2016-02-29 KZ1300 Head Gasket Leak Check

So it all started with an overheating condition...

Which led to monitoring the temperature with a laser heat gun....

Which led to finding a faulty, intermittent, fan relay. A NOS relay was sourced (80 USD) but the concern was perhaps the bike got hot enough to do damage and/or that the head gasket was leaking into the coolant.

So, bought a test kit from Napa auto. You first drain the radiator coolant down about 3 inches, fire the bike up to normal operating temperatures (t-stat open) then place a glass beaker, filled with magic fluid, into the radiator neck. The tester is sealed to the radiator neck with a tapered rubber section. At the top is an aspirator which sucks air from the tank top through the magic blue fluid. If any combustion gases are present, the blue fluid turns yellow.

Here's the test results - BLUE BLUE! Meaning no head gasket leaks! 

To be sure the test kit was working correctly, I took one sniff from the exhaust pipe and BOOM - Yellow. 

 

Of course, when I texted Ray the results, I put the yellow picture first with text of 'Oh Shit'. 

.....

....

....

then posted the actual results.

Ray's response was quick and succinct - 

Asshole!