06 Crf450 Questions

03kx125rider

Member
Oct 24, 2009
7
0
my friend has some questions about his bike...(1) he keeps ripping the valve stem out of the back tire...is there a way to prevent that? (2) His coolant keep getting low..every time he rides it he has to put coolant in and he notices that its coming out of the overflow hose..could this be a problem with too much pressure for the radiator cap there for causing it to let coolant out through the overflow? (3) he also says that he has to put oil in every 2-3 rides...which is about once every 2 weeks..and the bike isnt leaking oil...any clue to what is happening to the oil??

any help would be greatly appreciated
thanks
 

IndyMX

Crash Test Dummy
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Jul 18, 2006
5,548
2
Amo, IN
The valve stem ripping out is probably due to either a missing or loose rim lock. If there isn't one, get one on stat. If it's there, make sure it's tight. The tire is probably slipping on the wheel, causing the stem to rip out.

Coolant loss like you describe is most likely due to a bad radiator cap. You should be able to have it tested at most AutoZone stores.

Which side is losing oil? That bike has separate oil for the transmission and engine.

Is the oil level in one side going up as the other goes down?
 

03kx125rider

Member
Oct 24, 2009
7
0
yea it has a rim lock..ive personally changed the tube myself at school ..and had an instructor make sure everything was ok..and it still does it..and as for the radiator cap..i figure thats what it is..i just wanted to get someone elses feedback..and as for the oil..im not sure..we're going to check that tonight
thanks for answering back..you've been pretty helpful for most part..we'll check the oil is going and ill post up some updates and maybe you can give me some more feedback
 

IndyMX

Crash Test Dummy
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Jul 18, 2006
5,548
2
Amo, IN
Is it the stock rubber covered rim lock? Could be that it's just plain worn out.. I'd try a new one.
 

whenfoxforks-ruled

Old MX Racer
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Oct 19, 2006
8,129
2
Merrillville,Indiana
15lbs of air in the tire. Back the lock nut up into the cap, not the rim. The bead could be broke/wore out on your tire. Vintage Bob
 

whenfoxforks-ruled

Old MX Racer
~SPONSOR~
Oct 19, 2006
8,129
2
Merrillville,Indiana
What did ever happen to 2 rim locks on the rear tire? Not the rubber ones that wear out either? That little bit of slipping, can waste a rim lock fast. I have seen the slipping get so bad, it leaves little balls of rubber in the tire, making the slippage even worse. Vintage Bob
 

Ol'89r

LIFETIME SPONSOR
Jan 27, 2000
6,958
45

Make sure he is running enough air in the tire.

These bikes will lose a little bit of coolant if you let them idle for too long. Or if you ride on tight trails. Make sure there is air flow to the radiators at all times. If there is not air flow, shut the engine off. A radiator cap with too low of a rating can cause a loss of coolant. Try a new cap.

There are only two rings on his piston. These do not control the oil as good as an old fashion three ring piston. All of the CRF450 use a little bit of oil. It's the nature of the beast.
 

Matt90GT

Member
May 3, 2002
1,517
1
Buy a new rim lock for the rear. Alloy unit.

Get a new cap.

Loss of oil, are you seriously running oil that long in the engine side? If you are, your motor is wore out. Expect to put new piston/rings/valves/ and crank

15hrs is the service limit for the piston in the bike. It is a race bike. new oil on the engine side every 2 rides or more!. Tranny about 5 rides. clean the air filter daily

If you dont want that kind of maintenance schedule, buy an XR or 250 2stroke
 

jb_dallas

Member
Feb 17, 2009
498
0
For the overheating, like the others, I would recommend trying a new radiator cap first. If he is riding slow, such as tight trails, or sitting too long, the cap may not fix the problem. I had this issue on my YZ400F. I trail ride on the bike and it isnt designed for the trail...its a motocross bike. I helped the problem by buying a high pressure radiator cap branded "Outlaw" and running a super coolant called Water Wetter. I also have a Trail Tech computer that tells me water temp...I keep an eye on the temp when I am running slow, tight trails. That Trail Tech has been a good investment so far.
 

03kx125rider

Member
Oct 24, 2009
7
0
thats the thing ..the clutch doesnt slip and it doesnt overheat..it just has a loss of fluids..its my friends bike he had questions about it so i just posted up for him..i have a kx 125 and i rarely have problems with it
 

whenfoxforks-ruled

Old MX Racer
~SPONSOR~
Oct 19, 2006
8,129
2
Merrillville,Indiana
You 2 do have one thing in common, a high maintenance schedule! Pressure test the cooling system, a leak down test, check the plug. If its black, it could be burning coolant. No bubbles in the radiator while running? It may be normal loss, depending on usage, its not a sit and idle/trail bike. Does the header glow yellow at night?Its getting cooler out and engines will run leaner. Did he replace/check the radiator cap? Vintage Bob
 
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