I recently moved to an area that has snow. This is after living 53 years in Southern California. Recently, I noticed a small amount of steam coming from the back of the lower radiator on my 83 VF750F. I also noticed some steam coming from the radiator cap area. The temperature was about twenty degrees Fahrenheit. And now my temperature gauge is bouncing between the bottom and about a quarter of the way up when it starts to get hot. I did buy a lower radiator from Ebay but now think that I should have just taken the lower radiator to a shop to see if it is holding pressure. Will a local radiator shop deal with a small motorcycle radiator and can they weld it if it needs repair. What type of tests do they use? I recently changed the oil and filter and needed to loosen somethings and adjust the lower radiator forward but thought I put everything back the way it was at the beginning. Has anyone had this issue, what was the problem, and how did you resolve it?
Replace the rad cap first thing. Seals crack and spring weakens over time so it won't hold pressure. See if you can rent or borrow a pressure testing gauge and follow directions in service manual. Check/tighten all hose clamps. Temp gauge won't be correct if coolant level is too low. Always top up coolant at the rad filler neck (when cold), not the overflow bottle !
