SV superbike leaking/using coolant

[zoran]

it is leaking through base gasket.


Zoran Vujasinovic
Twin Works Factory
775-786-4881
www.twfracing.com
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Morgan Jones" <morgan at morganjones.org>
To: <sv-dl-riders at googlegroups.com>; "Suzuki SV650 Mailing List" 
<sv650 at micapeak.com>
Sent: Sunday, September 21, 2008 8:18 AM
Subject: SV superbike leaking/using coolant


>
> Hello everyone,
>
> My '99 SV track bike has developed what I think is a coolant leak.. It was 
> down probably a cup of coolant after my last track day.   I filled it and 
> took it to the track again yesterday.  After a full day of riding it is 
> down about 6 inches.  It still cools fine but of course that's sort of a 
> lot of coolant for a track day..
>
> Well in the middle of the day I pulled off the bodywork and this is what I 
> found:
>
> http://www.philadelphiariders.com/gallery/Pocono_080920/MG_2975
> http://www.philadelphiariders.com/gallery/Pocono_080920/MG_2981
> http://www.philadelphiariders.com/gallery/Pocono_080920/MG_2982
>
> It's definitely coolant--it's just a touch damp and smells like water 
> wetter.  There is evidence that there was fluid in the belly pan but very 
> little (like 1/2 cup).  The pan is totally dry.
>
> I cleaned it up and ran the bike until the fan kicked on and couldn't see 
> evidence of leaking.  I took the bike back on the track and it used more 
> coolant.
>
> A little background: I bought the bike with a popped freeze plug which 
> lead to a blown head gasket.  That was 2 years and 12-20 track days ago.
>
> This is a worked bike:  680cc, carillo rods, valve work, race cams, flat 
> slides.  The work was all done many owners ago and as far as I can tell it 
> was done well..  it has run like a Swiss watch in the 3 years and probably 
> 25 track days I've owned it.  It's 90hp at the wheel depending on whose 
> dyno you ask.  It is clearly faster than other SVs on the track.
>
> Any ideas?  I want desperately for someone to tell me that's dripping from 
> somewhere and I just need to look harder..  That's not what it looks like 
> to me.  Could this be a leak from the water jacket at the base gasket? 
> Does that ever happen?
>
> thanks.
>
> -morgan