Gen II Coolant change.
- Thread starter timalan
- Start date
Help Support Yamaha FJR Motorcycle Forum:
Some where there is. In the Bin-o-facts or fjrtech.com--somewhere. Do a search using google and I am sure it will pop right up. I am not near to needing a coolant change, so I haven't looked, but do remember reading about one.
Add>>>I don't specifically remember if it addressed fairing removal but it seemed like an easier way none-the-less.
Add>>>I don't specifically remember if it addressed fairing removal but it seemed like an easier way none-the-less.
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bramfrank
BramFrank
No, you don't. Just did mine last week.
I warmed the bike up thoroughly between flushes to dilute out the old coolant, because I used Nascar brand pink this time and it requires a clean system.
I use premix. A bit more expensive, but simpler to use - no mess on that score.
Here's the step-by step procedure (details of panel removal not included):
- Remove both lower cowlings
- Remove the left side lower dash panel (not sure what letter it is, but it is the one where the grip warmer control goes).
- Remove the one screw that is located in the bend of the panels on the left side - the one that is front of the glove box on the left edge of the cowling
- Slightly bend the end of the upper cowling out of the way to allow your fat fingers to remove the radiator cap. I used a shop rag to protect the cowling edge and a funnel for the fill.
- Remove the water pump drain bolt on the right side (it shoots quite the stream, so be prepared with your drain pan.
- Remove the lower radiator hose connection to the water pump.
- Drain completely.
- Reinstall the drain plug (they say to use a new copper washer, but I didn't) and hose (remember to tighten the clamp and to reinstall the rubber clamp cover)
- Refill to the tippy top. If you are flushing, use tap water. If you are REALLY anal, use distilled (not de-ionised) water for the flush. For the final fill use properly mixed coolant.
If you are changing chemistry or simply feeling anal, warm up the bike and repeat again (mine took 3 drains for the water to drain out completely clear - the stuff I used this time reacts with the normal green and I've seen what gooped up cooling systems can be like and refill to the top, warm the bike fully and repeat - I left the radiator cap off for this step and added water constantly at a slow rate.
- Reinstall the radiator cap.
- Remove the coolant bottle and wash it out.
- Fill the cleaned reservoir bottle with coolant.
I filled the reservoir TO THE TOP. The cooling system WILL expel coolant during a normal heating cycle and it will suck in some from the tank when it cools. It will overflow only once, on the initial warm-up.
If you fill only to the 'full' mark you WILL be removing the left lower cowling to add coolant - since there's no 'issue' with overfilling the tank except that excess coolant will blow out the drain pipe during the first warming cycle, I chose to fill to the top this time - it now sits about 1" over the full line, which suits me just fine.
- Reinstall the filled bottle and seat the cap.
Note that the drain hose is the one that routes near the bolt you remove to do oil changes. If you are not careful, the bodywork will clamp that hose shut and you may wind up with coolant forcing the reservoir's cap off and making a mess. So just be mindful of the fact and make sure the hose doesn't get trapped between the engine block and the plastic down there.
- Reinstall the plastic bodywork.
- Ride.
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keithaba
Well-known member
Warchild
Benevolent Dictator
radman
R.I.P. Our Motorcycling Friend
For those living in the Great White North-if you flush the system with water, then use a pre-mix coolant, your freeze point will be lower than the spec on the bottle-water remaining in the system will dilute the mix. Better to add straight anti-freeze using 1/2 system capacity as a quantity needed, then add distilled water to top off. This will ensure a 50/50 mix for max protection. You can't imagine the horrors a cracked block/head can produce ($$$$$$$$) 
jwilly
Administrator of Drama
Does it also require a mullet and your favorite drivers hat? That's some funny ****... :lol:
JW
bramfrank
BramFrank
I'm guessing here, but you've probably never had any issued with dissimilar coolants reacting and producing gobs of thick mucus that clog the galleries?
I went with the 'pink' because it changes colors as the nitrates are consumed.
