I changed the Tiger's coolant today as per the shop manual. The weird part is it only took approximately 1.5 litres to fill up. However, the manual lists the capacity as 2.8 litres. I even started the bike and let it idle for a couple of minutes to let any air bubbles out of the system as specified in the manual, then removed the tank again to check the level. That didn't make a difference. Anybody else notice this? Suggestions?
Probably because you never really drained all of the old coolant .......?
Not sure on the girlies , but on the steamers there are two drain plugs one at the base of the cylinders and the other is one of the three water pump bolts at the bottom of the engine , and even then there will still be some coolant left that you can't really get out
#9 in the below drawing is the bolt you need to remove when refilling the coolant on the girlies , it let's the air escape as the coolant is put in the system .
(http://i231.photobucket.com/albums/ee47/2uoykcuf/repairs/TR-0606-108.gif)
Quote from: "Mustang"Probably because you never really drained all of the old coolant .......?
Not sure on the girlies , but on the steamers there are two drain plugs one at the base of the cylinders and the other is one of the three water pump bolts at the bottom of the engine , and even then there will still be some coolant left that you can't really get out
#9 in the below drawing is the bolt you need to remove when refilling the coolant on the girlies , it let's the air escape as the coolant is put in the system .
Nothing was mentioned about removing water pump bolts in the shop manual. I had the #9 bleed screw all the way unscrewed and completely out of its hole when refilling. The drain plug is on the left side of the engine just below one of the coolant hoses. That's the only plug the manual says to remove, so that's what I did. Should I ride it around the block a couple of miles to burp the system?
there will still be a good amount of coolant in the hose going to the water pump - the haynes shows disconnecting that from the radiator and draining the radiator / water pump / main coolant hose.
Did you do that too? or just the bolt in the block? That would explain the amount of coolant it took :)
Quote from: "walker"there will still be a good amount of coolant in the hose going to the water pump - the haynes shows disconnecting that from the radiator and draining the radiator / water pump / main coolant hose.
Did you do that too? or just the bolt in the block? That would explain the amount of coolant it took :)
OK thanks, I'll try that. Nope, I didn't disconnect those, just the bolt in the block. There goes a $20 bottle of Engine Ice down the drain. :roll: I'd like to throttle the writer who effed this procedure up in the Triumph shop manual. :twisted: I appreciate the advice.
it says to disconnect the hose at the radiator, and then point it downwards to drain. I do see what you're talking about in the triumph manual - doesn't say anything about it.
dunno why you couldn't do it at the pump though.... maybe because you can sort of control where the coolant goes at that point?
Anyway - you'll find more coolant there than you expect to find! I just did mine about 4 weeks ago (along with a bunch of other stuff that probably was never done, but is done now!).
That makes sense. Thanks for the peace of mind Walker. Now I have to wait until the shop opens up on Tuesday to get another bottle of coolant. :x I need a drink or three...
I think you need to warm the bike B-4 you change the coolant. Warm enough to open the thermostat so coolant will drain thru the system.
85°F+ us when the thermostst should open and coolant begins to flow. If that does not open.... change the thermostat.
I am about to do the same on my '06... first time..
In the manual:
Chapter 10: COOLANT SYSTEM
Page 10-5: It shows the coolant bleed screw and Coolant Drain Plug.
Use coolant BLEED SCREW to get rid of air bubbles WHILE THE
ENGINE IS RUNNING and coolant is warm.
PS: I don't know if it is an issue any more... but your engine
and radiator tubes are made of aluminum.... make certain you are
using an antifreeze that is compatible with aluminum.
I used Toyota red coolant. Good stuff. I also was only able to refill with 1.5 qts of coolant, using the procedure you describe. I did not remove the bottom hose. If you have an incompatability issue you will want to drain again and flush with water more than once, because even with the hose removed all of the old will not drain. If your new coolant is compatible with the old, just ride it. I was fearful I did not fill completely, but after more than a year of normal operation, I am confident it is full.
Well folks, I did the deed again yesterday using the procedure suggested above (draining the coolant from the radiator in addition to the block). The motor would only take 1.8 litres of coolant this time. So I started the bike and let it idle for 5 minutes to let it get hot, which it did. After shutting her off, removing the tank (another facking time :roll: ) and letting her cool, I popped the cap and filled it up. It only took a few tablespoons before overflowing throught the open bleed screw. I'm leaving Monday morning for a 3500+ mile trip and this is really starting to piss me off. For this much aggravation, I could've had a KTM. Love the bike, hate working on it. I'm going to put the tank back on tomorrow, so if you have any really good not yet mentioned advice, post it up.
Monte, I myself am dreading the day I have to take that tank off. I have not done it yet... probably should just so I know the procedure. From what I understand it's a major pain.
