2011 Roketa MC-54-250 Overheating... STILL

damorg5623 · 10-04-2013, 02:40 AM

I am having serious overheating issues with my MC-54-250 Roketa. This has been going on for 8 months now. I have already posted several threads about it. It has been a long story but I will not start at the beginning. I will just start here...
I can go about 4-5 miles and then it starts to overheat. SOMEHOW... Air keeps getting back into the system. I have burped, & burped, & burped, & burped, & burped this scooter and STILL there is air in the cooloing system. After every good burping session, I can actually go around 25 miles before it starts to overheat. I received a New Fan, Thermostat, and Both Temp Sensors from Roketa. I only had to pay shipping charges. Still did not fix this problem though. I DO NOT have any oil in my anti-freeze, nor do I have any anti-freeze in my oil. I was told that this was a sure sign of a blown/bad head gasket. I was told to try and spray ether (starting fluid) around the cylinder head to see if the idle increased. It DID NOT. I was a little bit afraid to spray too much, for fear of an explosion caused by heat around the exhaust.
I honestly DO NOT know where, or how air keeps getting back in to this cooling system. Unless it is being sucked in thru the head gasket.
I am at a loss here. Like I said, this has been going on for 8 months now. I have gone thru 2 gallons of coolant trying to keep burping the air out. There is NO way that all of this air is still coming from my coolant change.
By the way... I am an expert now at doing JR's burping method.
Also... after I have gotten ALL of the air out of the system, and filled both the overflow tank and the radiator with the proper coolant levels, while I am riding the coolant is being burped back into the overflow from the radiator. This causes the coolant level in the radiator to get too low and that's when the overheating starts.
I will stop my ride and return home before it gets too hot.
Two, even as much as 3 days later, when I start to go for another ride, of course I check the coolant level in the radiator first, and there is STILL a great deal of pressure inside of the radiator/cooling system.
Still, 3 days later, and the pressure is so great that it spews out some of the COLD coolant. I then go thru the burping process all over again. This is killing me and my wallet. I want to take a nice long ride soooo bad, and I can't.
I can just make it to the necessary places like Walmart, the doctors office, gas station etc... As long as I don't go more then 7-8 miles from home, and that's being generous, I'm fine. But what's fun about that.
Please, somebody HELP!
I did read that there was a kit that I could purchase from the automotive store for about $45.00 that would tell me whether or not there were any exhaust gases in the radiator. I was also told that I could use a sniffer from an emissions testing/repair place to sniff out any exhaust gases in the radiator. This would supposedly tell me for sure whether or not I had a head gasket leak. I'm guessing one of those should be my next move, huh?
If anybody has any other thoughts, PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE call me...
Dan @ 443-653-1674

Bob Shaw · 10-04-2013, 04:27 PM

I'm not a scooter mechanic, but, it still sounds like a blown head gasket or a cracked head to me. It sounds like somehow compression is leaking into the cooling system. Where else could the pressure be coming from?

damorg5623 · 10-04-2013, 05:17 PM

Hey, I really do appreciate the feed back, But... your not telling me anything I don't already believe myself. I need some advice on what the problem is for sure and how to solve it. I do not need someone telling me what I already wrote. And hey thanks for the reply, No offense meant and I certainlly hope that none was taken.

damorg5623 · 10-04-2013, 05:19 PM

Where abouts in Georgia are you?
I was born and raised, well for the first 10 years of my life in Savannah. I have family still living there and my Dad lives in Statesboro.

Bob Shaw · 10-04-2013, 09:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by damorg5623

Where abouts in Georgia are you?
I was born and raised, well for the first 10 years of my life in Savannah. I have family still living there and my Dad lives in Statesboro.

Southwest of Atlanta, in the Newnan area.

4getful2 · 10-05-2013, 11:54 PM

When you burp the system, you do have the thing on the centerstand, drain pan under rad., with rad. cap off, and fill and let run until fan cycles a couple times.? The fan is working,RIGHT?
You need not drive it anywhere, to troubleshoot the cooling system.

serpic0 · 10-08-2013, 11:47 AM

1st post here, I have read your entire post while I also cant tell you exactly what is wrong I have a few things to say, If you had a head gasket problem as I think you already know you would have oil in the coolant, or coolant in the oil, which you say you don't, I am wondering if you have a blockage, maybe in the radiator itself, you said that it is holding pressure that leads me to think you have some kind of a blockage, not complete blockage, I know it's a pain but I would pull the radiator and run water through it to make sure it flows and check the hoses for blockage as well I would maybe hook up a garden hose and run water through the engine and make sure it flows through that as well, hope this helps.

