[manx black cat]

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Have I got it right?

I am about to exchange the coolant in my se 1500.

• Drain coolant from drain plug bottom of rad. next to oil filter.
• Syphon coolant from expansion tank, or will the tank drain into the rad?
• Replace coolant via expansion tank
• run engine with rad and expansion tank cap loose, untill air omitted.
• run engine and check coolant level.

I have purchased 2 ltr of Fuchs silkolene pro cool, I under stand the system holds just under 2 Ltrs.

Any comments

 

[Jason]

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The capacity is 3.8 litres. You should remove the radiator cap and fill the radiator itself. Filling the coolant bottle won't fill the radiator as the rad cap will be sealed (it only opens when the hotcoolant vents and you can't fill through the bottom rad hose either). Then fill the bottle. Other wise you have it all correct and I can't see you having any problems.

 

[manx black cat]

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Thanks Jason :clapper:

 

[GreenWing]

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manxblackcat, let us know how you got on, I'm going to take on this job for the first time shortly as well, any advice that you might like to share would be most welcome.

 

[Renegade]

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Make sure the coolant is "silicate" free..

 

[manx black cat]

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Renegade wrote:

Make sure the coolant is "silicate" free..

Yes, I purchased Fuchs Silkolene pro cool, pre mixed 50/50, which states 'contains no harmful silicates'

£17 for 4 ltrs.

Greenwing

Going to tackle the job tomorrow, I'll let you know how I get on.

If I can change the air filter with the help of the Guru's with no problem, this should be a doddle.

 

[TheBreeze]

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i know the book says change coolant every 24k but what do u guys normally do ????

 

[exavid]

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How about every couple years?

 

[Renegade]

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When these bikes were in production, antifreeze was just coming out of the stone age and not too many manufacturers produced a non-acidic base. Therefore, it had a tendency to attack the aluminum and cause problems.. Honda recommended the 24k change rule to flush out the contaminants in a timely manner.. Today the antifreeze in demand is gentle and made especially for aluminum engines because so many autos and motorcycles on the road have aluminum engines and radiators. GM is filling their new vehicles with an antifreeze that is not only silicate free, but can remain in the vehicle for 100k miles..

I don't leave it in my bike, but that kind of technology shows you just what can be achieved with time. Most of us still change the coolant every two years, but it's a personal preference and not a rule of thumb for everyone to follow.. Exavid has good advice, and the coolants out there today are not expensive.. I recommend you get the kind that you must dilute because the cost is much less than the kind that comes diluted 50/50. I use distilled water and have never had a problem..

 

[Brojees]

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The changeout is so simple and inexpensive I see no reason not to do it every two years, if not every year.

 

[manx black cat]

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GreenWing wrote:

manxblackcat, let us know how you got on, I'm going to take on this job for the first time shortly as well, any advice that you might like to share would be most welcome.

Hi Greenwing

As Jason said It was not a problem.

Remove the drain 10mm nut at the bottom , removed the rad cap and the expansion bottle top, let the fluid drain, refit bolt, fill the radiator first to the top, put the remains of the 3.8 ltr in the expansion tank. Run the engine, revving helped the air bubbles to surface fit the rad. cap. check the expansion bottle for levels.

job done.

Browne points or what!

 

[Brojees]

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Manx,



Were air bubbles any problem? I saw the warning and filled from the bottom using rubber corks. It was not that messy and certainly eliminated air bubbles, but I would prefer to avoid the bother next time.



Why is it I am thinking I over complicated things again??????

 

[Reddy]

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Brojees wrote:

Manx,



Were air bubbles any problem? I saw the warning and filled from the bottom using rubber corks...

Rubber corks? Can you explain that to a dumb Dub please?

 

[Brojees]

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Beaker one hole stoppers with a glass tube run through and some rubber tubing to a fill funnel. (I have access to all sorts of nice toys at the college, care for some rat corpses to dissect?)

 

[manx black cat]

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Brojees wrote:

Manx,



Were air bubbles any problem? I saw the warning and filled from the bottom using rubber corks. It was not that messy and certainly eliminated air bubbles, but I would prefer to avoid the bother next time.



Why is it I am thinking I over complicated things again??????

Air bubbles were not a problem, I filled the rad. very slowly from a jug, running the engine got rid of the bubbles.

A question would be, if air was left in the fluid would it cause a problem or find its way out?

 

[Jason]

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manxblackcat wrote:

Brojees wrote:

Manx,



Were air bubbles any problem? I saw the warning and filled from the bottom using rubber corks. It was not that messy and certainly eliminated air bubbles, but I would prefer to avoid the bother next time.



Why is it I am thinking I over complicated things again??????

Air bubbles were not a problem, I filled the rad. very slowly from a jug, running the engine got rid of the bubbles.

A question would be, if air was left in the fluid would it cause a problem or find its way out?

The air will find it's way up to the top and at some point will vent into the bottle when the rad cap opens under pressure. You've already done all the right things by filling and letting the engine run, so most or all of the air will be gone. The GL1500 doesn't have any air trap spots like the GL1800 has. The 1800 needs to be run and checked a few times to get all the bubbles out. Not a lot of fun there I'm afraid. I think the GL1800 needs bleed nipples like many cars (Renault FI). This is the sure way to get rid of trapped air. If I do buy an 1800 I think I will be fitting a bleed nipple on the thermostat housing or somewhere else at my very first coolant change!

 

[Brojees]

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Air will find the high points given time. If all highpoints lead to the radiator crown, fine business. But as there is talk of them leading to other points like the thermostat...That could be a problem.



I blew an upper hose off the nipple on a Mitsubishi Starrion once and did not note it and shut down immediately as the thermosensor was in free air. (The thermosensor read fluid temperature and not block temp in that design). I was very lucky my son was following me in another Starrion and waved me over after he saw the cloud erupt down below.

 

[exavid]

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Easy fill with the 1200, just dumped in the new coolant, filled the overflow bottle about just a wee bit short of the mark and have been riding for a week or so now. I did top off the overflow bottle yesterday to the mark. The only bad part of fooling with the coolant on this bike is that even with the top cover off it's very difficult to get the radiator cover off and on. Really down there among a bunch of big electrical cables. If I end up keeping this bike I'm definitely going to lengthen the neck of the radiator around 3 1/2" to make that easier. Don't know why Honda didn't,I know you don't have to do it often but why make it harder than necessary.

:stumped::stumped:

 

[Brojees]

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LOLOL I made a cap extractor to get my cap off!! Piece of conduit 1 3/4"? and notched and nibbled the end to fit the cap and catch the ears.

 

[TheBreeze]

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on the gl1500 can u get to the bottom drain nut without removing plastic at the mo got radio housing off so mite jus refresh the coolant while im at it do radiator flushes do any good or are they too caustic ?????

many thanx