Draining coolant/water for winter and not refilling, any damage?
- Thread starter 油井緋色
- Start date
Riceburner
Well-known member
not if they have room to expand. Only chance is if it's trapped in a small chanel and freezes on the ends and the middle swells....enough to crack something non flexible.
I guess it's safer to just fill it with coolant and run the bike for a few minutes?
Riceburner
Well-known member
yep.
Leaving the system empty won't do any damage. The drain bolt should be at the lowest point in the system and normally on the left side, so that with the bike on the side stand, the radiator drains downhill. If you have the bike on a paddock stand, tilt it side to side with the drain bolt open to encourage more of it to get out. Whatever remains in the system in minor low pockets won't be a problem. It's like an ice cube tray in your freezer - the water has a place to go, so it doesn't break the tray.
It's a whole lot easier in the springtime to refill it with water if you don't have to flush out coolant in the process.
DO put a piece of masking tape over the ignition switch with "NO COOLANT" written on it until such time as you refill it.
It's supposed to go below freezing this weekend, so now is the time to take care of this.
It's a whole lot easier in the springtime to refill it with water if you don't have to flush out coolant in the process.
DO put a piece of masking tape over the ignition switch with "NO COOLANT" written on it until such time as you refill it.
It's supposed to go below freezing this weekend, so now is the time to take care of this.
LupusInterOves
Member
My understanding is that most modern antifreeze/coolant has anti-corrosion inhibitors and pump seal lubricant/conditioners as well. Personally, I would never store long term without coolant but to each his own.
This is the main reason I'm asking. Should I bother removing the water from the small reservoir or just let it freeze?
people run their track bike without coolant
Riceburner
Well-known member
Isn't that what water wetter, etc are for...to replace the additives in coolant...
FYI: I used to run Wetter and change to coolant for storage. Worth the time to me. Do what you want.
FYI: I used to run Wetter and change to coolant for storage. Worth the time to me. Do what you want.
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If it currently HAS water in it...replace it with antifreeze, RUN THE ENGINE (take it for a drive) and then check it's strength to make sure any remaining water didn't dilute it below safe freeze levels, and leave it be for the winter. Just adding coolant and NOT running the engine is asking for disaster if you have a pocket of just water left sitting somewhere in the water jacket - it must be run (to full operating temperature to open the thermostat) to properly mix things.
Leaving a coolant system empty through the winter, particularly if it had water in it is a bad idea - just emptying the coolant system / rad doesn't mean everything is going to 100% gravity drain out of every nook and cranny..so that little pocket of water left somewhere can and will freeze and probably damage something.
Likewise, seals and gaskets that are designed to be constantly bathed in liquid will dry out and possibly crack if the system is left empty.
Leaving a coolant system empty through the winter, particularly if it had water in it is a bad idea - just emptying the coolant system / rad doesn't mean everything is going to 100% gravity drain out of every nook and cranny..so that little pocket of water left somewhere can and will freeze and probably damage something.
Likewise, seals and gaskets that are designed to be constantly bathed in liquid will dry out and possibly crack if the system is left empty.
油井緋色;2355003 said:
Beats having to pull the engine in the spring because the block or head cracked somewhere. Way cheaper too.
What'd you do with the tiny reservoir?
When you guys say "water", are most of you meaning "Coolant"?
Not sure how many of you have ever had an engine apart, but just gravity draining the coolant system leaves a lot of fluid (hopefully coolant) sitting in a LOT of places. If it's water, and it freezes...wow, Russian Roulette.
Not sure how many of you have ever had an engine apart, but just gravity draining the coolant system leaves a lot of fluid (hopefully coolant) sitting in a LOT of places. If it's water, and it freezes...wow, Russian Roulette.
LupusInterOves
Member
Far from the same situation. And I didn't say it was going to definitely cause problems. But with the major potential for trapped water to freeze over the winter, and without the added protection from the corrosion inhibitors and pump seal lubricants/conditioners, why not just store it with coolant other than being lazy and risking it?
