Coolant pipes where they enter engine.

[babemagnet]

On top of the engine where the metal coolant pipes enter, the tubes they go through are always full of water (not coolant). Should there be a drain here somewhere? Every time I wash the bike I find myself stuffing the tubes full of tissue to dry them out. I would hate for one of the pipes to rust through.

[unfazed]

All the same, R1 is the same, no drain holes, at least none I could ever find. Surprised me the first time I noticed it. I use a car blow dryer, it blows the water out of everything and drys the bike.

[b1k3rdude]

There is a drain hole on the side of the engine and this needs cleaing with a coat hanger wire etc. In any event, once the engine gets upto temp the heat should boil off any water in the plug galleries.

[Gnasher]

There is a drain hole on the side of the engine and this needs cleaing with a coat hanger wire etc. In any event, once the engine gets upto temp the heat should boil off any water in the plug galleries.

 

[unfazed]

That just drains the plug recesses. There is no drain for the Coolant pipe area that I could see when checking the valves some time ago.

[b1k3rdude]

is it possible there was a hole but it was plugged up..?

[Gnasher]

That just drains the plug recesses. There is no drain for the Coolant pipe area that I could see when checking the valves some time ago.

I'm doing all this from memory can someone give me some pictures of what we're talking about please?

[unfazed]

[teecee90]

There is no drain hole for those pipes. They go rusty and get full of crap if you don't keep on top of your maintenance.





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[Gnasher]

Okay, now I know what your on about.  These filling with rain (which shouldn't really happen) or washing water will not effect the bikes starting/running unlike the plug wells filling which could.  Therefore they don't need drain holes, any of the above will just evaporate as the engine warms up.   

[b1k3rdude]

Ah yes I remember these bloody galleries/holes, remember having to buy a can of compressed air to get most fo the shite out before removing the cam cover so I could paint the coolant pipes in silver smoothrite etc.

@Gnasher, is there any reason why owners could not coat the bottom of these pipe galleries with grease? As it would both protect the bottoms of the pipes and all the crap that goes in there would stick to the grease etc..

[b1k3rdude]

In fact now with the advent of 3D printing, you could make some caps with grooves with an o-ring to seal against the pipe and cam cover... Or a less fancy idea is to just make a silcon mold to seal around the hole and pipe.

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I would think smearing some grease on the pipe and ide of the cover will allow the mold to form a seal to prevent water ingrese.

[Gnasher]

@Gnasher, is there any reason why owners could not coat the bottom of these pipe galleries with grease? As it would both protect the bottoms of the pipes and all the crap that goes in there would stick to the grease etc..

You could, providing it was heat resistant enough. That said any grease/oil would act as a grit/muck trap ie stuff would stick to it.  Just regular flushing with clean water will help prevent major issues.  Its the same with most sparkplug wells grit and muck will get in there and eventhough they have drain holes to allow water to escape grit/muck can't. Periodic flushing/air blasting is the way to go, especially before removing the plugs.