Too hot to handle

[38 special]

Not me the bike...
Had a nice ice cream run with a church group near me last weekend. Problem now is I'm over heating in town. Warning light comes on. I put in some of that stuff that makes water wetter and that barely helped and now it 's leaking somewhere near where the plastic screw (at bottom) that holds the chrome piece on around the radiator. Good grief, what's a mother to do? Is there a drain plug for the radiator or do you have to just take the whole radiator off? I've got to dig out the manuel and try to figure this out. I
I've waited all winter to sit and watch the old girl take a leak in my garage, sigh...
Like all ZN 1300 she runs hot but this is too hot. Maybe a good flushing will help.

[Rhinestone Kawboy]

A good flushing might help if it is partially plugged. I know there are a few other items to check in the 1300 section of the AVA Tech center, so check there for those items.

[Scott in IL]

The drain plug is the plastic "bolt" at the bottom center front of the radiator.
What is in the tech section should help.
This may sound wierd, it did to me, but check your compression. I did not believe the mechanic when he told me that my low compression lead to the over heating. Since I rebuilt my engine, replacing the rings and getting a complete valve job, I have had no iussues with overheating. It may go above the safe range when idling in traffic, but reving the engine to circulate the coolant, makes the temp gauge go down.

Scott

[Me Again]

Your going to need to track it down a lot more.
We need to find out if it is just a leaky hose or is there a whole in the radiator or (god forbid ) the water pump is going out.
Bad news is there is a gear in the water pump that is known to give out and it is getting very hard to find.

[38 special]

Interesting... I took out that bottom bolt thinking it was a steel bolt that was just holding the chrome trim on around the radiator. Well it was platic, not steel. I broke it putting it back in. Yep snapped it right off in the bolt hole... great! What idiot thinks of using plastic bolts? When I had the bolt out it didn't run out at all. It leaks more no since I put it back in.

[Me Again]

You probably need to go to the yahoo site for info on getting it out and what to replace it with.

[38 special]

Well I got it out. I took a 30 bit and drilled a hole in the center then took a flat file and gently pounded the rat tale end into it to dent it then gently tapped in a flat head screw driver and was able to turn it out.
After getting it far enough out I used a pair of pliers to finish removing it. YEAH! What ever works. I learned to get creative totally taking apart a 38 DeSoto and putting it back together.
I ordered a new bolt. Should be here in two days. A lousy plastic bolt costs $5.30 plus another $5. and something for a gasket? By the time they add taxes and shipping it's $19. and a few odd cents plus $5.00 in gas to go get it I have $25.00 in a plastic bolt. Wow! Good thing I'm fixing it myself or they would charge me another $95.00 for labor and then tax that also. That would have been a really expensive bolt.
Anyways I got the radiator drained and the oil also drained. The oil looked really nasty. Also took out the air filter and cleaned it a bit too. I got the radiator fluid mixed 80/20 and added some more water wetter stuff. Now I just need some oil and some parts and hopefully were all good again.
I know this may sound dumb but where is the AVA tech? I didn't see it any where.

[Scott in IL]

It's the AVA Tech center.
The link is on the home page right above the one for the message board.

[38 special]

Ahhhh... That's where it's hiding. I rarely go to the home page, thanks.

[38 special]

Okay, all the new fluids are in and I left off the fake chrome plastic radiator shroud. Time for a rest ride to see if she over heats.

[38 special]

Ahhhhh... it figures. The quick fix just won't cut it. It still over heats in town. Does fine on the highway. Maybe I should just wire the switch to turn it on myself when I'm in town traffic.

[Me Again]

Hate to say it ,but, I have a feeling your pump is going to haiti (not the island).
Try yahoo for a pump.

[38 special]

Not good...

[Me Again]

From what I've read its either the C clip coming off the impeller,easy fix, or the nylon pump gear giving out ,not extremely hard to fix ,just hard to find.

[38 special]

Are there any gaskets involved before I dig into her?

[Me Again]

I checked on the yahoo site but so far the only answer I get is check to make sure the fan is turning on.
I'll update when I get more info.

[Me Again]

Good news.Sort of
As long as it is not overheating on the hiway ,it's probably NOT the gear or even the waterpump.Most suggest to make sure the fan is running.
If the impeller is bad you may be able to get the seals from Ma Kaw or Bike Bandit.
I'll keep checking.

[38 special]

Mostly overheats at slower speeds. It did flash the warning light when I got up to 75 mph on the interstate once but cooled back down 2 bars when I went back to 65 mph.

[Me Again]

Have you checked the fan yet.
Most seem to feel that you must have flow through the radiator or it would not cool off at all.
This pretty much eliminates waterpump and thermostat.
May be possible you need a good flush or the fan is not working properly.
I'll keep checking .

[Me Again]

2 suggestions came in today.
First is to check the radiator and make sure there are no bent fins (,high pressure washers can damage them,)and you have good air flow thru it.
Second is to check your oil for coolant,sign of a bad head gasket.
Hope your having a lot of GOOD luck with your problem.