blueboy5000 · 10-11-2013, 09:16 AM

Are you running LEAN? Lean conditions will cause this EXACT style of overheating

blueboy5000 · 10-11-2013, 09:18 AM

Also invest in this:

http://www.toolfetch.com/astro-pneum...FQqe4AodyVsAKw

That's the proper tool for filling a pressurize coolant system in autos and bikes.

oldkid · 10-11-2013, 10:16 AM

Dan, I just read your Oct 4 post so I don't know what you did before. But when I bought my Linhai Mainstreet 300, the guys in the know said to get rid of all the original fluids including the brake fluid. After I rode my new bike long enough to heat up the engine I removed the old antifreeze. I used my shop vac to suck out every drop by placing vac at the drain plug and having radiator cap off. After putting new long life Prestone, I used pump up garden sprayer to force antifreeze backwards up through the drain plug. I didn't even have to burp it but I did rev the engine are few times on the center stand after I got it full as I could. The old antifreeze looked crummy but it's been perfect ever since. I wonder if you have a bad thermostat, or as someone said, some kind of blockage. Since part of the system is rubber hose and part copper pipe (if I remember correctly), do you have a kink or crushed pipe. I don't know what you have done, but I would try to look at all the piping and radiator, for blockage, and probably then remove the thermostat and run it without one to see if it still gets hot. None of this I say explains air in the system, only causes for overheating.
Good luck

skuttadawg · 10-12-2013, 03:24 AM

Motorcycles run at higher RPMs and temperatures than cars so using automotive coolant may not be the best option . I myself use Prestone but since my sliders are worn my RPMs are higher at hiway speeds and my Echarm has been getting warmer than it used to . After doing research I will flush out the Prestone and go with Engine Ice which is better suited for motorcycles . Does it leak any coolant ? I have seen some radiator caps go bad and make one run hot . A pressure tester like mentioned above may be a helpful tool for you . What sparkplug are you using ? Is it a carb or EFI ? If a carb have you done a plugchop to look at the color of the sparkplug to get an idea on how the jetting is ? Here is a plug chart http://www.4secondsflat.com/plug_chart.html

oldkid · 10-12-2013, 06:59 PM

Skuttadawg, I don't know what coolent Dan used. But the reason I used the Prestone long life is that if mixes with all brands and is good for all engine types. My Yamaha Majesty is all aluminum but the Linhai Mainstreet is a mix with a cast iron block. You are right about the rpm. At 75 mph the Majesty is near 6,000 rpm.
but both of the bikes turn on the electric fan at just over 180 F which is less than my one of my cars. I bought some Hy-perlube super coolant that I was thinking about using in the sports car because last summer on a long mountain grade I've seen the engine coolent display go over 205 F at times. I have not put it in yet but it says it makes a vehicle run 20 degrees cooler.
Thanks for the info on the Engine Ice. Sounds like it's worth a try for some vehicles.

10-11-2013, 09:16 AM	#8
blueboy5000 Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Connecticut Posts: 493	Are you running LEAN? Lean conditions will cause this EXACT style of overheating __________________ 2011 Roketa MC-23-150 4T 150cc 157 qmj 24mm carb w 115 main jet and paper cone air filter Manual petcock w Tygon fuel lines Scrappy Dog Scooters Retro-slash stainless straight-thru exhaust RED spring clutch Adjustable CDI (brand unknown, it's blue and red and works great!) KOSO high performance variator w 12g sliders Gates Powerlink 835-20-30 belt GPS verified 65mph on flats.
	0

10-11-2013, 09:18 AM	#9
blueboy5000 Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Connecticut Posts: 493	Also invest in this: http://www.toolfetch.com/astro-pneum...FQqe4AodyVsAKw That's the proper tool for filling a pressurize coolant system in autos and bikes. __________________ 2011 Roketa MC-23-150 4T 150cc 157 qmj 24mm carb w 115 main jet and paper cone air filter Manual petcock w Tygon fuel lines Scrappy Dog Scooters Retro-slash stainless straight-thru exhaust RED spring clutch Adjustable CDI (brand unknown, it's blue and red and works great!) KOSO high performance variator w 12g sliders Gates Powerlink 835-20-30 belt GPS verified 65mph on flats.
	0

