Radiator issue

[Navigator]

I'm not sure what to call this one but I was at Cameron's Friday assisting while he replaced the lower radiator hoses. I'd been having issues with it since I had it serviced but thought it was resolved before he and I traded bikes. The darn radiator was still leaking somewhere so, since the lower hoses was all the shop touched doing the coolant change, we figured it had to be one of those. Cameron had rented a pressure teser, with about 6 different adapters, but none fitted the Rocket fill spout.


After getting replacing the two stock lower hoses with the Samcos I'd purchased awhile back, I departed and Cam decided to change out the rest of them since we'd dumped the coolant. Later in the day while fitting the last hose he discovered damage to the lower pipe with no idea as to how it could have happened. It had to have taken a pretty good amount of pressure to collapse and twist the fitting.

I believe it is a bypass line but I don't have the manual here at my desk to properly identify it. As can be seen, it has been crushed and twisted. It is futile trying to figure out how it came to be since the only time it was at the shop, other than for previous owner oil changes, was when I had it in for the coolant change. The service manager assured me they only pull the two lower hoses to dump the coolant.

The radiator is in perfect shape, looking like new, but this is obviously an issue. We are wondering if this can be fixed since purchasing a new radiator is the last resort.

Another good friend has said he'd be glad to come over to look at it. Mike is a great mechanic, bikes and cars, plus a pretty good welder.

 

[CrzystghndKC]

Those tubes are really pretty soft and hoses tend to grow to them. It wouldn't really take much to do that to the tube trying to extract the hose without a hose pulling tool. The good news it that it can probably be straightened out at a good radiator shop.

 

[Jvheli]

I have an idea how it happened, but what’s important now is getting it fixed.

I think the best outcome would be take it to a radiator shop and see if they can repair it. Trying to twist it back likely will end badly. Just my opinion of course!

How it got that way likely was either removing the old hoses or installing the new.

 

[Navigator]

Thanks guys.

 

[idk]

Hi-temp JBweld will fix it - probably. It has worked for me in the past.

 

[Navigator]

I could probably solder it but what is most mystifying and frustrating is the way the darn spigot is collapsed, as if it was done at the factory or with a tool prior to installation.

What I was hoping is for one of our members to pipe up and say theirs was the same to restrict bypass flow. One could not collapse that piece of tubing with a vice grip. I can see twisting the angle with a vice grip but not causing that collapsed concave contour along the line of it.

 

[R-III-R Turbo]

Wonder did it collapse under vacuum

 

[warp9.9]

Wonder did it collapse under vacuum

Not if me ask me, looks like someone grabbed the hose that was stuck on the nipple with a pair of channel locks and gave her a twist to bust the hose loose. Someone needs to put a set on his little hose and twist.

 

[CrzystghndKC]

Not if me ask me, looks like someone grabbed the hose that was stuck on the nipple with a pair of channel locks and gave her a twist to bust the hose loose. Someone needs to put a set on his little hose and twist.

Ditto

 

[EasTexRIII]

Yes, it’s crimped from being twisted