coolant ratio???

[nitro_rhys]

as title could any1 help me out please

[zimm]

some

they'll run with just plain water in .. and it's summer, its not really that important.

[masterofinsanity]

you should always have the correct ratio not only does the antifreeze stop the coolant freezing in the winter it also helps keep it cool in the summer as well as the rust prohibitants contained within to prevent the water pump & thermostats rusting and seizing up.

for the correct ratio please check the manual.

[RedexRobB]

I think its 50:50. Well thats what i buy anyway premixed.

[Jamz]

I think its 50:50. Well thats what i buy anyway premixed.

I'm pretty sure most are 50:50 mixes - the ZXR400 definitely is, and so is just about every other bike I've had!

Dunno if it's cheaper buying pre-mixes or the anti-freeze/deionized water - but you can get deionized water from a lot of cheapo shops like Wilkinsons etc - so don't get duped into paying £1+ per litre from petrol stations!

It is really only for the Winter, though.

BUT, does anyone know about this 'super-coolant' stuff you can buy, that does actually make the bike run cooler?

[rene]

It won’t make the bike run cooler, that’s the job of the thermostat, it can however make the rad work more efficiently. Coolant helps stop corrosion and also raises the boiling point of water, unless it’s an emergency there’s no point running your bike without it.

[Jamz]

It won’t make the bike run cooler, that’s the job of the thermostat, it can however make the rad work more efficiently. Coolant helps stop corrosion and also raises the boiling point of water, unless it’s an emergency there’s no point running your bike without it.

I thought the corrosion was mainly cause by filling the system with hard tapwater?

Is this supercoolant stuff worth it? I think Demon Tweeks sell it... I'll go see if I can find some links...

[masterofinsanity]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antifreeze

[zimm]

super coolant/water wetter works by easing heat transfer across a liquid/solid transition, so yes, it'll help it run a couple of degrees cooler.. no it wont help a standard road going zxr400, its main use is highly stressed race engines (drag racing etc ..)

most circuit racing you are only allowed to run with plain water as it isnt as slippy if you overheat/crash and dump your coolant on track.

the fact that adding anti-freeze raises the boiling point of the water is utterly irrelevant when you consider that a zxr400's operating temperature is between 90' and a smidge over 100', the smidge over being achieved quite happily by the fact that its a pressurised system, the pressure being controlled by the sprung radiator cap (just like your gran's pressure cooker.. and that didnt have anti-freeze in it ! lol)

ok, it does lubricate the water pump a bit.. but for this purpose it doesn't need a specific (or high) concentration of anti-freeze.

as long as there's some in there.. dont worry about it.

[jake]

I dont use any, just water in the track bike. Ive been using water wetter last couple of races, and tbh, it did'ntmake any notable difference. Plus ive heard that it can do bad things to the internals with its slime build up. dunno how true this is, but for that and its price, ive stopped using it.

Winter time, off season, the bike gets antifreeze, probs somethin like 50/50. like zim says, not exact, i just pore some in, and jobs done.
Someones bike got left in a cold van t'other year over winter, just water in it, and it froze and cracked the head!

[masterofinsanity]

doesn't antifreeze change colour when the mixture is right anyway?

[Jamz]

Not really - other than going a lighter shade the more you dilute it!

There's green and red stuff. If it looks brown it's either some serious rust in the system, or more likely someone's put Rad Weld in.

[masterofinsanity]

mines chocolate coloured, havent yet tasted it to see if it is chocolate cos i'm allergic to it, anyone want a taste?

[nitro_rhys]

thanks for all the replies guys!

got a problem though took my bike out earlier and its making a wierd noise pretty loud too it was fine wen i last took it out on wednesday. Its hard to explain il see if i can record it later though

thanks again for the replies

rhys

[zimm]

mines chocolate coloured, havent yet tasted it to see if it is chocolate cos i'm allergic to it, anyone want a taste?

tut tut !

get that flushed Baz !

btw, for anyone wondering how to clean the manky residue out of the overflow/header bottle.. take it off the bike, chuck in a handful of gravel and sand, and some hot soapy water.. then shake .. a lot..

rinse out, and refit... should come up like new