Look what I found in a coolant hose

Was taking the radiator loose/off for valve check, and this was right at the mouth of the outlet-side hose:


I thought it was paint off the radiator, but the paint is still intact on that barb. Hope there isn't any more of this inside the cooling system!

If I was you, I will do a complete radiator flush and clean it before filling it again to see if there is still some debris in the hosesor rad.

Oh boy that is interesting!!

Check your thermostat and make sure it isn't part of that or part of the radiator cap.


Gigs

After my Alaska trip, I found my fluid a little down. The clamp at the same location was a little lose. I just tighten with screw driver, and it was fixed.

I just found the same stuff. It looks like Honda didn't plug the radiator inlet and outlet tubes when painting, and paint overspray got into the interior. The outside of the barbs on my radiator look fine. The paint is flaking off the interior.

Looks like both bikes are 2012' ? Wonder if anyone with a 13' had that too..... just a thought....

I think I'm gonna pull the hose on my 13' today and check!

This is a common problem on the ST 1300 causing thermostats to stick open. Honda doesn't seem to cover the radiators when they paint them.

I think a radiator flush should be mandatory when you do a valve check just to make sure.

Time will tell if the NC suffers from thermostat problems like the ST does.
Mike

I'm thinkin'..... when I bring mine in to the dealer for the 600, I might just have him flush it out just in case.

bduffey said:

I'm thinkin'..... when I bring mine in to the dealer for the 600, I might just have him flush it out just in case.

Click to expand...

Good idea, keeps us posted on the outcome.

I did the 5th service (32,000 mile) a couple of weeks ago and I am still getting paint flakes out of mine. I got almost 100% of the paint out of the necks of the radiator this last time as they were badly flaked. No running issues from it though, just get the loose stuff out when you do the service and you should be fine.

The time I bought a new Suzuki, it had this issue too, only on that bike's radiator the paint was flaking on the outside, where the hose clamps mated with it, and this caused leaks at those joints.

Well, a rad flush _may_ help, but I would not expect the acetic acid (or whatever your preferred flushing agent is) to eat this paint up. I just hope it doesn't get stuck in a small but important passageway somewhere.

This is making a huge presumption but I'd say Honda purchases all their radiators from one or two suppliers and all the radiators would be pained in the same manner. When I say ALL I'm talking every bike they produce. This MIGHT mean everyone of our bikes has some level of debris (contamination) in our cooling system. Sounds like the ST's may be affected but as a group we seem to be good so far. Now that I said this my bike will probably overheat on the way home and I'm probably just to relaxed about the issue.

The good thing about the ST is that the thermostats always stuck in the OPEN position. You could tell when your thermostat went belly up when your fuel mileage dropped to the 30s and you would only see two bars on the temp gauge.
Mike

Bug Dr. said:

The good thing about the ST is that the thermostats always stuck in the OPEN position. You could tell when your thermostat went belly up when your fuel mileage dropped to the 30s and you would only see two bars on the temp gauge.
Mike

Click to expand...

Now if I only had a temp gage.

After my first week, I'm due for my 600 mile service. In the opinion of everyone here, is a radiator flush something I need to consider this early in the game? If people are still finding this stuff after multiple flushes, will it be worth it?

You have to remove the radiator anyway, so I would flush it out while it's empty. Being cheap, I captured my coolant in a clean container, ran it through a coffee filter, and reused it. No sense in throwing away brand new coolant.