Anyone else had this happen?

Lone Wolf · Post by **Lone Wolf** » Fri Mar 02, 2007 10:42 am

I've just had a 3rd coolant reservoir bottle crack on my ZX7!!!
Has anyone else had this problem?

Never had any dramas with my previous 7R but this one is getting ridiculous.
Must not just be me though, cause all the wreckers I call only have cracked ones as well

***Anyone have a spare lying around?***

Che · Post by **Che** » Fri Mar 02, 2007 10:48 am

Have you left the bike parked out in the sun alot ? Maybe you need to rubber mount it at all points...

Lone Wolf · Post by **Lone Wolf** » Fri Mar 02, 2007 10:49 am

No always garaged and under shade at work. Crack is on the bottom of the bottle too.

mick_dundee · Post by **mick_dundee** » Fri Mar 02, 2007 11:09 am

http://www.findapart.com.au is where I would be looking, also coveers some NZ wreckers but i'd also be calling Kwaka or a Kwaka dealer about it as that's fuggin ludicrous that 3 of them could crack..

Lone Wolf · Post by **Lone Wolf** » Fri Mar 02, 2007 11:49 am

Yeah, dealing with Kawasaki Aust is right up there on my list of things to do

Lol (useless bastards)

I will check out that site now, see what I can find

Frank · Post by **Frank** » Fri Mar 02, 2007 2:54 pm

Hi Punisher

Yep this happened to me in the middle of the Sydney, major pain in the arse..

Checked a couple of wreckers for a price and came back with about $50 s/hand, so out of curiosity I rang Kawasaki and it set me back $64.55 inc GST.

The other problem with second hand ones is thay are just as libel to crack as yours did because of the age they are and the fact that they turn brittle., for $65 you may as well just buy a new one. I haven't had a problem with mine since, about 10 months.

Stretchy · Post by **Stretchy** » Fri Mar 02, 2007 3:25 pm

This is from a ZXR and ZX7R site relating to problems on ZX7Rs. just copied the part relating to your problem.

Coolant bottle - Many 96-on ZX7R suffer coolant bottle failure. they crack at the mounts and start spewing coolant over your exhaust and potentially your rear tyre (coolant is very very slippery). This has happened to me and I have replaced the tank with a Kawasaki spare. Interestingly the new tank has been modified with metal inserts in the problem areas to prevent cracking so hopefully it should last longer than the original.
TIP FROM Curtis (2 May 2004):
I bought a '97 used and it started leaking coolant. it was cracked at the bottom mount. So I bought a used one, and the SAME thing happened early the next season. So I siliconed mine up and hoped for the best. But when I went to install it I noticed that there is a bit of strain on the bottom, the tank wants to 'bend out' at the bottom, but when you tighten it up it's 'pulled' in.
What I did is not use the little plastic bushing on the bottom and just it sort of 'sit' there on the fully tightened bolt, so it's not 'pulled' in toward the bike.
Hasn't failed yet!

Burky · Post by **Burky** » Fri Mar 02, 2007 3:48 pm

Never had the problem, but then again 96 model with 28000km don't see much action. I will check it when i get home to see if the previous owner changed or modified it.

Lone Wolf · Post by **Lone Wolf** » Fri Mar 02, 2007 4:27 pm

Thanks Stretch, I have read that somewhere before but I could not remember where it was (webZXR?). And thanks frl.. I think it cost me about $50 last time too, so if its only that little for a new one, think I'll go that.