We'd been riding for a good couple of hours when events started to take what would eventually turn out to be a worrying and dangerous turn:

Steve: "Ian, your bike sounds funny mate."

Ian: "Funny? In what way?"

Steve: "Like it's overheating or summat."

Terry: "It's not squirting steam or anything but summat's definitely up. Better head back to the van and take a look."

10 minutes later:

Steve: "Ian, there's no bloody coolant in here! When did you last check it?"

Ian: "Errrmmm..."

Mocking and hilarity ensues (approx. 5 minutes).

Steve: "So, anyone got any water?"

Terry: "I've got some in the truck. Here we go, let's fill 'er up."

One litre of fluid is now dumped into the ailing GasGas.

Terry: "Hang on a sec. Does this water smell funny to you?"

Ian: "Errmmmm..."

Steve: "That's not water, it's bloody petrol you pillock!"

More mocking and hilarity ensues. Eventually all of the petrol is drained out of the bike by simply removing the water pump cover (don't ask) and after briefly debating the cooling properties of warm urine, some water is eventually located in Terry's truck. He'd been carrying around 2 liters of petrol and 2 litres of water in identical containers. Since the petrol container wasn't full when originally located, we wondered what Terry had been drinking all afternoon

Anyway, several flushes later, the GasGas is once again operational and despite it's less-than-recommended cooling (hey, anything's better than nothing, right?) unsurprisingly sounds happier than it has done for weeks!

Maybe you had to be there, but I've since wondered what the consequences of petrol in the cooling system would be if we hadn't noticed. Thoughts?

I thought you have to fill it with that coolant stuff? Because i never put water in mine is it a mix of the 2 maybe thats why mines very hot and the fan was on quite a lot 2day ?

Yep, tap water is definitely NOT recommended as coolant but if you knew the bike in question you wouldn't want to spend money on Engine Ice or whatever. Sorry Ian

So u dont need water then , just the coolant stuff?

In fact plain water is the best at removing heat...however it has a fairly low boiling temp. Adding antifreeze or "coolant" raises the boiling point making it less likely to boil over....so yes, coolant stuff

So is it normal for my fan to be running quite a lot today it was quite a hot day and we were out on them for hourly periods.

Lew, if the fan was shutting off once in a while, it is probably fine. Keep an eye on it, though, if it runs all the time without ever shutting off there is a problem.

JTT, you forgot to mention that straight water with no "coolant stuff" will freeze and wreck your engine when the temp. drops. Also, "coolant stuff" helps prevent corrosion in the cooling system, so definitely use it.

Neonsurge, good story! Not sure what would happen if it had been run with petrol in it, don't think it would be anything good!

Bruce

Edited May 9, 200521 yr by brucej

JTT, you forgot to mention that straight water with no "coolant stuff" will freeze and wreck your engine when the temp. drops.  Also, "coolant stuff" helps prevent corrosion in the cooling system, so definitely use it.

Of course your correct Bruce...I just forget sometimes that others around here actually live somewhere the temps get to the freezing point

Yeah, I knew you knew. Wasn't trying to show you up, just thought the info might be useful for others that were reading the thread.

When I was in high school automotives, one of my classmates spent every dollar he could scrounge and most of the semester to rebuild a Chevy 427 for his Nova. When he finally got it finished, he put straight water in the cooling system, to check for leaks before adding antifreeze, and took it home. That night the temp. dropped down below freezing.... . An expensive lesson to learn!

Bruce

Ouch...nice powerplant though...well, it was

Just a couple of weeks ago, a riding buddy of mine was looking at the final scores after an event. He noticed that the last place finisher in the Pro Class had considerably more points than the others in the class and said, "Boy, that guys doesn't need to be in that class". Then the guy on his right, sticking out his hand to shake, said, "Hi, I'm that guy".