COOLANT DRAIN/REPLACE

[blackvalk]

I drained the radiator and over flow tank in order to change my anti-freeze. I removed a total of about a gallon of anti-freeze.
When I went to refill the over flow container I had an impossible time getting it to flow to the radiator.
I removed the radiator cap and filled the radiator with anti-freeze but I'm having an impossible time getting the two reservoirs to merge and flow.
IS THERE A WAY TO BURP THE SYSTEM OR HAVE I DONE SOMETHING WRONG.
I read that filling the over flow container was the way to re-fill the system. That obviously didn't work.

HELP!
Bill

[hubcapsc]

Without knowing what I was doing, I successfully did it, including the burp,
by following the Factory Service Manual instructions...

http://valkyrienorway.com/download.html

-Mike

[WintrSol]

The overflow container is for just that - the radiator overflows when the coolant gets hot and expands. Assuming all the hoses are intact, this excess will flow up the tube to the overflow tank, pushing out any air left in the line. You should be able to see that the level in the tank has gone up some. When the engine cools again, it will pull that coolant back, and all is well.

[blackvalk]

Thank you.
I need to pull some of the excess from the overflow reservoir. It's full to the top now.

[RonW]

When I went to refill the over flow container I had an impossible time getting it to flow to the radiator.

Just fyi, it's easier if you fill the radiator and the overflow tank separately. There's a tube connecting them, but the tube wasn't meant for filling coolant. If you ever taken a oil filter apart, there's two valves in there ..... an anti siphon valve and a bypass valve which aren't visible. The radiator cap also has two valves in it which aren't obvious. True, the radiator cap is removed to fill the radiator but never mind that for now. It's just that the radiator cap regulates the direction that the coolant flows in the tube and the only way that you can get coolant to flow from the overflow tank uphill to the radiator.



There's a pressure relief valve (orange thingie) built in the radiator cap. Spring loaded at 16 psi.




When coolant heats up in the radiator, pressure builds up. The pressure relief valve opens at 16 psi and the pressurized coolant flows to the overflow tank (or coolant reservoir).




A vacuum relief valve is housed in the pressure relief valve. Like the pressure relief valve, the vacuum relief valve is a one-way valve but it opens in the reverse direction.




When the engine is turned off, coolant in the radiator cools and shrinks in volume creating a vacuum that opens the vacuum relief valve.




This allows atmospheric pressure exerted on the coolant in the overflow tank to push coolant to the radiator replenishing the coolant supply. Or, the vacuum in the radiator siphons coolant from the reservoir tank. You can't get coolant to flow from the overflow tank to the radiator otherwise. The tube that connects the overflow tank to the radiator is labeled a siphon tube in the manual.

[Dusty]

Good one RonW      

Dusty

[Bone]

Try a turkey baster $3 at Walmart.

Great post RonW

[RonW]

thanks @Dusty and @Bone. My days of explaining things in 50 paragraphs are gone when a few pics does it better. Actually, with the lock down, time isn't as much an issue. Here's a lockdown question (trivia) ..... "What's the purpose of the thermostat in radiator systems?" Not many people know the purpose of that valve.

[Chrisj CMA]

thanks @Dusty and @Bone. My days of explaining things in 50 paragraphs are gone when a few pics does it better. Actually, with the lock down, time isn't as much an issue. Here's a lockdown question (trivia) ..... "What's the purpose of the thermostat in radiator systems?" Not many people know the purpose of that valve.

It only has one purpose. To open up at a specified temperature

[Ken aka Oil Burner]

The thermostat allows the engine to come up to operating temperature quickly. Important for your car's heater in the winter, but more importantly for correct fueling and ignition.

[WintrSol]

The thermostat not only makes the temperature come up more quickly, it also keeps it from dropping below that temperature that makes the engine run best. 'Best' is defined by the application, of course.

[RonW]

*I thought the thermostat turned the fan on. But then the fan has its own switch. Also the thermostat isn't wired to the fan, so how can the thermostat turn the fan on. I noticed this when I had to replace a radiator hose. Also, of interest, there's wax encapsulated in the thermostat that melts and expands at a predetermined temperature and the expanding wax opens the thermostat valve. Still trying to figure the *bypass route* for the period the thermostat plugs the radiator hose while the water pump keeps pumping.

[Chrisj CMA]

*I thought the thermostat turned the fan on. But then the fan has its own switch. Also the thermostat isn't wired to the fan, so how can the thermostat turn the fan on. I noticed this when I had to replace a radiator hose. Also, of interest, there's wax encapsulated in the thermostat that melts and expands at a predetermined temperature and the expanding wax opens the thermostat valve. Still trying to figure the *bypass route* for the period the thermostat plugs the radiator hose while the water pump keeps pumping.

I’m no mechanic genius but closed does not need to mean completely closed nothing getting by. It could mean significant restriction.

[RonW]

Must work like that. I'll get it figured out by the end of the lockdown.

[blackvalk]

OK, here is another question about my coolant change.
I filled the radiator with 50/50 anti-freeze and left the designated amount of coolant in the over flow container.
I took a 30 mile ride on Friday. I thought I would check the oil level shortly after returning home.
The metal dip-stick was so hot, I couldn't hold it. I had to use a paper towel.

How do I know that the coolant is keeping the bike at the desired temp?

I was shocked at how hot the dip stick was. I have 45,000 miles on my bike and never really noticed how hot the stick got.

No, the over heat idiot light did NOT come on. Am I good or not???????

Bill

[blackvalk]

Sorry, one more detail you must know.......

The bike ran perfectly, no misfires.......NOTHING OUT OF WACK!

I have always loved this bike. I also have a BMW K-1600B.........

[hubcapsc]

The metal dip-stick was so hot, I couldn't hold it.

Valkyries come OEM with rubber dip-sticks. One of the first things I
did was ditch my chrome dip-stick and replace it with a rubber OEM
one from ebay...

-Mike

[Knapdog]

Just a query from what has been mentioned above..
 After taking the side cover off I noticed that my reservoir was fairly full and upon removing the radiator cap I noticed that the level of coolant was down.
Could this mean that the vacuum relief valve in the radiator cap is not working by not "sucking" back the coolant from the reservoir, once cooled down? .....or is this normal? I've only had the bike a few days and slowly finding my way around it.

[Earl43P]

Refill the radiator, continue to monitor the overflow reservoir level at hot and cold. It should differ, being fuller when hot. Adjust the reservoir level to the cold line for the period you monitor this.

Check the radiator and reservoir coolant levels with the bike level and COLD.
Measure how much, if you continue to require refilling.

I suspect you just had an air pocket.
Worst case, replace the radiator cap and/or verify that the vacuum tube between the reservoir and radiator isn't cracked. < These phat girls are getting old and tubes fail. Tubing is cheap.

[Chrisj CMA]

I have never put fluid into the overflow. With everything drained I pour as much as I can in the radiator. Then start the engine with the cap off and watch what the fluid is doing. Blip the throttle until the radiator “burps” then you can get more in. After that the fluid should go down a tad when you open the throttle but stay near the neck. If it goes below that and doesn’t come back up add more. The overflow reservoir will take care of itself.

[Knapdog]

^^ Much obliged for your help.