[giusage80]

My Ninja 250 is leaking some white substance, or at least it dried white on the engine. There was a cap that was slightly loose behind the right faring, but I could see the top of the cap without having to remove it and tightened it by hand (plastic cap, meant to be tightened by hand). The fluid most likely leaked from there.

It could have been like this during my last couple of trips to work, and I haven't noticed anything odd in performance.

Except for the fact that the throttle/engine response is delayed, which I assume is due to the size of the engine.

No residue on the rear tire, so I'm good in that dept... phew.

Does anyone know what this could be or how serious it is?

Thank you,
--Eddie

 

[dknollRX7]

Sounds like a coolant leak. When coolant leaks and dries on components, it will look whitish/green. I believe the coolant expansion tank is on the right side of the bike behind that fairing. I would remove the fairing and make sure that your coolant level is where it is supposed to be and then just make sure the cap is tight (and not damaged). Hope this helps man.

 

[dknollRX7]

http://img46.imageshack.us/img46/6296/streetfighterno3.jpg
Here's a pic of darkhorse's ride with the fairings off. That white plastic bottle is the coolant expansion tank I believe.

 

[giusage80]

That's a huge help, guys. Thanks.

Yes, I have some free time tomorrow and will remove the faring to check that everything is OK. The bike still performs fine, which leads me to believe that only a little bit leaked out before I caught it.

--Eddie

 

[camicwrath]

dknollRX7 is right When coolant leaks and dries on components, it will look whitish/green. It happened to me the cap on the coolent tank was a little loose from all the vibration tighten it an you should be good.

 

[dknollRX7]

Glad to help out! BTW I like you avatar w/ the FF VII characters...that's my favorite game ever. They keep threatening to do a remake for PS3 but nothing so far. Let us know how things go when you get this all taken care of. Good luck

 

[crushedcamber]

...There was a cap that was slightly loose behind the right faring,...

Behind meaning toward the back of the bike or behind meaning inward toward the engine?

if its toward the back its the oil fill cap, and that would scare the crap outta me with it being loose...

if its the inward then all these fine forum memebers are right about it being antifreeze ( coolant ) and thats less frightening...

 

[Steezy McBreeezy]

i just found the same thing on my bike. I sat on it this morning and noticed a poof of steam come from the vent on the right fairing so i took a look and saw a trail of fluid (looks like coolant). Looks like its coming from the thermostat. I called the dealer and they said they are going to take a look at it and fix th problem under warranty.

Was yours coming out of the fill cap?

 

[Crispy]

you should taste it to see what it is (do not attempt).

 

[eric]

One of our member did have te same leaky problem.At 1st we thought the termostat was leaking.The bike was inspected by the KAWASAKI workshop and it turned out that the clamp holding the water tube AT the termo was loose.Thighten up the clamp solved the problem.This might help.

 

[Steezy McBreeezy]

One of our member did have te same leaky problem.At 1st we thought the termostat was leaking.The bike was inspected by the KAWASAKI workshop and it turned out that the clamp holding the water tube AT the termo was loose.Thighten up the clamp solved the problem.This might help.

Eric, thanks a lot man! That seems to be the sam fluid that my bike is leaking but its not as bad as that. I only had a single trail coming... from i guess the thermostat. Did u need to remove the fairings to tighten the clamp or did the kawi dealer do all that for you?

 

[eric]

That NINJA is still under warranty so we let the dealer handle it.

As they have to inspect what the problem was they indeed had to remove the fairing.

It's next to impossible to reach the clamps w/o removing it anyway.