Personally, I'd just bring some coolant with me and check it often. Or is the bike getting hotter than safe operating temps?
it's probably got enough in it then! I had the head off of mine. so I had taken the radiator off the bike.... some still spilled out even though I had drained the radiator... amazing how that bike can hold water. The drain plut will drain the block good enough. The hose and radiator hold a good amount. Might still be some in the pump - but when I put everything back - INCLUDING refilling the overflow tank (which I had drained out and cleaned) - I still had at least a quart of coolant left - out of 1 gallon... maybe a bit more. So I think it took almost 2.5 liters (maybe a bit more).... but that did include the catch can. And some spillage from taking the cap off a second time.
did you refill the coolant reservoir too? It holds a good amount. Maybe that capacity is bone dry refill, including the catch can?
Monte, don't get vexxed... on many engines it's simply not possible to remove every bit of coolant from the case / block with the engine sitting in the vehicle. That's why folks flush out the old coolant with a pressurized water source (hose). You got the majority of the old coolant out (twice), so you're good for a long, long time.
Can you use those prestone back-flush kits on the Girly? Is there room anywhere for the T-connector?
I don't trust those cheap-ass connectors to not break or crack somewhere out on the trail.
After draining and collecting as much of the old coolant as possible, I just run the engine with a hose down inside the cap neck, letting the excess overflow back out the neck. It's messy, but effective. The water pump circulates the fresh water throughout the engine and dilutes the old coolant to the point that after a few minutes it is essentially gone.
Then I drain the system again and top it up with 100% gycol (since there is a significant amount of water remaining in the case, it comes out to about 50/50)
My thought was to get an extra bit of hose from the parts store then just unhook a clamp and put the T in when needed.
That'd work... only have it on the bike when actually flushing it.
Quote from: "Stretch"Monte, don't get vexxed... on many engines it's simply not possible to remove every bit of coolant from the case / block with the engine sitting in the vehicle. That's why folks flush out the old coolant with a pressurized water source (hose). You got the majority of the old coolant out (twice), so you're good for a long, long time.
Good to hear that. I'm running out of time and don't want to pop the tank again over the weekend just to add some coolant. I don't see a way to flush the system because the tank has to be on the bike (blocking access to the radiator cap & bleed screw)with the fuel line connected in order to run the engine. Is knowledge of the secret Triple Handshake required to accomplish this task or summat? :lol:
I improvised a short table (Jesse boxes on the floor, with scrap plywood on top) on the right side of the bike and set the tank on it. If you cut the cable ties, the fuel line and fuel pump wires have enough slack to reach the tank. On my '05 anyway... they have just one fuel line to contend with.
Well folks, I had to cut my trip short by a couple of days. Everything was fine until she started drinking coolant 1200 miles into it. On Thursday we did a 64 mile dirt ride with some very technical rock sections (Black Gap Road-Big Bend, TX)and she overheated. So I fed her only the finest Dasani water that money can buy. :lol: Beggars can't be choosers or summat. She wouldn't idle or run right after that and finally stopped drinking in Arkansas on the way home. After 3525 miles, I was just relieved to make it back with the bike in one piece. Note to self: Do NOT under any circumstances change the coolant before a big trip. Ever. My vacation turned into a stress filled ride. Of course, taking the bike past its design limits may have been a contributing factor, but hey if fano can do it... why not.
It was fine for 1200 miles, overheated for a while, and then was okay again? That's odd. Is the radiator fan working? Fuse okay? That might make the bike run cool enough on the open road (with airflow at speed), but get hot on trails (with little air flowing through the radiator).
Also take a look: Overflow tank not cracked? Overflow tubes and elbows in good shape? Radiator cap pressure-tested?
I just changed my coolant today, didn't do anything except remove the hose going to the pump, flushed, left it to drain overnight, filled up today, approx 2.3 Litres. Ran up till warm, (with the tank on a table as per Stretch's description) burped her with the bleed screw and all seems to be well. Fingers crossed.... :roll:
Also, taking the tank off is nothing to shy away from, after you've done it a couple of times you won't think twice. Only takes about ten minutes - and that's being careful. :wink:
did you drain it on the side stand, or on a center stand? When I drained mine, I did it on the side stand, then stood the bike back up to work on it later - don't know if that really makes a difference.
On the side stand.
Cooling systems can behave in funny ways though. I've had cars that were a real pain to burp after filling up - although it's usually the heater matrix that's the cause there. I'm more or less finished the 12k service now, so will take her for a short run to come up to temp tomorrow, just to check she's ok.
great point! I remember the most annoying was 1. getting the water pump replaced on the porsche 944S (really odd shape, wrapped around a corner and was flush mounted, and then 2. purging the system of air. Wow what a pain.
Quote from: "Stretch"It was fine for 1200 miles, overheated for a while, and then was okay again? That's odd. Is the radiator fan working? Fuse okay? That might make the bike run cool enough on the open road (with airflow at speed), but get hot on trails (with little air flowing through the radiator).
Also take a look: Overflow tank not cracked? Overflow tubes and elbows in good shape? Radiator cap pressure-tested?
Yep Stretch, everything was flawless the first 1200 miles until we reached the higher temps of the TX hill country. It sipped a little between Brackettville and Del Rio, but was still between the min & max lines on the tank. OK, I thought. In 94 degree stop'n go Del Rio traffic, it drank some more. 25 miles down the road it had almost sucked the puke tank dry. I thought I'd add a little water to fill it up but it kept drinking over the next 5 days, and didn't stop until Arkansas on the way home. I ended up buying a gallon of PEAK antifreeze at a gas station and using that after awhile. Nothing was cracked or broken. Fan works, no leakage from tank or tubes, no drips, etc. I replaced the radiator cap with the one suggested in the Tiger parts cross reference thread here.
