Coolant question....

[jpssantos]

So... this might start a bit of a debate, but every debate is good for knowledge!

Motorbike coolant... what do you do / what do you use..

Now, about 3 years ago or so, when I swaped my old yamaha thundercat engine, I used ordinary coolant.. if I remember right, it was the blue type, mixed with destiled water...

some people say car coolant shouldnt be used as it attacks the seals on motorbikes water pumps...but does it?
My old thundercat is still about and probabbly now over 60k miles...

Some say, you must use green coolant, not mixed, just buy the ready mixed stuff...

what do you use?

what about if your expansion bottle is empty? do you add coolant? just add destiled water? do you flush and put fresh stuff..?

[wiltshire builders]

I was told never add water. Just use the ready mixed stuff. It's not exactly expensive.

[Jon_W]

Use what the manufacturer recommends. I mix my own, but ready mix is good too.

[Cemorah]

Antifreeze suitable for Aluminium engines (no silicates) Halford Holts etc make not important

Mixed 50:50 with distilled water changed every 2 years or 16,00 miles. Big H knows best

NB NOT recommended to use neat apparently read the Holts bottle to be sure.

[stretchie_]

Alright JP, just have a look in the owners manual/Haynes for what they recommend. I think the main thing is not to mix different types as the differing chemicals can have an effect on each other.

What I do is run the bike up to temp so the thermostat opens, then empty it (including the overfill reservoir) and fill with water, then run again up to temp so the thermostat opens just to be sure I've got as much of the old coolant out, empty completely and then fill with new stuff.

I get coolant from Halfords, as long as it is what the user manual says then I use it, I think for example the Blade manual said to use something ethal glycol (or whatever) based, so I made sure it was (I think the Halfords pink stuff). Not had a problem yet. Same for all my vehicles.

Hope this helps

[Snowy]

I use Mobil 1 anti-freeze which is the pink stuff and is free from nitrates which I need for my aluminium K1100 engine. I mix this up myself 50/50 using distilled water and do this annually.

I couldn't find the coolant drain for the 1200 Boxer engine so don't bother with that one ;D

[jpssantos]

stretchie... not for the blade, its for my R6...

the look in the manual is all very nice if you own new bikes, second bikes rarely come with one.. lol

Do you also drain the coolant from the engine block? Im almost sure there's a drain on the block...

Need to do a trip to Halfords then... have my first track day on friday and want to change coolant before :)

[Squashed_Fly]

haynes manual....

[Jon_W]

Go careful with Haynes. They have been known to be wrong with these things. I'd speak to a friendly Honda workshop.

[jpssantos]

I tend not to use haynes... its more known as the book of lies...

[Squashed_Fly]

Failing that, ;look on manuals.com for the official workshop manual

http://www.repairmanualclub.com

[stretchie_]

Only used Blade as an example, did the same for the Thundercat, BlackBird, 2x ninjas, SV's, the civic and the Disco

; )

[silly_simon]

[JP]

If your only using the bike for a track day just use distilled water :o then if needed change for a coolant mix afterwoods :)

[Cemorah]

Usually there is a drain screw at the lowest point, try the water pump, which empties the whole system except the expansion bottle.

Dis-similar metals in a cooling system filled with an "electrolite" (Distilled water) heated up and major corrosion will ensue, hence anti-freeze contains corrosion inhibitors.

£5.00 well spent in my books