Suzuki motorcycle radiator doesn't get hot

Question

Good day all

I have a Bandit (GSF) 1250. Dropped it and damaged the radiator. The radiator was bent, but it still worked.

Bought a new, pirate radiator on E Bay. A fellow who's better with his hands than I am fitted it for me. Filled it with the correct kind and quantity of fluid. The bike starts and runs, but the radiator stays ice cold. Ride the bike, get the engine to full temp, fan switches on... but the radiator itself stays cold.

I doubt it's anything to do with the thermostat, because the cooling system worked normally with the old, bent radiator. The only thing that's changed is the radiator itself.

Any ideas? Is there something one is supposed to do to get a new radiator to get it to start flowing?

Obliged,
Stan
(Johannesburg, South Africa)

Orb · Answer

Assuming the radiator is topped up and coolant is flowing ok there may be an air lock in the cooling system. Whilst you're topping up the cooling system the bike will need rocking from side to side to help get rid of bubbles in the cooling system.. also there should be a bleed screw on the watertpump housing which must be opened to help bleed any trapped air from the system.

If all the above has been done and there's still an issue.. Take the radiator off and run some water through it.. you should be able to do this quite easily and water should flow. If not or it seems restricted the radiator may be blocked and should be replaced. Could also be a fault in its manufacture or perhaps one of its cooling ways has been damaged blocking it.

Suzuki motorcycle radiator doesn't get hot

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