Which coolant to use on 02 VFR?

Hi,

I have three questions. While doing the O2 elimination mod on my bike, I noticed that my coolant level is below "lower". I would like to top it up to the level of "higher". My questions are as follows,

1) Which coolant do I use? I bought my bike recently and do not know what coolant the previous owner used.
2) Can the old coolant and the new coolant be mixed?
3) Can I just add the new coolant to reach the "higher" level in the tank, or do I need to flush the old coolant completely out first?

Thanks

Xeipher.

 

1. If you don't know what the previous owner used, I would just change the coolant. And maybe flush with distilled water too to help get all the old out. Then you know you have all the same type in there.

2. Some coolant types mix ok and some don't. I believe Honda's coolant is a silicate free OAT like dexcool but uses a different chemistry than dexcool. Yes there are coolants out there that would lead you to believe they can be mixed with anything and still be good but why chance it.

3. afiak you can just top off the overflow tank; but again if you don't know what coolant type is in there the safest thing is to just change it out. Good for maintenance as well?

 

Ethyleneglycol 50% mix
you could just top it off w/ water but being an 02 you should really drain it out and change it.
I did mine last season ( 02 as well ) kinda nasty when it came out.

 

I have never done this before. Is it hard, what is the procedure to be followed?

Xeipher.

 

drop a few washers in your coolant tank and level will be higher.....

 

It's not too difficult, I just did mine a couple weeks ago. Basically remove the side cowls, then there is a drain bolt on the water pump that you remove (but watch out - it whizzes like a race horse). There is also a drain bolt on the block sort of above the oil filter, kind of a pain to get at and not a whole lot comes out that one. The manual says to use new copper sealing washers on the drain bolts. Remove and rinse out the overflow tank and reinstall. Then fill 'er up in the rad cap, fire up the engine, wait a few minutes, nail the throttle a few times to help get air out (plus who can resist anyway?), top off, put rad cap back on.

I used the Honda coolant. Some people use distilled water and water wetter if not concerned about freezing.

Ethylene glycol (non prediluted anyway) based coolants are all about 95-97% glycol, the corrosion inhibiters are the remaining few percent.

 

download manual here

http://vfrworld.com/forums/parts-se...nloadable-parts-catalogs-service-manuals.html