[BluesCruiser]

I am at the "change coolant after 2 years" point with my Wee, and could use a little advice. To drain the system do I just pull the bottom end of the radiator hose off where it goes into the engine? It looks like this will leave quite a bit of coolant up in the water jackets.

There is a sensor just to the right of the oil filter...is this oil pressure or coolant temperature? If it is the temp gauge then it looks like removing that would drain the system from the bottom. Of course if it is oil pressure then it will drain the oil from the bottom, too!:furious:

Thanks for your advice.

 

[greywolf]

Buy a service manual from your dealer or Suzuki ATVs and Motorcycles Repair Manuals, Workshop Manuals, Special Tools
The lowest bolt on the water pump housing is the coolant drain bolt. The sensor you describe is for oil pressure.

 

[BluesCruiser]

Great! That's just what I needed to hear. Thank you so much!:thumbup:

 

[BluesCruiser]

OK everything worked fine until I needed to top up the overflow tank. The manual says "add engine coolant to the full line from the engine coolant reserve tank filler." "Tank filler"?? Maybe I could have found it if I had taken off all the fairings, but I ended up squirting it into the overflow tube with a turkey baster. It worked but it made me think of all the non-PC "turkey baster" jokes I have heard!

Is there really an "engine coolant reserve tank filler"?? Inquiring minds want to know!

 

[greywolf]

There is a reserve tank. Its position varies by year. Your profile doesn't give the year of your Wee. The '07s and later have the one that's a bear to get at.

 

[honest bob]

As wise people have said, get a manual if your going to work on these bikes. The manual is the first tool in the box. Henry Ford said, "if you need a tool (manual) and don't buy it, you WILL pay for it, yet never have it.":fineprint:

 

[BluesCruiser]

Thanks Honest Bob. I have a manual and was quoting from it. Pat, I wish mine looked like that. I can now see where it might go in. Mine is an '09 by the way.

 

[honest bob]

Thanks Honest Bob. I have a manual and was quoting from it. Pat, I wish mine looked like that. I can now see where it might go in. Mine is an '09 by the way.

Sorry, I see your post now. I got interrupted while posting and came back to it after you posted. I think these manuals are worded poorly sometimes. (translated from Japanese to French, to English:headbang:.) The "reserve tank filler", is the capped opening in the top of the reserve tank, not a special tool/funnel to facilitate filling the tank. The drain bolt is shown on the bottom right of page 17 section 2.

 

[BluesCruiser]

Hmmm...I think I'll stick to the turkey-baster technique.:thumbup:

 

[Lesman]

Did you clean the overflow tank?

 

[BluesCruiser]

Nope but it looks totally clean. The last owner did the valves at 15k and it looks like when he did he flushed out the coolant. At least it looks clear, clean and green!

 

[Ahnold Stromzenegger]

Coolant flush...

I am currently attempting a coolant flush, and I have a question. I have removed the bottom plug on the water pump, removed the cap off the radiator, and even removed a plug on the engine head that seems to have no purpose other than to vent the cooling system. I have, as the official Suzuki service manual advises, "Slowly (swung) the motorcycle, right and left, to bleed air (or coolant) trapped in the cooling circuit." But I only get approximately 1 - 1.25 quarts of old coolant out of the system at the water pump. As my manual further advises, the reserve tank should hold approximately 0.50 quarts of coolant, and the cooling system itself should hold another 3.5 quarts. If my cooling system holds 3.5 quarts, and I am getting only 1.0 quart out, where are the other 2.0 - 2.5 quarts? I'm guessing I either started with a cooling system that was not full to begin with (from the factory, and I have no leaks) or there is a trick I am missing. Anyone with the same experience?

 

[greywolf]

The manual is wrong. Discrepencies in coolant capacities in the service manual

 

[Ahnold Stromzenegger]

Coolant capacity discrepancy..

Well now, that explains quite a bit. Thanks for the help.