10-04-2013, 04:27 PM	#2
Bob Shaw Join Date: Sep 2013 Location: Georgia Posts: 32	I'm not a scooter mechanic, but, it still sounds like a blown head gasket or a cracked head to me. It sounds like somehow compression is leaking into the cooling system. Where else could the pressure be coming from?
	0

10-04-2013, 05:19 PM	#4
damorg5623 Join Date: May 2013 Posts: 9	Where abouts in Georgia are you? I was born and raised, well for the first 10 years of my life in Savannah. I have family still living there and my Dad lives in Statesboro.
	0

10-05-2013, 11:54 PM	#6
4getful2 Join Date: Mar 2013 Location: illinois Posts: 65	When you burp the system, you do have the thing on the centerstand, drain pan under rad., with rad. cap off, and fill and let run until fan cycles a couple times.? The fan is working,RIGHT? You need not drive it anywhere, to troubleshoot the cooling system.
	0

10-08-2013, 11:47 AM	#7
serpic0 Join Date: Oct 2013 Location: Green Bay WI Posts: 1	1st post here, I have read your entire post while I also cant tell you exactly what is wrong I have a few things to say, If you had a head gasket problem as I think you already know you would have oil in the coolant, or coolant in the oil, which you say you don't, I am wondering if you have a blockage, maybe in the radiator itself, you said that it is holding pressure that leads me to think you have some kind of a blockage, not complete blockage, I know it's a pain but I would pull the radiator and run water through it to make sure it flows and check the hoses for blockage as well I would maybe hook up a garden hose and run water through the engine and make sure it flows through that as well, hope this helps.
	0

10-11-2013, 10:16 AM	#10
oldkid Join Date: Mar 2013 Location: Tennessee Posts: 35	Dan, I just read your Oct 4 post so I don't know what you did before. But when I bought my Linhai Mainstreet 300, the guys in the know said to get rid of all the original fluids including the brake fluid. After I rode my new bike long enough to heat up the engine I removed the old antifreeze. I used my shop vac to suck out every drop by placing vac at the drain plug and having radiator cap off. After putting new long life Prestone, I used pump up garden sprayer to force antifreeze backwards up through the drain plug. I didn't even have to burp it but I did rev the engine are few times on the center stand after I got it full as I could. The old antifreeze looked crummy but it's been perfect ever since. I wonder if you have a bad thermostat, or as someone said, some kind of blockage. Since part of the system is rubber hose and part copper pipe (if I remember correctly), do you have a kink or crushed pipe. I don't know what you have done, but I would try to look at all the piping and radiator, for blockage, and probably then remove the thermostat and run it without one to see if it still gets hot. None of this I say explains air in the system, only causes for overheating. Good luck
	0

10-12-2013, 03:24 AM	#11
skuttadawg Join Date: Jul 2011 Posts: 127	Motorcycles run at higher RPMs and temperatures than cars so using automotive coolant may not be the best option . I myself use Prestone but since my sliders are worn my RPMs are higher at hiway speeds and my Echarm has been getting warmer than it used to . After doing research I will flush out the Prestone and go with Engine Ice which is better suited for motorcycles . Does it leak any coolant ? I have seen some radiator caps go bad and make one run hot . A pressure tester like mentioned above may be a helpful tool for you . What sparkplug are you using ? Is it a carb or EFI ? If a carb have you done a plugchop to look at the color of the sparkplug to get an idea on how the jetting is ? Here is a plug chart http://www.4secondsflat.com/plug_chart.html
	0

10-12-2013, 06:59 PM	#12
oldkid Join Date: Mar 2013 Location: Tennessee Posts: 35	Skuttadawg, I don't know what coolent Dan used. But the reason I used the Prestone long life is that if mixes with all brands and is good for all engine types. My Yamaha Majesty is all aluminum but the Linhai Mainstreet is a mix with a cast iron block. You are right about the rpm. At 75 mph the Majesty is near 6,000 rpm. but both of the bikes turn on the electric fan at just over 180 F which is less than my one of my cars. I bought some Hy-perlube super coolant that I was thinking about using in the sports car because last summer on a long mountain grade I've seen the engine coolent display go over 205 F at times. I have not put it in yet but it says it makes a vehicle run 20 degrees cooler. Thanks for the info on the Engine Ice. Sounds like it's worth a try for some vehicles.
	0