radiator caps

[scrubs]

either I havent secured the radiator cap properly or it has blown off..
So I need to get a new one, is it the same as a standard car rad cap?
I was wondering If I can pick one up from Wilco motor spares.

I need to use the bike tommorrow and don't want to ride too far to pick up a cap without one already installed.

[fallenmikethebike]

Scrubs thats a nuisance . You should be o/k with a 0.9 lb cap which should be a fairly standard cap.
Phone LT to confirm if poss before leaving for shop.

[scrubs]

Cheers Mike

The weird thing is, when I took the bike for the MOT the guy said 'you havent got a radiator cap there
mate'.. and ithought I had forgot to screw it on in the morning like a nob - so he lent me one to get home
with - as he had a couple of spares lying around the garage from other bikes.

When I got home I noticed the coolant line running from radiator to carb had popped loose and was pissing
coolant. So I refilled the radiator again, tightened the hose went for a ten min ride got back home and noticed
the replacement cap had nw also dissapeared.

I should note that on the original cap that blew off I dident screw in the small safety locking screw(not sure
how important that is) But surely somethings not quite right? is there a breather hose I might have missed?


Only thing I can think is the first cap was a genuine mistake and fell off from not being tightened properly or
whatever and the replacement cap that the guys at the honda dealer gave me were the completely wrong
pressure rating?

I'm unsure...

[scrubs]

I hope the head gasket hasent blown..

[fallenmikethebike]

I presume you replaced the head gasket at rebuild time , so either your some what careless losing 2x rad caps or some things amiss that could include the following .
Head gasket knackered , as you posted yourself.
Head gasket has been Installed incorrectly.
Twisted ,or incorrectly located hose /hoses .
Filled system to quickly leading to airlocks , did you measure the amount of fluid going in, just over a ltr for the a/r i believe?
Check top of rad for trueness of neck .
Personally i never put that bl@@dy screw thing on, and have yet to lose a cap.
This is a long shot, but does the bike vibrate more since its rebuild,ie is it being shaken off.
is it running hot when in normal use.

[andypugh]

I hope the head gasket hasent blown.. :?

I _really_ doubt that you can blow a radiator cap off.

[scrubs]

Cheers Lads - lets hope it was just ill fitted. got another now to the sound of 24 quid!

I was in desperate need for it so I resorted to LT after getting a couple of second hand
ones that dident fit. I spoke to a mechanic who works at Honda yesterday and he doubted
it would be a problem with the gasket as he said if it was the coolant would just come out
of the overflow pipe but wouldent blow the cap. I've cable tied this fecker to the frame
just incase it pops off again anyway so I don't lose it.

[fallenmikethebike]

Cheers Lads - lets hope it was just ill fitted. got another now to the sound of 24 quid!

I was in desperate need for it so I resorted to LT after getting a couple of second hand
ones that dident fit. I spoke to a mechanic who works at Honda yesterday and he doubted
it would be a problem with the gasket as he said if it was the coolant would just come out
of the overflow pipe but wouldent blow the cap. I've cable tied this fecker to the frame
just incase it pops off again anyway so I don't lose it.

WHAT, FFS £24 for a £6 1.1 lb common rad cap ,no wonder you cable tied it to bike ,you want to take it of at night and put it in the safe .
That was from our friends at Loads of Tenners i presume

[oneandonly04]

how's this cap holding up anyway?

[scrubs]

yep from LT, Thankfully it's still there, so no cooling, head gasket or other problems.
I tried two different caps that were donated from garages but wouldent fit unfortunatly.
You're right about the price being daylight robbery. Feckin scandalous. If I wasent so desperate
to get the bike running the next day I would have held on and sourced a cheaper one.
but I was at the point where I am so bleeding tired of the bike being off the road for one
reason or other I was willing to pay extra to have it the first thing next morning and have done.

Looks like everything is running sweet for a change, just upped the main jet size
by one yesterday which has helped the top end a bit, but need to have a day of plug
chops at some point.