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antifreeze

Posted: Sun Jan 24, 2010 7:08 pm
by Deviant400
just a query ,,,, after flushing rads thru need to refill with with the 50/50 mixture , but before i go buy some antifreeze any one reccomend a particular type , what do you guys use

Re: antifreeze

Posted: Sun Jan 24, 2010 8:33 pm
by fixer
I bought mine from wilkos,50/50 as usual.You can buy more expensive but that is your choice.

Re: antifreeze

Posted: Sun Jan 24, 2010 8:55 pm
by Neosophist
It's not so much about price.. it's about whats in the antifreeze.

Too lazy to type.
Be careful when using anti-freeze in your motorcycle. Car anti-freeze has a silica component - which keeps car systems clean but can damage motorcycle water pumps.
Always use a motorcycle type antifreeze or a car type without silicates. Some car types contain silicates that can accelerate wear on your water pump. This probably doesn't matter for dirt bikes because they just don't put on that many miles, but in a street bike it's important. Use an antifreeze designed for an aluminum engine without silicates. There are several brands on the market, just read the label. Always use distilled water, if possible. This cuts down on the buildup of mineral salts that can coat the inside of the radiator, cutting down it's efficiency. It's also a good idea to replace the hoses every couple of years they tell me but I don't think very many people do. It's still a good idea. Same with the antifreeze.
Overtime the blades in the VFR pump can be eaten away by the silica (fine sand) added to car-type antifreezes, which help keep a car engine clean by polishing the insides.

Price isn't so much an issue just read the label and look for Silica FREE / Motorcycle / Aluminium engine stuff.

Re: antifreeze

Posted: Sun Jan 24, 2010 11:12 pm
by cbr400rrn
Or go buy ready mixed stuff from your local bike shop thats specifically for bikes

Re: antifreeze

Posted: Mon Jan 25, 2010 3:00 am
by Neosophist
cbr400rrn wrote:Or go buy ready mixed stuff from your local bike shop thats specifically for bikes
Yep :)

For the price of the stuff, getting it from a reputable LBS will save you plenty of hassle in the long run.

Wemoto sell it for about £1.50 a litre. you only need 2 litres or so.