SXR 600 loosing antifreeze.

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nitris223

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I just finished up longtracking my wife's SXR a couple of weeks ago and now it seems like everytime I open the hood the coolant bottle is always low. I haven't even take the sled for a test ride due to low snow conditions. I have started the sled several times since I bled the coolant of air. I must have topped it up at least 5 times since then. I know it is circulating because the exhangers are all warm after about 10 minutes of idleing. There is now white smoke coming from the exhaust so I don't think it is a head gasket leak all though I haven't pulled the plugs to take a peek inside. Is it normal for pressure to be still in the rad hose even after a couple of days sitting. I get some spilage when I take off the rad cap.

Another question, since I did the reed stopper notch I seem to have a strange idle. It almost sounds like it is running on two cylinders for a couple of seconds at a time. I can tell when the sled warms up after about 10minutes that the idle changes and it seems to clear up a bit. I can't remember what it sounded like last year. Throttle response is great , even shortly after starting and the engine is still cold.

I have a video clip but I don't know if it is small enough to upload here. I will try tomorrow.
 
sounds like head gasket. pull the plugs with it cold and have a look. shold be green stuff in one cyl from what you are describing. the exh smells sticky/sweet right?


does it have the head gasket mod?
 
I am not seeing any white exhaust just the normal smoking that a Yamaha does when cold. Going to pull the plugs later to check. Hopefully just a air still in there but all the exchangers get warm after 10 minutes , that's the weird part.

Would 2003 RX1 shocks fit a 2002 SXR 600. They would probably be stiffer valving I would think.
 
pull the plugs and with a pen light see if you can see the top of the piston
if it's all washed and clean looking you may have a problem there.
 
Pulled the plugs and PTo was black carbon, center and mag was clean in the center with black ring about 3/4 the way out to the edge of the piston. Then I broke my stupid flex light bulb in the exhaust port. ( I think) Now I guess I have to rip into the top anyway.

What about the water pump seals. Could they be bad. How long should it take to warm up before the two stroke smoke should dissapear. It is really smoky when foirst started and then thins out after about 10 minutes of idle but when you crack it you get another shot. My sniffer is plugged so I can't tell if it is sweet smelling or not.
 
Here are some pics through the spark plug hole (Mag, Center, Pto) . The plugs on the mag and center cylinder are dark brown and some what dry and the pto is cleaner but showing color change. These are new plugs and all color is from just idleing some reving and just warm up to check coolant flow.

The inside of the y-pipe is not wet black but dry black. After running the sled outside for 15 minutes bring it inside and took the pictures. The top of the mag and center piston looked clean almost like aluminum and the carbon looked like it was being cleaned off like when you use paint stripper. It was blistering. After i reinstalled the y pipe and muffler I ran the sled inside for 10 minutes and then looked at the pistons again (no pictures) the started to look brown again. My jets are all stock in this sled just the reed stopper notch done. I might try it again out side and see if the pistons get clean again.

While I was testing inside I ran the sled at 3000 rpm and could sqeeze the rad hoses easy so there is no pressure build up from air.

Do you guys still think there is a leak somewhere. I am going to retorque the head just to make sure.

Plus there is no leak from the water pump housing. If it was leaking that would be the mechanical seal right or could that still be leaking but not getting past the gasket yet.

Spark plug pictures in next post.
 

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Here are the plug pictures. PTO, Center, Mag
 

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You still think there is a leak even after the anitfreeze is not going down anymore. In the garage running all there is is two stroke smoke. No antifreeze smell at all. I even wiped the top of the two pistons and there was no antifreeze on them just the smell of gas and oil. Antifreeze has that weird feeling on the hands when you rub your fingers together.

Bloody head gaskets here are $60 each. Maybe if I did the gasket mod.
 
didn't say it stopped going down?

do you think you got it hot enough running it?

seen a older poo loose a H/G and it kinda looked like that type of wash,dunno just say'en..
 
I had it running for 15 minutes outside and 10 minutes in a heated garage and the exchangers were good and warm not burning hot. I will run it again today. I don't know how long would be to long at idle.
 
Yesterday before I started it I topped up the tank a little above full and ran it twice. Cracked both bleeder screws while it was running and also while it was shut off. Never really noticed any air when it was running just antifreeze running out. No antifreeze comes out of the bleeder screw on top of the motor when it is shut off. Tank has not dropped since.
 
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I am going to get a laser temp gun and shoot the cylinders and rad hoses while it is running to see what kind of temps I am seeing. I can monitor how hot it is getting a little better that way.
 
horkn said:
60 dollars for a head gasket is way better than having to re ring it...
Click to expand...

That is for one head gasket, I would need two more if I can't see which one is leaking so that would be $200 with tax for head gaskets. Anybody ever use Winderosa head gaskets on a Yamaha with any luck. I can get a complete engine kit for $115.
 
nitris223 said:
That is for one head gasket, I would need two more if I can't see which one is leaking so that would be $200 with tax for head gaskets. Anybody ever use Winderosa head gaskets on a Yamaha with any luck.
Click to expand...
check on line, you can do allot better then that..
 
I would think if you are missing anti freeze and there are no puddles or signs of an external leak then it must be going through the head gasket into the cylinders. Looking at the pics, the mag and center look as if they are getting anti freeze wash. Usually if you are burning anti freeze your plugs will have a grey tinge to them. If you pull your head and you have a bad gasket you should be able to see something.
 
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