Changing Coolant?
05-02-2005, 11:10 PM
#1
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Changing Coolant?
I was curious how much and what kind to use? What is factory spec?
I was thinking of using water wetter instead of some of the water. My bike stays around 200 and i want it to be a little cooler.
I was thinking of using water wetter instead of some of the water. My bike stays around 200 and i want it to be a little cooler.
05-03-2005, 01:52 AM
#2
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Re: Changing Coolant?
Water is actually bad, really bad for pump - pump supposed to be lubricated by coolant. WaterWetter is OK, but best experience I had was EngineIce.
05-03-2005, 06:10 AM
#3
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Standard Ethelyne Glycol. Nothing else is needed. It holds about 3.1 quarts. There is a specific draining and filling/bleeding procedure in the manual.
The thermostat fully opens at 194 degrees. If you modify your system to stay below that, you'll decrease the flow, and the thermostat will fight your efforts.
The thermostat fully opens at 194 degrees. If you modify your system to stay below that, you'll decrease the flow, and the thermostat will fight your efforts.
05-03-2005, 02:13 PM
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Re: Changing Coolant?
well, I can't agree to be honest. Motorcycle cooling system have quite limited capacity, and this is why all manufacturers have to balance between increase of boiling point and heat transfer capacity by mixing Ethylene or Propylene Glycol with water. Standard HOnda coolant is a mix of distilled water and propylene glycol, it is not pure ethylene glycol. Adding water takes boiling point down and reduces lubrication effect as well as creating "boiling bulbs" in mix, but - water increase heat transfer and heat absorbing capacity. It must be mix at least.
But there is a way to make mix it a bit better from heat transfer and heat capacity point of view, and this is what for example WaterWetter does - it reduces water surface tension, so it boils with "smaller bulbs" . EngineIce is just mix of propylene glycol and de-ionized distilled water for same reason - de-ionized distilled water have less surface tension.
The only water-less coolant I know is propylene glycol based by Evans Cooling, but it is developed first for cars and only then people used it in bikes.
Using pure ethylene or propylene glycol will considerably reduce heat transfer and heat capacity, and bike cooling system will be less effective.
I know it is a bit too extensive explanation, but since I started every summer 10-days trips on French Alps and coasts I had to find best solution for worst conditions - VERY tight alpine serpentines that need quite low speed and high rpm at +40 degrees Celcius. EngineIce perfomed best of all collants I've tried.
But there is a way to make mix it a bit better from heat transfer and heat capacity point of view, and this is what for example WaterWetter does - it reduces water surface tension, so it boils with "smaller bulbs" . EngineIce is just mix of propylene glycol and de-ionized distilled water for same reason - de-ionized distilled water have less surface tension.
The only water-less coolant I know is propylene glycol based by Evans Cooling, but it is developed first for cars and only then people used it in bikes.
Using pure ethylene or propylene glycol will considerably reduce heat transfer and heat capacity, and bike cooling system will be less effective.
I know it is a bit too extensive explanation, but since I started every summer 10-days trips on French Alps and coasts I had to find best solution for worst conditions - VERY tight alpine serpentines that need quite low speed and high rpm at +40 degrees Celcius. EngineIce perfomed best of all collants I've tried.
05-03-2005, 03:15 PM
#5
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I have Engine Ice in my 250 ninja, however, when I was changing the rad fluid on superhawk, I couldn't confirm that it did not have silicates in it. After hearing about honda's gaskets being sensitive to silicates, I searched and found out that the Preston orange colored coolant was the type that is recommended by owners manual and is not silicate based. I went 50/50 solution with distilled water as recommended by the manual.
It has been working great for the last 4k miles so far.
It has been working great for the last 4k miles so far.
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