Water Dripping From a GS550?

[RevRoy]

I simply cannot figure this out: in the past few days my GS has been ridden only 20 miles (due to heavy thunderstorms). These few miles were on dry concrete. Suddenly, though, when I idle the bike in my garage water drips from the underside of the engine. It makes a puddle about 3 inches in diameter.

Yes, it is water. Not dirty water, but clear. This has gone on for three days now, and only while the bike is idling. I wipe up the water, and a few hours later I start the bike and let it idle for 5 minutes, and more water is slowly dripping. The bike has not been out in the rain, nor has it been ridden on wet streets. Has anyone heard of anything like this? If the GS had a liquid-cooled engine I could understand it (paranormal, p0erhaps?).

As always, thanks ...

[SPARKSS]

I simply cannot figure this out: in the past few days my GS has been ridden only 20 miles (due to heavy thunderstorms). These few miles were on dry concrete. Suddenly, though, when I idle the bike in my garage water drips from the underside of the engine. It makes a puddle about 3 inches in diameter.

Yes, it is water. Not dirty water, but clear. This has gone on for three days now, and only while the bike is idling. I wipe up the water, and a few hours later I start the bike and let it idle for 5 minutes, and more water is slowly dripping. The bike has not been out in the rain, nor has it been ridden on wet streets. Has anyone heard of anything like this? If the GS had a liquid-cooled engine I could understand it (paranormal, p0erhaps?).

As always, thanks ...

Howdy......Where is the water dripping down from? Can you follow the path?
2 things come to mind........one is that your bike has trapped water (left outside?) somewhere.......rear tail light compartment......or frame (!!! cracks!) come to mind. The other is that condensate forming and dripping from the tailpipes is fairly common under cold idle conditions. This will be briefly after cold startup if idled for an extended time (not ever adviseable). You wouldn't see this after even a short run however upon stopping.

You did say it was water..........not fuel.

[DimitriT]

I get water from the exhaust drain holes and a little water/oil blend from the airbox re-breather tube. Normal.

[RevRoy]

Thanks, folks. Yes, it is water, and I can detect no trace of fuel or oil in it. It is coming from directly under the engine, right in front of the center stand. It may be condensation ... that was my first thought, although I'd thought that condensation would come from the ends of the tailpipes.

Thanks again,

[txironhead]

Sure your battery isn't boiling over? It's probably the aforementioned obvious things like condensation, but that's a lot of condensation. And some people have a problem smelling battery acid, myself included.

[Redman]

Condensation from exhaust, if any, will come from area somewhat close to what you described. Is drain holes in bottom of two outside pipes, right about where the pipes go into the muffler, right before the mufflers angle up, which would also be the low point on the exhaust (good place for a drain, eh? the lowest point). BUt I would not expect the amount of water that you describe. But that is the only fluid that could be called "water".

[relic-rider]

Sure your battery isn't boiling over? It's probably the aforementioned obvious things like condensation, but that's a lot of condensation. And some people have a problem smelling battery acid, myself included.

My 750 T was leaving quite a puddle under the bike and found it to be the battery boiling over. Check your voltage at the battery. Your R/R could be bad like mine was.

[bwringer]

Put a pinch of baking soda on the "water" just to make sure it's not battery acid. If a frothy, active reaction ensues, then you have some electrical diagnosis to perform.

If it is indeed plain old water, then keep in mind that a normal byproduct of combustion is plain old H2O. Ever notice the droplets emerging from a car's tailpipe in the morning? That's why there are tiny drain holes in the exhaust system.

Once the engine warms fully and is running down the road, it's normally hot enough to evaporate the water and blast it out the tailpipe as steam, so you never notice.

[RevRoy]

Okay, everyone, today I was able to put about 50 miles on the GS550, and that took care of the water situation. It was not battery water (I check that prior to each ride, along with the tires and oil level), so it obviously was condensation. I have been working on the electrical (rear turn signals) and had been starting it up periodically to keep the battery charged up. (I have an open ground somewhere on the rear turn signals and bumper lights) that is driving me crazy.)

Thanks to all for your kind assistance ... some day I will try and return the favor.

Thanks again,