My Piaggio BV350 has a leak!

[Bingo]

Had it less than two weeks and bought from a dealer and I think it has a leak. Gutted. First nice day since I got it and all set for a long ride out and I wheeled it out of the garage only to find its leaking something onto the floor. I thought I noticed a spot of damp the other day so I parked it on some cardboard when it was dry and left it for a couple of days. Wheeled it out this morning and sure enough there is fresh liquid which is dropping down from the rear above the exhaust. If does not smell but is a little oily. Coolant I presume?

So I daren't ride it. it has a 30 day warranty but I guess they will have to pick it up. Any thoughts? It was supposedly serviced before it came out so I would have thought this would have been picked up.

[Bingo]

Bit more info. I pulled off the engine cover and it looks clean, tidy and dry in there and I opened the coolant expansion cover but I cant work out how to check it. Looks empty to me. Oddly it seems dry underneath now and no more drips on the cardboard. I put it away the other day when it was fully warmed up after a longish ride. Is there maybe an overflow or something when its warm? (You can tell Im not mechanically minded)

Should I be able to see coolant in the expansion tank?

[KEEFYBEE]

I had this problem with my SR Max where a stone chipping had put a tiny hole in the radiator and was losing coolant, luckily a bottle of Radseal did the job and after then no more leaks

[MrGrumpy]

Hmmmm...it was mentioned that the Bev is prone to coollant leaks. Mine had a leak from the engine block - so it leaked when the engine ran, but the leak stopped with the engine off. This sounds worryingly similar - though there are lots of other possibilities eg failed joints, hoses etc If you run the engine, you can lie underneath the scoot and try and see where it's coming from. I'm trying to remember checking the coolant. You've taken the lid off, but it seems to look different to mine - I'm sure I could see more of the bottle. If you fill it, and then it empties itself again, then there is a problem somewhere.
It may be something else - eg brake fluid. I found my Tmax doing something similar a couple of weeks ago, leaking a fluid that resembled olive oil, and that was a failed shock absorber - the leak stopped when all the oil had leaked out!
At least you've found this out now, not later. Though as mentioned, if its coolant, Radweld/Radseal whatever it is does work remarkably well - it cured my problem, and I thought that was a terminal one!!

[Bingo]

Thanks. at least at the moment its under warranty for 30 days and the dealer has been replying today surprisingly and so far is being helpful. The dealer said it might just be water thats got trapped and has worked its way down when parked up but Im not so sure.

A bit more info. Ive done a video



I can see the coolant now. Maybe the bike wasn’t level or something so I made a film and you can see it sloshing about. I still cant get my head around where it should be though in terms of how far up that pot it should be. Should it be above that level and half way up the vertical gappy thing?

On the advice of the dealer I dried it all off although there have been no more leaks on the cardboard and I just found a bit of damp on the top of the exhaust where it was dripping before. I then rode it round and round a bit until fully up to temperature for about 15 min and checked underneath again. Seems ok, no drips but ill go out in an hour or so and see if there is any more drips on the floor. It’s a dry day and I never went through any puddles so there cant be any rain water hiding away in the bowels of the bike.

[MrGrumpy]

Well, if you have THAT much coolant, then either a) your leak isn't very serious, or b) its something else! I'd say your coolant bottle is full!

[Bingo]

Well, if you have THAT much coolant, then either a) your leak isn't very serious, or b) its something else! I'd say your coolant bottle is full!

Its odd though as I couldnt see it earlier. At least I know where it should be then. Just been out to check the cardboard and under the bike and its dry. I dunno WTF is going on then.

I posted this on the Modern Vespa forum also and some helpful replies there as well. Bit worried about that freeze plug if its that but it may actually be nothing. Clearly the clips are also the thing to get changed. One guy on there reckons one of mine is still the original (rubbish) one and one a replacement.

https://modernvespa.com/forum/post2463959#2463959

So I may be worrying about nothing. Just have to keep an eye on it I guess.

[Ralph]

I suppose it could have been slightly over full due to the dealer servicing it before you got it
and it was venting the excess coolant expands by about 10% as it warms up.
It's impressively clean under the seat maybe they washed it off under there,
I would get them to look it over though as the last thing you want is to cook the engine.

[Bingo]

I suppose it could have been slightly over full due to the dealer servicing it before you got it
and it was venting the excess coolant expands by about 10% as it warms up.
It's impressively clean under the seat maybe they washed it off under there,
I would get them to look it over though as the last thing you want is to cook the engine.

Thanks. I wondered if it was maybe venting excess but would it not come out near the radiator which I presume is near the front?

They stamped the service book as maintenance service 3 before it came to me but I think I would like to know exactly what that included. I hope it included a coolant flush as I know the bikes not done any miles for at least two years. I am sure they would check it over but its over 70 miles away so a bit of a chew on especially if I end up having to leave it.

[Bingo]

Im thinking I should buy some coolant PDQ and keep it under the seat. Any recommendations?