How To Coolant Fill: 5 Steps & 5 Minutes!

[GeorgiaRoller]

Ok. I needed to top off my coolant since it was below the "Low" mark. I read about turkey basters, funnels, siphons from others who didn't want to take anything apart (no offense to those ) and I wondered "Do I really need to do it that way?"

This way took 5 minutes and all you need is a good funnel with a long neck to it. It involves removing 3 fasteners and that's it.

Step 0: Remove your seat (that's right step ZERO, because if you don't know how to do this you need to turn your bike back into Suzuki ASAP )

Step 1: Remove tank bolt.



Step 2: Move your tank back about 6" and place a board under it to keep it level and above your tank side covers. (You do not need to take you tank off!!!!)



Step 3: Remove both fasteners shown now that your tank is set back 6".



Step 4: On the top trim piece pull down and to the left to seperate the tabs connecting it to the bottom trim piece. Then slighty move the bottom trim piece out and forward about 2" which will fully expose the reserve tank.



Step 5: Pull off rubber stop from the top of the reserve tank. Insert funnel as shown and top off with 50/50 pre-mixed antifreeze.



Reverse steps to put back together.

This literally took all of about 5 minutes to do this. No mess, no dripping hoses, no cramming your hand in between the trim piece to feel around for the reserve tank top, no wondering if you put the plug back in all the way.

I hope this will work as easy for you as it did for me.

[BobbyMac]

Same way I do mine, bro! You da' man!

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[Seabizkit]

I have read about this method before but after seeing your post I just went out to add some to mine.
Thanks for the post! It helped alot!

Jason

[VAcruiser]

Good post. This is the same way I did mine. I tried the other way of cramming my hand in there first, and I dropped the top down in there and couldn't get it back.

[TC01]

I wondered where that was!! Thanks for the post!

[need more power]

thanks GR...I was just thinking that I should check the fluids before my trip to the tunnel of trees in a couple weeks...I know you were a northern michigan guy...I'll post some pictures for you when we get back.

[1dmccoy]

I have one question on your picture. It looks like you have over filled it, wont it rise when the bike is heated up I try to keep mine a little in between the lines because when it gets hot it will rise a little. Am i filling it right.I still have a sports bike way of doing my m109.

[GeorgiaRoller]

my trip to the tunnel of trees in a couple weeks...I know you were a northern michigan guy...I'll post some pictures for you when we get back.

Keweenaw Peninsula?......I think that's where your talking about. I'd always wanted to make it up there but never did. Yeah I like to see those pics.

I have one question on your picture. It looks like you have over filled it, wont it rise when the bike is heated up I try to keep mine a little in between the lines because when it gets hot it will rise a little. Am i filling it right.I still have a sports bike way of doing my m109.

LOL. Yes it was slightly overfilled. It's supposed to be at the top fill line with the engine cold. Having said that I put 800 miles on the bike last weekend and finished the ride home in 94 degree heat and had no problems whatsoever. When the motor is hot it expands and the level rises but theres plenty of room in the reserve for that.

Just when your topping if off go very, very slow and only add as much you need because it's pretty easy to add too much.

[biscuitpimp]

GR, I'm not knocking your method but I just topped mine off yesterday with a squeeze bottle. I just pulled the overflow tube from the left side of the radiator cowling and pushed antifreeze up through the tube. I didnt have to take anything apart at all and it worked perfectly.
this was not my idea. somebody here had posted it a while back.

[KK ENG]

Too easy thanks for that.

[GeorgiaRoller]

GR, I'm not knocking your method but I just topped mine off yesterday with a squeeze bottle. I just pulled the overflow tube from the left side of the radiator cowling and pushed antifreeze up through the tube. I didnt have to take anything apart at all and it worked perfectly.
this was not my idea. somebody here had posted it a while back.

There's always more than one way to skin a cat! If you want to do it that way and it works go for it.

[rollingthunder]

I originally tried the "sneaking my hand in behind the cover and popping off the cork with siphening rubber hose" method. After I dropped the rubber cork down into an area I wasn't going to get my fat hands into, I ended up performing this method and it worked great. You just have to keep an eye on a couple rubber grommets / cushions, but otherwise not a bad method at all. In fact, I was actually able to tighten a few hose clamps while I was down in there.

-RT

[need more power]

after seeing how little fluid had to be added i think i will use the turkey baster in the overflow tube method next time but GR's way is pretty easy too.