brown water

[mtnsurgtech]

I was pulling the radiator off to install a bypass switch and when I drained it the water was brown. I finished pulling it off and flushed it with clear water and more brown water came out for a second or two then cleared up. So why is the water brown. Do I have an extensive problem here or is it in the radiator itself. I plan on taking it to a radiator shop to have it professionally cleaned but anyone with any advice here would be helpful. I have never had brown water/antifreeze come out of a radiator car or bike. Oh and I checked and the engine oil is pristine. Not a sign of water in it.

[Golden Highway]

IF you never changed the antifreeze it could be the previous added stop leak.

[mtnsurgtech]

No actually just before a cross country trip last July I put new timing belts on and changed the antifreeze then and put new in. Bike ran fine, put over 6000 miles on that trip and rode more when I got back to NC. I have started the bike almost weekly during the winter even though it has a trickle charger. Starts a bit cold but always starts and runs fine. No smoke or any kind or color coming out the pipes. After I get the aux fan switch put on I am putting a new thermostat on and I will buckle it back up and run distilled water through it and see what it looks like. I have ordered and am planning on putting NPG HP in it. Hopefully this is just some rust in the system.

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could a seal in the water pump have done that?

[bs175dths]

I have read the previous entries but still need to ask:
The brown water which came out, did you look at it or did you sample some between your fingers? Did you smell it?
Coolant will be slippery and have a sweet smell.
It may have contained a small amount of oil in it.

Did you check the overflow tank? Same brown water? Feel it, smell it?

A damaged head gasket is not the only place oil and water are in the same vicinity in the Goldwing engine family.
The transmission cover is another vicinity where oil and water share space. The oil filter and the water pump are housed here and their perspective galleys are sealed using orings.
Although water contaminating the oil is more likely than the oil contaminating the water, this is another area where oil and water come together.

You are on the right track, checking the integrety of the radiator, flushing until cleared of the color brown, and finally, using distilled, all very good ideas.
Don't forget the overflow tank and while you have the radiator off, inspect the hoses (inside and out) and the inside of the water tube, behind the theremostat, which is sandwiched between the carburetors and the engine case.

Keep us posted. (sorry - dry humor)

-Ride On

[mtnsurgtech]

No there was no oil in it at all. I am changing the water pump since Im that far along in the process anyway. I have no idea if it's the original or not so it's not a bad thing to do. Also it will eliminate another spot for contamination. Once I have the pump changed and the radiator cleaned and replaced as well as replacing the thermostat I will do one or two flushes with distilled water. My mech advised me to run it till the water was extremely hot then pull the bottom hose off the radiator so it would flush anything inside. Worst case scenario is it will die on a trip this summer and someone will find it beside a road and get a new project.

[bs175dths]

The original impellers were large and made of a plastic.
The replacements have metal impellers.

.... not on the side of the road
the design is an awesome design and like any mechanical device, some have more issues than others.
Here is Southern California the riding season is almost 400 days a year.
I bought my bike from the original owner who had put 104,000 before he passed away.
I revived her after two years of non-use and have put another 43,000 for a total of 147,000 miles.
According to the service records, replacement parts are: head gaskets (3X), water pump (2X), an external alternator (thanks PoorBoy!!), front main oil seal and the shift lever shaft oil seal, (not to mentioned regular service parts like tires, brakes, tune-ups) but she still fires up and we get 42 mpg on the highway!

It will all work out though.

-Ride On

[old gold]

If you have coil springs inside your radiator hoses (to keep them from collapsing), those springs can rust and color the antifreeze brown.

If you haven't changed your radiator hoses recently: the hoses have steel wires built into them. If those wires are exposed to antifreeze due to internal corrosion of the rubber, they will rust. Get part # NAPA 7733/Gates 21008 and cut in half.

Hurry up, Spring!!