. If it doesn't move, it's stuck. Often overlooked, a radiator cap can go bad as well and will produce the same symptoms. (the spring is too weak and allows water to pass through to the overflow tank) Pick up a new cap and see if that makes the problem go away. In the unlikely event that it actually IS a bad radiator, theres no need to go to a bigger rad unless you're motor has some serious work done to it. (shaved head, porting, bigger carbs etc...) The stock rad is fine for up to about 60 hp...then you might want to put something a little bigger inthere. FWIW- A Honda CX500 silverwing rad shares the exact dinmensions as an rz rad, except it's twice the thickness. The plumbing is in the wrong places though, spo be prepared to either have a radiator shop "move" the pipes, or buy some extra hose.

strokersquid Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Hardcore Biker Joined: 12-April-2006 Location: - - East Bay Online Status: Offline Posts: 1145	Quote Reply Posted: 30-July-2010 at 3:06am
	just take out the thermostat if its not opening ( cut it out of the housing and put the housing back on as it has the gasket ). If you are searching for a head gasket leak first see if the antifreeze is dark and cloudy. if so it is the gasket. if you are looking for bubbles in the overflow tank to confirm it's toast, you may have to rev the engine for a couple of minutes to get it hot enough to bubble. it may not reach the right temp to do so at idle. if it is not a stock Yamaha head gasket, but rather a kit gasket like a Vesrah, it almost certainly has blown.
	I wish they all could be ( Northern ) California bikes !!!

califmike2003 Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Newbie Joined: 07-July-2010 Location: calif Online Status: Offline Posts: 46	Quote Reply Posted: 30-July-2010 at 9:07pm
	You guys were right, it overheated again today, and the anti freeze is coming out of the head area, so i guess i need a new head gasket.