coolant change - what needs to be removed

In all the posts on coolant change, no one seems to detail what to remove to access drain plug. Does the rubber mat on left floor board need to come off ? Does the lower side panel need to come off ? a description like the ones posted on wheel removal would really be appreciated. Thanks

miked6960 wrote:

In all the posts on coolant change, no one seems to detail what to remove to access drain plug.  Does the rubber mat on left floor board need to come off ?  Does the lower side panel need to come off ? a description like the ones posted on wheel removal would really be appreciated.  Thanks

Yes, the left rubber floorboard mat needs to come off. Then loosen the lower side panel, but you don't need to fully remove it. Pull the rear of the panel away from the frame and you'll have plenty of room to remove the drain bolt. My hint is, once the coolant is drained, push the bike off the centre stand and tip the Swing way over to the left and then right several times to get more coolant out. This isn't necessary on refilling. Leave the bike on the centre stand, and follow the refilling and air bleeding procedure exactly as the service manual says.

How often does the coolant need to be changed? I have a 2009 with over 44,000 miles and I have not changed it. Never thought about it till this post. Any advise would be appreciated. Thanks.

CathyN wrote:

How often does the coolant need to be changed?  I have a 2009 with over 44,000 miles and I have not changed it.  Never thought about it till this post. Any advise would be appreciated. Thanks.

Do you have an owner's manual?
If so, you should read it.
Every maintenance requirement is described, along with a mileage/time recommendation.

bigbird wrote:

CathyN wrote:

How often does the coolant need to be changed?  I have a 2009 with over 44,000 miles and I have not changed it.  Never thought about it till this post. Any advise would be appreciated. Thanks.

Do you have an owner's manual?
If so, you should read it.
Every maintenance requirement is described, along with a mileage/time recommendation.

I was on the forum saw the subject. Did a search on this forum did not find the answer. There were deleted posts by you. Maybe the answer was there at one time. Not anymore. Just thought I would ask a simple question since I was on the forum and my manual was out in the cold garage.

For anyone who would like to know the answer is the coolant should be replaced at 24,000 miles. According to the owners manual I am 20,000 miles overdue. Will be doing this over the winter.

I can see why some members have left with rude answers like yours.

CathyN,,, glad you got your info. I started keeping my manual here in my 'computer' room. Helps to eliminate "rude" comments. All that aside tho', having not done a search myself on that topic, I'm really surprised no one's done an instruction video on antifreeze replacement (or at least a printed quickie instruction list).

CathyN wrote:

I can see why some members have left with rude answers like yours.

Personally I can't see your problem with bigbird's answer, he gave the OP all the info he needed and you too. As your Owner's Manual says 'Coolant should be replaced by a Honda Dealer, unless the owner has proper tools and service data and is mechanically qualified. Refer to an official Honda Shop Manual'. You must have gone and looked in your Owner's Manual because you now know the coolant should be changed at 24,000 miles so you already had that info at hand.

Your claim to bigbird about some members have 'left with rude answers like yours’, can you back that up with facts and names? I know Honda Silver hasn't be on for a few months for whatever reason, Waspie got pissed off and left, old tarmacburner2 hasn't graced us with his presence for a while, even DennisB disappeared for a time for reasons never disclosed. The only member I can remember bigbird being remotely 'rude' to is larryfromseattle who usually deserved it IMHO. He did leave or was banned but sneaked back on recently as lalee.   

Bigbird         CathyN     It's winter and nothing else to do in Canada.  I believe CathyN was asking for the good of the whole forum and not just herself. It seems a simple "24,000 miles" would have been easier and politer than the answer given. A further comment of "maintenance info is in your manual" could then be added to impress people with your superior knowledge.        

People need to RE-READ their posts before pressing "send". We are using non-verbal communication here and it is impossible to tell ones inflection, body language etc. In other words, check your post to try and determine if it will be taken wrong... If so FIX it. While one person may think he/she is being funny/cute another might take as an insult. Nature of the beast but proofreading could catch a lot of this crap. Now shake hands and come out fighting!

Not rude answer by BigBird----forum is getting less activity as SilverWing is aging, not many new sold and riders are moving on to something else or new designs.

Info often given is good

GHM-PM wrote:

People need to RE-READ their posts before pressing "send".  We are using non-verbal communication here and it is impossible to tell ones inflection, body language etc.  In other words, check your post to try and determine if it will be taken wrong...  If so FIX it.  While one person may think he/she is being funny/cute another might take as an insult.  Nature of the beast but proofreading could catch a lot of this crap.  Now shake hands and come out fighting!

Sorry, nothing wrong or rude with my post. It was factual and non-confrontational. As I said before and will say again, it's all in the manual. It's not my fault that Cathy was inconvenienced by going out to her cold garage to look up the info. If she said she didn't have a manual upfront, that's a different story. Then my inconvenience of going out to my cold garage for my owners manual or going into my warm basement for my service manual would be trumped by Cathy's lack of resources.

Glenn,  I did re-read BB post and mine before I hit the send button.  I felt I needed to comment on it.

Meldrew,  I don't have "proof" of people leaving for these reasons.  I just know what I have read in the past.  And,  that I have stayed away from this forum when members were getting nasty with one another. Thought about leaving  permanently in the past but chose not to.
More friendly and socially adept members outnumber the few who are not.  They contribute with their specific  knowledge of the Swing and scootering.

BB, thought you may have known the answer without looking it up. You know so much about the Swing. I say that respectfully. Sorry did't mean to inconvenience you by going out to your garage. I didn't want to either.

That said no more reason to comment on BB answer and my reply.  The info is out there for the members that's all that matters.

I for one can over look any snarky comments to be able to have access to the years and years of expertise that is on this forum.  People shouldn't be so thin skinned.

I have always changed coolant in my bikes every two years, regardless of mileage. This seems to be a schedule that most bikers I know use, and has always prevented my having cooling system problems.

miked6960 wrote:

I have always changed coolant in my bikes every two years, regardless of mileage.  This seems to be a schedule that most bikers I know use, and has always prevented my having cooling system problems.

I go 3 years on mine. Riding only 7 months/year and not doing John Grinsel rubber band mileage, I feel it's a waste of money for me to change sooner. Besides, Honda Type 2 coolant and any other long life coolant can go up to 7 years without changing in a car. AFAIK, the antifreeze's additives don't wear out any faster in a motorcycle engine than in a car's, and a motorcycle engine's cooling system is no different than a car's when it comes to coolant requirements.

Bring it on!  

CathyN wrote:

I can see why some members have left with rude answers like yours.

1+ on this. I belong to other forums and I don't see these attacks.

Anyone can be disruptive.

:santa-2:    :santa-2:     :santa-2:     :santa-2:    He's watching.    :santa-2:     :santa-2:      :santa-2:  :santa-2: 

So are the Moderators!   


     

Every three years is fine for an interval for coolant change. Whatever works for a rider is fine. I'm comfortable with every two years. But then I probably do most services sooner than some riders, such as oil and filter, etc. No offense taken here, I appreciate the input.

Perhaps now you've got the info you wanted on coolant changes, you could return the favour to the forum and introduce yourself.  

I'm Mike. Sun City Center Fl 2009 Silverwing 2007 Gold Wing

I 've always thought it was the age of the coolant and not the mileage.

Coolant can become corrosive over time.

Honda recommends two years and that's what I go with.

I would not have taken offense at Big Bird's answer.

Even though it was blunt it gave the information needed .