Tri-Glide coolant boiling in bottle and pukes anti-freeze when turned off.

Nov 19, 2020
95
69
Kansas City, MO
Name
Rick
I've got a 2021 Tri-glide with 15,000 miles on it. After the trike gets really hot like after a 150 mile ride in 90* weather. Stopping for a stop light the coolant level will rise in the bottle and start to boils. It gets all the way to the top of the bottle. It usually returns to normal level after the trike is moving again for awhile but will repeat this at every stop. Turning it off the fans come on and run for a minute or so and ocassionally it will puke out coolant all over the groung or garage floor. I've re-filled it and burped the air out several times but it still happens. It is not throwing any codes or a check engine light. It does smell up the garage with gas fumes now and never noticed it before this started happening.

I have ESP on it and a couple dealers service writer are telling me until it throws codes and a check engine light not to worry about it and just ride it. They thinks I'll just pay the deductible for nothing because the tech will find no problem. I am planning to ride it to Sturgis next month but may have to bow out. That's a long hot ride from Kansas city. Any suggestions what to do to repair it?. I'm starting to miss my air cooled bike. Thanks, Rick
 
The water pump on my 19 tri glide went in South dakota. Never threw a code never threw a warning light never gave any indication it was going bad but it worked intermittently and then pissed all over the ground. I was surprised it never through a code or anything. Replaced it when I got back home.
 
Is your fan coming on?See this thread for info

 
I've got a 2021 Tri-glide with 15,000 miles on it. After the trike gets really hot like after a 150 mile ride in 90* weather. Stopping for a stop light the coolant level will rise in the bottle and start to boils. It gets all the way to the top of the bottle. It usually returns to normal level after the trike is moving again for awhile but will repeat this at every stop. Turning it off the fans come on and run for a minute or so and ocassionally it will puke out coolant all over the groung or garage floor. I've re-filled it and burped the air out several times but it still happens. It is not throwing any codes or a check engine light. It does smell up the garage with gas fumes now and never noticed it before this started happening.

I have ESP on it and a couple dealers service writer are telling me until it throws codes and a check engine light not to worry about it and just ride it. They thinks I'll just pay the deductible for nothing because the tech will find no problem. I am planning to ride it to Sturgis next month but may have to bow out. That's a long hot ride from Kansas city. Any suggestions what to do to repair it?. I'm starting to miss my air cooled bike. Thanks, Rick
Those service writers are wrong.
Below is a video...you may have a pump that is not working, or you simply may have air in the pressurized coolant system. The video shows you how to check to see if the pump is pumping. Hopefully it is and all you need is some coolant and to have it put in correctly. Either way, you should be able to get it taken care of and be able to ride to Sturgis!




Kevin
 
I decided to make the lifting blocks that I had seen in a video on here. Went up and bought a 4x4 came home and cut out the notchs in the center for the tow hooks. Rode the front tire of the trike up on a terrace, used a scissor jack to lift the right tire 6" off the ground using the right lift block. Opened the bottle and filled it to the line with anti-freeze. Removed the radiator cap and filled the hose with anti-freeze, activated the fans and pump.

The coolant sucked into the hose. Shut the trike off and refilled the hose, activated the fans and pump again only the coolant didn't suck into the hose. Shut the trike off and removed the cover for the pump and then reactivated the fans and pump but the coolant still didn't get sucked into the hose. Felt the pump and it was not running. Tried it several more times and the pump refused to run.

I believe my pump is intermittent and that's why its overheating. So I put the trike back together and rode it into the garage. Gonna wait till my appointment with the dealers service department and see what they say. On the positive note the trike lifting block worked great and was not that hard to make. Now I have the confidence to lift the rear wheels on my trike if ever needed. Thanks again for everyone's help.

IMG_20240713_081447.jpgIMG_20240713_091334.jpg
 
Glad to hear you have an appointment - I agree, take it in and get the matter resolved before you head to Sturgis.

Maybe on the way to the dealership it will puke antifreeze and the dealer can see first-hand what is going on.

Good luck and let us know what they discovered.
 

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