I just dismantled my cooling system to eliminate all the stock coolant. The stock coolant looked like dirty water. It was terrible, it did not even feel like coolant. As the coolant dried it would leave a dry chalk substance on everything. Let me start with the temp. It was 92 degrees with exceptional high humidity for the dry desert region. I started the bike as I was putting the side panels back on. It ran for about 20 minutes without the fan kicking on. I thought I must have pinched or broke a fan wire. I double checked and could not find any reason why the fan was not turning on. The radiator felt hot but still no fan. I thought screw it and started working the throttle. It took about 5 minutes of working the throttle before the fan turned on. The only thing I can think is it is transferring the heat more efficiently then the stock junk fluid.
You will need to take it for a ride and recheck the coolant level after it has cooled down in case the XF has filled any air pockets. Should be 1/4" over the top of the coils.
Love that stuff and working on getting it in every bike that takes coolant. I love that it never builds pressure nor wants to exit the cooling system. For me in tight technical riding it is ideal. I also feel in addition to all the other advantages it must lube the waterpump well as it feels like light corn syrup. I evacuated my rad before filling and had rad fluid on the ground. Then spilled some XF when filling. 20 minutes later the water / antifreeze was all evaporated, none of the XF was. In fact it sat there for hours. I had to wash it away. Then on another bike I forgot to tighten a hose clamp. Rode the bike 60 miles then noticed it when washing it. Was horrified only to find the rads full of XF, not a drop missing. nice. I am a believer.
One of the biggest problems with cooling motorcycles is hot spots. There are places on the engine that just get hotter than others. These areas form steam bubbles, a barrier in which water coolant passing by can no longer make contact to cool. Because of this reduced surface contact, the engine heats up even faster causing water temperatures to spike and runaway temps to occur. XF never boils, never forms steam and therefor is always in contact with every square millimeter of surface inside the coolant cavities. I believe this is why it takes longer for your fan to come on after starting. I see a lot of TR650 owners running out and getting higher psi radiator caps. This might fix the problem short term, but in the long run, the higher heat and pressure will destroy the cooling system seals, hoses, pumps and radiator. Also water corrodes and must be changed out seasonally in order to keep acid levels low. XF contains no water, no corrosion, no acid, never needs changing. Your radiators and coolant channels will look as new on the inside as the first day you installed XF.
Hey Baddrapp The chalk substance you mention is largely dyes put in water based coolants to make it pretty colours. I'm a fan of Liquid Intelligence 115 Waterless coolant, a similar product for Australian consumers. Its exported and used in rolls royce, bentley, bugatti varon and other exotics. And some factories in china are using it in small 4 stroke bikes with sealed cooling systems. I am still running an expansion bottle hence my radiator is full, others have taken it out. (And I believe thats when you need a small air pocket, ala motocross machinery) For Aussie TR owners. A fill for the Terra costs $45 with a 150ml left over. After 2 or 3 years you will begin saving money anyhow and if your head corrodes.....oochy-karumba Go to this page http://liquidintelligence115.com.au/half down and read about Vapour Blanketing. This happens just before coolant water boils causing exponential spike in Temp I phoned Peter Maher (owner) and asked What if I blow a hose in the bush, and can get going again somehow! (this is possible with a low pressure system and some Gaffa Tape) Can I add water? He said yes, provided the mix is about 50/50. Otherwise the 115 will try to boil the water out, say in a 90/10 or a 80/20 mixture. (115/water). Once home, drain, repair and add waterless. I know it sounds like a plug! but I have no conflicts of interest and no affiliation with these products. They are just plain good value If you don't take it from me, Take it from Tinken and Motosportz. Go Waterless
couple questions Tinken, what's the best way to get ALL the water out? (2011 TXC449.) not to assume, this has NO antifreeze properties?
ZipTy Labeled or Evans OEM lable use it, its been in my last 4 bikes with zero issues. Its great stuff.
I should have taken photos of the stock coolant. I removed the radiator and all the hoses. I used the garden hose to flush all the old coolant out. I noticed when I flushed the cases it flushed a thicker darker fluid out the water pump. It was like the solids in the coolant had settled in the lowest point. I tried to remove the water pump but the Altrider skid plate blocked the access to the lower bolt. I drilled a hole so now I can access the lower bolt. I thought if I blow a gasket and need to silicone the pump I would have to remove the skid plate. That would be difficult in the field so I drilled an access hole.
PS you really dont need to get crazy surgical on removing every single drop of OEM or other coolant, just do a good job of draining and flush with fresh water, maybe even leave the all the drain points open and blow out with some air, let it dry overnight and put in the XF. (I know Evans has a prerinse fluid, and it is recommended by them). For all four bikes it was simply a thorough clean (not zero res clean just a good drain out). Never had any issues after adding XF.
Same here. This is the third bike for me with xf and I just drain and blow out the old crap and leave it over night then refill with xf and forgeddaboubit.
One should do it easy. One jug will do 2 single cylinder bikes so you will be fine and still have some for top offs if need be. You may consider ordering 2 if you have other bikes since you get clipped on shipping and hazmat type charges.
Evans makes a coolant system flush that is compatible with their motorsports and the ZipTy XF coolant. It comes in a gallon container, so it is only cost effective if you do more than one bike or go halfsies with someone. I did that plus I used my shop vac to blast the system out with air. There are vids on youtube that explain the process. My normal riding areas are usually pretty warm, weather wise, and I used to smell coolant during/after every ride and would see it dripping from the overflow. With the Evans, I no longer see any overflow and never smell anything.
