I would have the cooling system pressure tested at a radiator repair place before going any further. This should tell if you have a leaking gasket. If when you get the head off, have a look for corrosion holes around where the water passages are. Heads can be welded and remachined to fix those problems.
Good suggestion Dr. Murdo..... Adrian, just bring the bike up to Tamworth and use my Fizzer while the Fizzer Factory does its magic!
I've been busy this evening... Put this stuff in the radiator and the overflow as instructed. Idled for a bit as instructed. I went for about a 10KM ride which it didn't say on the instructions, but I thought that it would be a good idea to get the engine warm and get this stuff flowing around... Idling the engine just creates hot spots. One would think you want this stuff to fully circulate and mix with the existing fluids. Anyway, I checked the overflow while stopped at a light and some of the stuff had been forced out of the overflow tube and caked itself on the exhaust just near where it joins the headers. I inspected it and it seems to have solidified nicely on the exhaust. Hopefully it does the same on the head/gasket. The "seal-tite" stuff I could not find, this was the closest thing. Rather pricey. $72.50 for 680g of the stuff.
That is just like chemi weld mate Have u dropped oil to see if milky cheapest way to check if water getting in it
I haven't done an oil change yet no. I think this head gasket stuff has done the trick. I rode the bike to work and the indicated temp was a lot lower than it has been since I got the bike. When I reached work I felt the frame for the usual hot spots and noted that they're significantly cooler than before. Of course need to go on a longer ride and see how the bike reacts.
The road the Tamworth is long and boring. I was thinking more along the lines of the national park tomorrow morning
Doesn't leaving the thermostat out mean water moves around too Fast? To cool properly with the radiator and fan?
yes but until the gook is cooked i would leave out. if all goes well then and only then would it go back in. too early and it could seal the themostat off.
Yeah no luck with the head gasket fix today. I went for a short ride for fuel and around the CBD, hopped off and the crap got spat out of the overflow onto swingarm, exhaust, rear tyre etc. Will flush the system and put the thermostat back in, and take it in to get the head gasket done...