New coolant awesomeness!

[Norbert]

I'm doing my 4k service all by myself. I figured I'd save some money, man up and learn some things about bikes/engines, and give my Fazer some TLC that it wouldn't get at the stealership.:Flip:
When I bought my bike, it had been sitting around for 5 years with only 1100 miles on it. I thought I'd replace the coolant, just like the brake fluid I replaced recently.
I am so glad I decided to replaced the coolant!
The reservoir had some black sediment in it. I don't know what the hell it was, but I'm glad it's out of the coolant system now. I gave the whole system a good flush (well, actually 2 flushes) and put some Prestone 50/50 premix in the bike. The Prestone coolant looked like Lemon Lime Gatorade.

After I was done, I went for a well deserved joy ride. I took a nice back road at 80-103 MPH. I remember being in 5th gear, looking at my speedo and seeing 103MPH and looking at my temperature gauge and seeing only 2 bars!
Awesome....

 

[knightrider]

Just did that myself and had the same black sediment in the reservoir. I went with the Honda Pre-mixed stuff. Same bright green color.

My bike doesn't get as hot anymore either. Pretty cool to change this stuff out, save money and learn about the bike.

 

[Doorag]

Funny thing about coolant - if you go on a track day (in the UK at least) you are only allowed to run water as coolant. No additives at all. I reckon coolant is a rip-off. I run water only in my off-road enduro bike and it seems pretty happy with it.

Anyone have any thoughts on the topic?

 

[Aleziel]

Funny thing about coolant - if you go on a track day (in the UK at least) you are only allowed to run water as coolant. No additives at all. I reckon coolant is a rip-off. I run water only in my off-road enduro bike and it seems pretty happy with it.

Anyone have any thoughts on the topic?

good luck having water as coolant on an environment with subzero temperatures (if you remember water expands when it turns to ice)

track bike coolant is replaced in the case of crashes as the stuff is not the best thing to be on the road surface

 

[CanadianFZ6]

Funny thing about coolant - if you go on a track day (in the UK at least) you are only allowed to run water as coolant. No additives at all. I reckon coolant is a rip-off. I run water only in my off-road enduro bike and it seems pretty happy with it.

Anyone have any thoughts on the topic?

... ditto with below 0C temps issue.... Also, I was under the impression that coolant also lubes the waterpump... If that's the case, using water would eventually ruin the pump...

 

[urbanj]

... ditto with below 0C temps issue.... Also, I was under the impression that coolant also lubes the waterpump... If that's the case, using water would eventually ruin the pump...

it also has corrosion and rust inhibitors and increases the boiling point.

 

[dean2287]

Maybe I'll try water...the tap water here looks about the same and probably has anti-corrosive properties from all the organic sludge :liar:

 

[crisco]

Hey,
I ALMOST changed my coolant, but couldn't figure out how to take the damn gas tank off ! What's the trick to getting the electronic/plugs off ? I have a service manual, but can't see anything nor can I see up under there when I get the tank lifted a bit. I'd guess there's a clip or something . . . just can't see in there very well. Was I right to siphon out all the gas ? I'm assuming when I remove the fuel line, it'd leak.
Thanks for any help.

PS Oddly, when I mentioned I was trying this to my dealer, he said there's no need to change it ! I'm at 6,000 miles on an '06 and it's never been done.

 

[Moses195]

Ahh!, I would figure out a way to change it!!

 

[Norbert]

Hey,
I ALMOST changed my coolant, but couldn't figure out how to take the damn gas tank off ! What's the trick to getting the electronic/plugs off ? I have a service manual, but can't see anything nor can I see up under there when I get the tank lifted a bit. I'd guess there's a clip or something . . . just can't see in there very well. Was I right to siphon out all the gas ? I'm assuming when I remove the fuel line, it'd leak.
Thanks for any help.

PS Oddly, when I mentioned I was trying this to my dealer, he said there's no need to change it ! I'm at 6,000 miles on an '06 and it's never been done.

This is kinda hard to explain, but you don't need to remove your gas tank.
Just remove the two front allen bolts of the gas tank. They are near your handle bars.

Also, remove the socket bolt that is on the rear of the tank. That's the one that swivels.

Then, this is the hard part: wiggle and lift your tank up so that it clears your fairings. You kinda have to lift up and back. Don't lift too high because you don't want to mess up your fuel hose.

I then place a piece of wood on the airbox and rest the tank on the wood. Now that the tank is clear of the fairings.

Then I place the rear bolt back in so that the tank can swivel. So now the tank is secured in the rear but the front is resting on the wood+ airbox and is clear of the fairings.

Finally I took some nylon rope and secured it to the front of the tank and around the passenger grab handles.


Take a look at these posts:
http://www.600riders.com/forum/how-tos/1666-bd43s-07-headlight-mod-part-2-a.html
http://www.600riders.com/forum/gara...536-installing-battery-tender.html#post221081
http://www.600riders.com/forum/gara...536-installing-battery-tender.html#post221082

hope this helps. just be sure not to screw up your fuel line by "kinking" it.

people told me that it didnt need to be changed. i had an 06 that i bought in oct 08 with 1100 miles on it.
the thing is, the coolant degrades over time. i ended up getting black sediment on the bottom.
that's why i made the original posting. people buy used bikes. they ought to change the coolant too.