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i seem to be burning a lot of coolant lately, looked at the head gasket real carefully but could not find anything wrong with it. I thought it might be burning a little hot so i richened up the pilot jet a couple sizes, but still burnt a whole resevoir worth of coolant today. I recently replaced the water pump gear and when i did that i put in new seals so i dont think its leakin into the tranny. Any advice is appreciated
Thnanks guys.

Drain, flush, and refill the system again then carefully bleed it by opening all of the bleed bolts and squeezing the hoses in different spots. Also try checking or replacing the radiator cap with a known good one or one with a higher pressure rating. Make sure all hose clamps are tight. I took my overflow bottle off and have no problems with coolant loss even at 85 F.

I am still using the stock Kawi coolant, but I will switch to Engine Ice just for good measure. If you don't want to use engine ice, get an antifreeze that you can make sure is silicate and phosphate free. 50/50 mix with distilled water, don't use tap water. I buy three gallons of distilled at the store and use that to flush the system as well. I also kept the stock plastic radiator louvers in place, as they are designed to flow more air over the core.

Whoa there....

'Burning' coolant? What makes you think that is happening? The smell?

If you're basing the worry on the reservoir being empty...that's a baseless worry.

KDXs do that. If you are worried about where the coolant goes..stop worrrying about it. It comes out of the bottle through the hose.

Most riders forget about the bottle altogether...a good number just take the thing off. It is useful if you overheat and blow coolant past the first cap seal, but as far as storage of coolant for eventual use? It's useless.

IF you indeed are burning it...IF you have a coolant leak due to previous repair...those are both problems in need of a resolution.

IF the bike runs fine but loses fluid from the rez...forget about it.

Oh...went UP two sizes? To what?

canyncarvr wrote:Whoa there....

'Burning' coolant? What makes you think that is happening? The smell?


Oh...went UP two sizes? To what?

I do smell it occasionally when i stop after riding it a little hard, but i went to the dealership and just asked him for two sizes bigger, i had a 42 in there, and the next size up from that is a 48. I THINK that its a 52 but dont quote me on that one. i did this because A) it was boggin when i snapped the throttle but by goin up i fixed that, and B) Figured it would make it burn a little cooler to richen it up.

Should use your airscrew and needle first before changing jets.... just a thought.

liv2 wrote:I THINK that its a 52 but dont quote me on that one.

OK.

This is going to sound pedantic..but necessarily so, I'm afraid.

1. Your dealer is an idiot. It would be very wise to not ever go back there.

If they sell Kaw's and don't even know what the jet numbering sequence is on a Keihin (your carb), they are losers.

The next size up pilot from a 42 is NOT a 48. It is a 45. To be clear, a 48 IS two sizes up from a 42.

But...none of that has anything to do with anything. The KDX comes with a 48 pilot. That is too rich for practically every situation, likely too rich for you. A 52 is TWO SIZES up from a 48. The pilot numbering sequence is:

38 40 42 45 48 50 52.

Back to the beginning.....

There are two 'smells' regarding coolant. One smell is out of the exhaust (it's been 'burned' if you will). The other comes from coolant getting on something hot..like your pipe.

If it's the former, you have a problem. You're leaking coolant into the crankcase, cylinder, or out of the head into the combustion chamber. Your exhaust will possibly be white if there is a considerable amount of it.

If it's the latter, you will see a mess at the end of the overflow tube that comes from the rez. THAT is the 'normal' situation I referenced earlier.

Which one is it?

The fact that you smell coolant occasionally is not necessarily any problem whatsoever.

Oh...and:

B. You likely masked an incorrect air screw setting by installing a considerably too large pilot jet.

Yes. Use your air screw (and likely needle adjustments) before changing the pilot.

Cool, thanks man. come to think about it i may have put in the wrong one (well not the one i was meaning to put in.) I might even have the 45 in there now but oh well, the bike runs goof except for the whole missing coolant thing. I dont notice any marks or streaks from any leaking coolant but my exhaust smoke is kinda light grey but does not bellow from the pipe.
not sure what it means, but its just something i noticed.
Thanks

So the coolant is only missing from the overflow tank, correct? Check your coolant level in your radiator both before (top off) and after a ride. I bet it's down less than an ounce or 2. If that is so, then don't top off, leave it at that level. (The bike will blow out the small amount every time you ride otherwise.) I took my res tank off to increase air flow over the radiator and never needed to stick it back on.
Let us know what you find on that.

I had the same concern. Here in the Arizona Desert some of our rides in the summer end with an outside temp of 105 + degrees. I checked the anti freeze/ distilled water mixture with a tester that measures specific gravity. Its just a cheap one with the little balls that float. What was happening with me was the distilled water was cooking off leaving a high concentrate of anti freeze. I usually have to fill the bottle and check the mixture after almost every ride.

cool, i will drain my res before i go out this weekend and then do the above mentioned to see if im actually burning coolant but for sure ill let you know whats happening

Maybe these other guys know, but what KDX do you have??? If it's a 200H then I'd recommend losing the tank altogether and then notice the coolant level IN THE RADIATOR after each ride (and after the engine is cool). I'll bet that it's at a consistent level near the top of the radiator from ride to ride. I can't speak for the 220 since they are overheating PIGS (just kidding ).

I have a 99 KDX200 but yea im gonna drain the res and take a little extra coolant with me just in case when I go out this weekend.