Date: 17-05-24  Time: 14:53 pm

Author Topic: Coolant Help!  (Read 870 times)

Penguin-dog

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Coolant Help!
« on: 26 March 2023, 05:53:07 pm »
I will caveat all this by saying, I will be fully flushing and replacing all the coolant, asap.
But.... The bike is fairly new to me (02 FZS600).
And I've just noticed the coolant res is seemingly empty.
I know I could just stick some distilled water in there, but don't have any, and I've no idea what coolant was last put in. So don't want to go putting In the silkolene pro cool I have in the shed, I realise it could be bad if the previous owner has put something different in.
Apart from what I've said above, as I need to use the bike for the next week, what can I do?
Boil some water and top it off? Will that be a problem?
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Grahamm

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Re: Coolant Help!
« Reply #1 on: 26 March 2023, 05:57:32 pm »
Is it actually empty, or can you just not see through it?

Try using straw or a piece of wood etc as a dipstick to see if there's actually anything in there.

Penguin-dog

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Re: Coolant Help!
« Reply #2 on: 26 March 2023, 06:06:54 pm »
Yeah, completely empty, and dry🤦.

Remember even if you fall flat on your face, your still moving forward!
And if it wasn't for bad luck I wouldn't have any!!

Penguin-dog

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Re: Coolant Help!
« Reply #3 on: 26 March 2023, 06:19:59 pm »
I have some silkolene pro cool in the shed, but wasn't sure I should risk it.
I don't suppose there is any way if telling what is in there allready.

Remember even if you fall flat on your face, your still moving forward!
And if it wasn't for bad luck I wouldn't have any!!

BBROWN1664

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Re: Coolant Help!
« Reply #4 on: 26 March 2023, 08:15:30 pm »
just stick tap water in if you will be flushing and refilling in a few weeks
Another ex-Fazer rider that is a foccer again

Grahamm

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Re: Coolant Help!
« Reply #5 on: 26 March 2023, 09:34:04 pm »
Yeah, completely empty, and dry🤦.

The weather isn't going to be freezing for the next few weeks, so I'd say you'd be ok with the distilled water because it's not going to massively dilute what you already have in the bike.

darrsi

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Re: Coolant Help!
« Reply #6 on: 27 March 2023, 06:09:45 am »
If the reservoir tank is empty then it may be for a reason. If the system is scaled up the fluid tends to overheat then dump the excess out of the tank due to the waterways being narrower than they should be.
You need to buy some Radflush and clean the system properly before putting coolant in, then at least you'll know it has been done.
When the cooling system is all working correctly the coolant level should always go back to the same place in the reservoir tank once the bike cools down.
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Penguin-dog

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Re: Coolant Help!
« Reply #7 on: 27 March 2023, 06:26:24 am »
Any particular brand of radiator flush recommended?
Remember even if you fall flat on your face, your still moving forward!
And if it wasn't for bad luck I wouldn't have any!!

unfazed

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Re: Coolant Help!
« Reply #8 on: 27 March 2023, 10:43:39 am »
It is common for the overflow to go dry over time even if there is no coolant leak from steam escaping though the vent pipe and is also rarely checked.
 If you fill it and it is dry in a few weeks then it's a problem and you have a leak. It it goes dry over a year or longer periods it is evaporation.

I use Castrol Motorcycle coolant ias a the safe option  and it uses Ethylene Glycol which is recomended for the Fazer plus it is silicate free.

From my 50 odd years of experience many garages/mechanics never change the coolant unless they are specifically asked to or there is a leak in the system

Silkolen Pro cool is a Polyproplene Glycol and it is not recommended to mix the two.
Polyproplene Glycol is less toxic than Ethlyene glycol, but it is a sealed system so that would not matter. Just be careful and use gloves when using any coolant.
It is common for the overflow to go dry over time from steam  evaporation escaping though the vent pipe and is also rarely checked

darrsi

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Re: Coolant Help!
« Reply #9 on: 28 March 2023, 12:12:25 pm »
Any particular brand of radiator flush recommended?


I normally use Holts Speedflush
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