What's the easiest way to get to the coolant cap.....

Hey guys on a 5th Gen, what's the easiest way to get to the coolant cap? I am gonna assume removing the right lower fairing?

On the way home from Indy we got caught in a 5 mile traffic jam and it was about 85 degrees out. The fan initially kicked on as usual at 222 degrees or so and started to bring the temp down but than it just slowly crept up to 231 (like the fan was not doing enough) before we started moving (got through construction). My bike has never really run that hot before but that was the first time I ever got caught that bad in traffic. Basically I was at or just above idle for around 25 minutes. It took a while to come down and hung in the 210 area for quite a while before coming down to 186 or so once we got off the highway and onto country roads. I want to check the coolant level because my reservoir has the correct amount but I have noticed the level never really changes.......

I have never had an issue but better safe than sorry. Thoughts?

 

Mine does that in traffic, it hates to be stopped. I put a fan switch on it- it's the easiest mod I've ever done.
Now as soon as I get into traffic, I turn the fan on and it keeps it from heating up.

My coolant was at the low mark, so I topped it off to the high mark. I'm still looking into installing another fan on the other side.

 

Yes you have to remove the side fairing....if memory serves the overflow bottle is on the left side and the radiator cap is on the right. I think I remember reading about a safety cut off at 250. Mine has been to 230 once....it is rather un-nerving!

 

That is an option for sure. I think to be safe I will check the coolant level under the cap too. Just cause the reservoir has coolant does not mean that the radiators do. Mine has always been at the full line and it just seems odd that when the bike gets hot it does not raise in the reservoir, etc. keep in mind I have never really had any sort of cooling issues overall and I am sure my bike is ok....just want to check...

 

Hehe..thanks for the info.......yes, it was a bit un-nerving for sure but thankfully traffic started moving!

 

I don't blame you a bit and would check it also. I changed mine over to Acura coolant several years ago...it's a cool dark blue color...it seems it actually runs slightly cooler than with the factory green stuff.

 

Is there a reason you doubt the integrity of your overflow reservoir? They way you wish to check your fluid level is not wrong but not totally right either. The overflow reservoir was designed as the location to add coolant to your system same as in just about every car or truck out there. Unless of course it is totally drained and the possibility of air inside the system. If you have doubts about the overflow tank, take some time and make sure it is not plugged or compromised, then use this to add to your coolant. This way you can do so when it is hot without risking extremely hot coolant gushing out all over the place and creating a very serious situation for yourself. The overflow is just as easy to get at as the rad cap. just a different side of the bike. MOFWIW

 

I think I can answer this. With the system freshly filled and burped the coolent expands and flows into the overflow tank. When it cools it creates a vacuum and sucks fluid back in. However with any air in the system it will compress the air first before pushing fluid out. It then will not suck in as much if any when it cools. So the whole system process is messed up from having air in it.

Next question is how air gets in there. Even the best coolent has a slight amount of boil off at the cylinder walls and over time could produce low fuid level/air pocket.

Tom H

 

Oh trust me, I am not gonna check under the cap when its hot, hehe. I am fully aware of how the reservoir works and I am pretty sure my bike is 100% ok. The only issue would be if the siphon tube had a crack or something than it would suck air back in and not coolant. But if that were the case, the reservoir level would rise when the bike got hot and wouldn't go down when it cooled, etc. Just seemed odd really.

The other option is that my Thermostat may have stuck.....which is possible. Just gonna ride it and see....

 

Exactly...which is the main reason I want to remove the cap and check whats going on. If its full than no worries...

 

I guess that is really what I was getting at. Just ignore all the other gobble gook I wrote. But looks like you understood anyways.

 

No worries and that's what I figured!

 

Update:

Checked the coolant and all is well (no air and levels are correct)...rode the bike with the side fairings off and the level in reservoir changes when the bike is hot/cool (it just doesn't change by a whole lot). In any case, no worries, all systems normal, hehe

Never got stuck in a major traffic jam so I just wanted to be sure.