tecate cooling trouble

[HypnotizeMindz]

i got a 84 t3... near mint...

finally had some welding done on the motor & got my stator in...

runs fine & fast..

problem is... water spits out of the overflow on the radiator... not alot, and not a constant flow.... just spits

what's doing it & whats the solution ?

[Tecate4life]

Sounds like a bad seal on the cap or clogged veigns in the radiator (corrosion) have you cleaned it?

[HypnotizeMindz]

i tried 2 different caps, conclusion.... clogged/dirty radiator

i have not cleaned it... should i flush it ??
whats your solution...

i have another radiator, with bent up fins... i could take a small blade or screwdriver and straighten them, but the radiator on now looks in alot better shape



what else could it be

[plkmonster2]

I would change the water pump seal also. On some machines, this is an indicator that the seal is about to go.

[Tecate4life]

You have 2 seals on the cap plus a valve spring. Both seals must be in tip-top shape along with a corrosive free spring that's not hammered or bent. Also the sealing seats, (top lip and first inner lip) must be distortion free as well. As for the fins, go to Depot and get a fin straightener, it looks like a comb. They have them right next to furnace filters and cost about $8. This is a good tool to have to maintain your radi whenever you need it. Also make sure you have the overflow runoff tubing connected and routed down via the front frame with ties. I can't imagine it being anything else unless your radiator is under filled and or 20% clogged/corroded/damaged internally.

[HypnotizeMindz]

both caps are in good shape, i just put the engine back together, all new seals, o-rings & gaskets

how would i go about cleaning it ? get some radiator flush ??

i dont know about looking next to furnace filters at a (home?) depot... south florida doesnt see alot of furnaces....


i'll attempt to clean the radiator out, or try the other one... the other one isnt bent up bad... approx. 20% of the fins are just bent over, so air cant get through... no big deal to straighten them enough to let the air flow


ps: this trike is bad.... 140lbs of compression... only thing is... geared for low end power.. not much top end, cant find any sprockets for it

[Curtis-Tecate3]

My first thought when I read this was the head gasket or cylinder sealing in general. Did you just get the motor sleeved? My first guess is that you have a leak somewhere in the cylinder that is back pressuring the rediator and pushing water out of the system. 140 lbs of compression is really low for a Tecate. My 86 (Although Modified + KX Headgasket) has 225 Lbs. Let us know what you find out.. By the way where are you in S. Florida??

Curtis.

[HypnotizeMindz]

Homestead Florida to be exact...

i was thinking about the head gasket....
i had a banshee that always overflowed until i changed the head gasket...
i didnt think this would be the same problem

i was told that it had 140lbs of compression, i dont have a tester... it has alot though, possibly twice the compression than my old 250r


whats your opinion.... change the head gasket ?