coolant
- Thread starter cawkazn
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How are you going to measure when it is half empty? And do you normally lose coolant just by running your bike? If so, something is wrong with it.
Go to the bike shop, buy a bottle of premix coolant, drain the cooling system, and refill.
It's really that simple.
Oh, also, just as a side note, this forum has a wonderful tool called spell check. You may want to give it a try sometime.
Go to the bike shop, buy a bottle of premix coolant, drain the cooling system, and refill.
It's really that simple.
Oh, also, just as a side note, this forum has a wonderful tool called spell check. You may want to give it a try sometime.
Your coolant level shouldn't really change, either. Straight water is ok, you'll actually run cooler with straight water. The only problem is you don't have any of the corrosion inhibiters with straight water and you don't have any freeze protection. Why wouldn't you just drain the water out and refill it with coolant? The bike only holds a little more than a liter of coolant. There are drain screws on your water pump housing and cylinder. Just buy some of that 50/50 mix, look for phosphate free. Get a service manual!
Why do you think otherwise? Water has a higher specific heat than ethylene glycol, therefore, it can absorb more heat with less of a temperature change. An engine cooled with straight water runs cooler. The specific heat of a 50/50 mix of ethylene glycol and water at 160 degrees is .85 Btu/(lb*degF) Water is 1 Btu/(lb*degF). A 50% ethylene glycol solution requires an additional 15% flow rate to achieve the same heat removal rate. The boiling point of a 50% ethylene glycol mixture is only 13 degrees higher than straight water. The pressure in the cooling system has a much more significant effect on the boiling point.
76GMC1500 said:
The ethylene glycol also acts as a water pump lubricant. Without it, your waterpump may have a shorter lifespan.
50/50 is good, but if you are riding in hot climates, you can go to as much as 70 water/30coolant, to increase the cooling ability. As mentioned, water has a higher specific heat than ethylene glycol, and can carry more heat away quicker, thus providing better cooling. The ethylene glycol isn't in there because it is some sort of super cooling fluid, it is there to provide lubrication to the pump, freeze protection and corrosion protection.
No don't use regular car antifreeze, it contains some substance that is made to clean your car antifreeze system that can damage that of a dirt bike cooling system. It has like a sandy type texture that is not good for atv's or bikes at all. Go to your local shop and find some coolanol or engine ice, something of a decent name and put it in. Becareful becuase most of them are all ready PRE MIXED. :cool:
Many anti-freezes contain phosphates which fluidize scale formations and precipitate them to the bottom of the cooling system so they can be drained out during a flush. Phosphates are very corrosive to aluminum, though. So, if you get a phosphate-free anti-freeze or anything desinged for aluminum engines, you'll be fine.
mmz77 said:
I think you're either being fed some misinformation, or there is some misinterpretation going on here. The phosphates that 76GMC1500 mentioned are what is harmful to the aluminum. It actually corrodes the aluminum (even more so magnesium that has been used in the past). The crud that collects in the cooling system from the damage may be what you are thinking of in terms of the sandy substance.
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controversy. Ill just get the stuff from the cycle shop made for dirtbikes. I went by there today and grabbed all my fluids and lubes but didnt grab the coolant cause I wanted to see what you guys had to say. To drain the coolant from the radiator i just need to take off the hoses right?
No dont just pull the hoses off unless you are asking for more work and a total mess. There is a drain right on the right side of your case that screws into your water pump cover. Unscrew it and you will be good to go. Make sure when you fill the coolant that you release the air pockets that might form inside your radiator by slighly tilting the bike side to side... :cool:
cawkazn said:
Usually it's the bottom bolt on the water pump cover.. It should be the one with the copper washer.
But... be ready.. When you loosen it, it won't really flow out very well. So you will go for the radiator cap.. Then it's gonna flow like crazy! It'll probably shoot 2 or 3 feet from the bike, soaking whatever is sitting over there.
Best bet, get a bucket to drain it into and hold it up so that it shoots into the bucket. That crap can be a pain to clean up.
any one tried out evan"s NPG waterless coolant? :
http://www.evanscooling.com/main27.htm
i picked up a gallon yesterday. figured id give it a shot
http://www.evanscooling.com/main27.htm
i picked up a gallon yesterday. figured id give it a shot
How much did that cost? It says that stuff is just straight propylene glycol. You can get propylene glycol at your automotive and marine stores for much less, probably. Popylene glycol coolants are advertized as biodegradeable, environmentally friendly, non-toxic, or food safe.
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