I think an air bubble got into the system and it didn't manifest itself until the bike got hot. The temp gauge never registered more than 1/3 of the way up the scale, so it never got critical... I think. The wierd thing is the bike wouldn't idle first thing in the morning during initial startup for four days beginning Friday. Once it cleared its throat it was fine. The closer we got to TN the better it ran. The gas out west really is an inferior blend. The bike seemed down about 10hp last year too when I was out there. Once out of TX she ran like a Tiger should.
I'd like to find a Sagem/Triumph scanner to hook up to the ECU to look at codes, but the dealer went belly up last year and I'm not taking the bike 100 miles away for that. I'm just glad she got me home.
Monte,
First, apologies for hijacking the thread.
Next, OBD2 is an international standard so any OBD2 reader will work. You can get OBD2 reader software and an adapter cable on Ebay for about $25. It's where I got mine and it works well enough - certainly better than 3 warmup cycles to clear the warning light AND you know why it was on it the first place.
Try this: http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/VAG-COM-SERIAL-VW ... 240%3A1318 (http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/VAG-COM-SERIAL-VW-Audi-Car-Diagnostic-Code-Reader-OBD-2_W0QQitemZ250387040974QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_Diagnostic_Tools_Equipment?hash=item250387040974&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=72%3A1689%7C66%3A4%7C65%3A12%7C39%3A1%7C240%3A1318)
If you don't want to use a laptop, you can get a complete tool like this:
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/U380-OBD2-EOBD-OB ... 240%3A1318 (http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/U380-OBD2-EOBD-OBD-2-diagnostic-code-Reader-Scanner_W0QQitemZ280312251926QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_Diagnostic_Tools_Equipment?hash=item280312251926&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=72%3A1689%7C66%3A4%7C65%3A12%7C39%3A1%7C240%3A1318)
All in all, about the price you'd pay to have the dealer read it once for you.
Thanks alot Bixxer Bob. I won't tell anyone your Give a fook-o-meter is broken. :wink:
So.. I'm new and this forum has helped save me GOBS of money. I thank each and every one of you that has contributed. I hope to add something to this massive brain pool at some point.
I've taken this monster (2005 955i) apart to change the plugs (I had NO IDEA how involved it was) and figured I'd do the coolant and oil and chain since I've got her apart.
I disco'd the lower rad hose off the pump and a bunch of red sludge came out - then the blue coolant. It yielded only about 0.5 gal. I've opened the bleeder screw. So the ONLY bolt I can figure is the coolant drain plug is the flush hex screw on the front of the block - but it's blocked by the pipes. So, then I'm thinking that this is right in the crankcase and must be (another??) oil plug??
Where oh where is the drain bolt that I am missing? I have Googled for days and my g/f is getting ticked that my bike is taking up the whole garage. :O
Thank you in advance!!
DOH!
Okay, scratch that. I've come across a PDF of the service manual...
It's the more than obvious 10mm bolt (with a divot on the head) about the water pump...
It's much higher than I had supposed and just a bit more (clean) fluid came out.
With the brakes, chain, rear tire, oil, fuel sender, plugs and several seals replaced I am going to drop her off the lift and see what else drains out.
The real kicker to all of this is that almost all of the tools needed are in the toolkit under the seat!!! The spark plug socket was the real kicker after trying to figure out how to get a 12mm socket down in the chambers....
Cheers and and if you have any questions please do email me!
Well, I did first, read later, did again. First I just put the new rad in, buttoned everything up, filled the overflow bottle, and figered she'd suck what she needed.
Idle about ten mins and gauge didn't move and fan didn't come on ...and bottle didn't drain, so i said ok this isn't right. Engine didn't feel all that hot but its cool day and I had a fan running to blow exhaust out.
Took the small (middle) hose off the rad, hooked up another hose, poured coolant straight in there till that was done. Ran about 15 mins at idle, gauge moved, fan didn't come on, so decided to read the forum.
Removed tank, filled directly with bleeder out. Put cap back on, let bleeder perk a bit. Reassembled all, refilled overflow. 15 mins at idle, fan comes on, gauge goes back down, called it good.
After coming back in I saw another post to open bleeder while engine running, that would be a right pain on an 00 (or I'd assume any Girly), so I'm not going back in there again. I have nothing but 20 min rides to work planned for awhile anyway :).
Someone please track down the engineer that decided pulling the tank is a reasonable solution for getting to the radiator cap and coolant bleeder......
Can someone please tell me if the coolant drain plug is supposed to have a spring washer underneath it? I put one on, don't think I was meant to...it was sitting on the garage flow. :roll:
No it should have a copper one. Anneal it before putting it back.
thnx ian, no leaking now. bike back together, getting ready for this weekends big ride inter-state with 60 other riders. Dirt all the way!