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Coolant change on VT1100C3

6K views 16 replies 5 participants last post by  SHADOW 1100T 
#1 ·
Time to do my coolant for the first time. Anyone here done it and have some advice or tips? My Clymer's says the tank and steering cover have to be removed. Does it really? Any other way to get to the cap?

Will I have to replace the tank, run the bike, then take the tank off again as the manual says?

Do I need to flush with plain water, or just make the exchange?

Thanks.
 
#2 ·
Tank and right side garnish cover comes off, you will need a funnel with a long neck to get the coolent in with out splashing it all over, as far as flushing it out I say no, the little bit left in there isn't going to mess up the coolent function, if you flush it with water you have to bring it up to temp to flush the engine, when you drain it there will be water left in there so it's your call, coolent or water left in there.
 
#3 ·
Tank and right side garnish cover comes off, you will need a funnel with a long neck to get the coolent in with out splashing it all over, as far as flushing it out I say no, the little bit left in there isn't going to mess up the coolent function, if you flush it with water you have to bring it up to temp to flush the engine, when you drain it there will be water left in there so it's your call, coolent or water left in there.
 
#4 ·
I used to have a 1999 Aero.

The steering cover must come off completely. The tank can be moved slightly to allow access to the radiator cap. I did not remove the tank completely from the bike.

I never flushed the system. Just drained it and refilled.
 
#5 ·
You need to be sure you use the right type of coolant! what type are you planning on putting in it?
Also if you like you can go to my web site and I have information on how to change the coolant from Honda's OEM service manual and I also have information about the proper type of coolant to use, I also have a list of SOME of the non Honda branded coolants that can be used.
Just click the WWW at the very botttom of this post.

About the fuel tank, you don't have to MOUNT it back on the bike, you can just set it in place.
Another point is if you don't you use a pre-mixed coolant be sure to not use tap water in the cooling system, be sure you use distilled water only.
Mark
 
#7 ·
Relax guys. I can handle the coolant selection. Really. Actually have the Honda OEM product (3 qts) sitting on the workbench. Just thought the
PROCEDURE in the manual could be safely short-cutted, but it sounds like I better just follow the book.

MarkC, thanks for the website. I've referenced it before and it's a great help.
 
#9 ·
As far as running the bike after the change to get any excess air out you can do that without the tank. There is more than enough gas left in the carb. to run the bike for 2-3 minutes before it runs out.
 
#10 ·
Thanks thunderglass! That's just the info I was looking for. I thought of that, but figured there would NOT be enough fuel in the carbs.

BTW, are you in Memphis? My son and I spent a couple of days there 2 or 3 years ago. We are BBQ fans and Elvis fans, so we had a great time. I must say though that the BBQ wasn't nearly as good as the best North Carolina Q!
 
#11 ·
thunderglass said:
As far as running the bike after the change to get any excess air out you can do that without the tank. There is more than enough gas left in the carb. to run the bike for 2-3 minutes before it runs out.
Yea, but did you tell him how hard these bikes can be to start when you run the carbs dry of gas?
MarkC
 
#12 ·
Mark, i see your in W. Virginia, I picked up the bike i have now and rode it back to Washington St., i had just cleared the first toll house in W. virginia and run out of gas, it took forever to get it running again, thought I was going to run the battery down and really be stuck, then it seemed forever before I found a gas station, things are kinda spread out in that part of the country.
 
#13 ·
SHADOW 1100T said:
Mark, i see your in W. Virginia, I picked up the bike i have now and rode it back to Washington St., i had just cleared the first toll house in W. virginia and run out of gas, it took forever to get it running again, thought I was going to run the battery down and really be stuck, then it seemed forever before I found a gas station, things are kinda spread out in that part of the country.
Ted, your not getting confussed about the difference between West Virginia (WV.) and Virginia (VA.) are you? you are aware that they are two different states right?

Back to running these bkes out of gas. Many folks think that because these bikes have electric fuel pumps that running out of gas isn't a problem, when in fact they are MUCH worse than running out of gas on a motorcycle that is gravity fed fuel delivery system.
MarkC
 
#14 ·
I'm not confused, picked up the bike in Virginia and went thru West Virginia and headed North to Wa. State, i have to say that the rest stops in both Virginia's are down right beautiful, you won't know just how nice they are untill you see what we have in Washington St.,,,,Fugly, too bad the roads aren't as nice, some of the roughest road I was on was in both Virginia's and they were toll roads on top of that,,,O well. :roll:
 
#15 ·
SHADOW 1100T said:
I'm not confused, picked up the bike in Virginia and went thru West Virginia and headed North to Wa. State, i have to say that the rest stops in both Virginia's are down right beautiful, you won't know just how nice they are untill you see what we have in Washington St.,,,,Fugly, too bad the roads aren't as nice, some of the roughest road I was on was in both Virginia's and they were toll roads on top of that,,,O well. :roll:
I didn't mean to offend you, but I find a lot of people that are not from WV think that West Virginia is just the West side of Virginia.
And for the roads here in WV, I drive the same 20 mile stratch of Interstate to work and I have done so for 30 years. The road is ALWAYS under construction "Always"!!!! (somewhere along the way) and the thing is its always in bad condition.
MarkC
 
#16 ·
In no way was I offended, that's one of the problems with reading the little black letters on the screen, you can't see the smile on my face when I wrote that remembering the time I had in Virginia, one thing I did learn in a hurry was to say Washington State when the question come up, everybody thought I was from Washington DC :lol:
 
#17 ·
In no way was I offended, that's one of the problems with reading the little black letters on the screen, you can't see the smile on my face when I wrote that remembering the time I had in Virginia, one thing I did learn in a hurry was to say Washington State when the question come up, everybody thought I was from Washington DC :lol:

The fellow I got the bike from give me the whole story on WV, I found it to the really interesting. The day I took off for home I had to ride like heck, hurricane Ernesto was just coming in and getting ready to dump on you guys, I just barley made it out in time.
 
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