I have been unable to verify if KLRs are shipped with an antifreeze
containing " silicate based anti-corrosion ". Personally I doubt it,
it's probably a extended life , or non-silicate package . perhaps you
could include the source of your information.
I use the Maxima Coolanol. I like it because it is premixed 50/50, so
it's ready to use right out of the bottle. Use of too strong of an
antifreeze solution can hinder heat transfer from the engine, and
promote silicate dropout. Pure water conducts heat better than
antifreeze and corrosion inhibitor; therefore, the addition of
antifreeze or other chemicals reduces the water's capacity to draw
heat off the engine. So 50% antifreeze/ 50% soft or distilled water
is the way to go.
The problem with silicate coolants is they can potentially lead to
silicate drop-out. When silicates present in antifreeze drop out,
they build up and form a gel. A number of things can start this
process: high silicate levels from incorrect antifreeze
concentrations or improper use of coolant additives, impurities in
very hard water, and severe engine temperature swings. "Boiler-scale"
(calcium salts), especially present in used engines, present the
largest threat of silicate dropout. Mixing incompatible types of
silicate antifreezes can also lead to the coolant turning to gel.
The main effects of the formation of this silicate gel are clogging
of the heat exchanger, and engine overheating. Silicate gel buildup
greatly reduces heat transfer to the coolant. When the gel coats the
temperature sender, engine overheating can take place without notice.
Silicate gel also carries abrasive particles to the water pump, where
it wears away pump seals causing leakage and failure.
I realize a lot of products are created and sold to satisfy peoples
need for ego-gratification. People feel good about themselves when
they spend money.
But I really feel that the benefits of using silicant free coolants
are real. That's my story and I'm sticking with it.
Conall
http://www.angelfire.com/co/klr650/coolant1.html
--- In
DSN_klr650@yahoogroups.com, Stanford Johnsey
wrote:
> Last time I looked the KLR650 was made by Kawasaki, not Honda. The
KLR650 came from the factory with ethelyne glycol based anti-freeze
with a silicate based anti-corrosion (the best by far for aluminum)
package. I'm sure that Kawasaki wouldn't use something that would
harm their seals. This appears to be a Honda and probably GoldWing
specific problem.
>
> kdxkawboy@a... wrote:
> In a message dated 2004-12-25 6:07:34 AM Pacific Standard Time,
> swjohnsey666@y... writes:
>
> >
> >
> > An old wives tale. Car anti-freeze and brake fluid will also
cause your
> > clutch to slip. I have used green Prestone in every bike I have
ever had and
> > never had a seal failure. The current KLR650 has about 18,000
miles, all with
> > Prestone and no problems.
> >
> >
>
> Not an old wives tail, Honda absolutely states you cannot use
silicate type
> coolants with their bikes. I learned about the problem through
Motorcycle
> Consumer News - they had run a survey of Gold Wing owners and
discovered something
> like 80% of the water pump problems had occurred shortly after
replacing the
> coolant with automotive coolant, they contacted Honda and got the
answer, why
> of course they failed, that's why we tell people not to use
silicate based
> coolants and when MCN went back to the Honda manuals that is what
was printed.
>
> At the time I read the article I'd just finished rebuilding the
water pump on
> my KDX for the third time, flushed my coolant and put in Maxima
coolant and
> that water pump held until I sold the bike several years later. I'd
talked to
> the guys at the local shop and they where of the same mind being
most the
> failed water pumps they worked on where in bikes using automotive
coolants. so just
> for general principals I rebuilt the water pump on my KLR and found
scoring
> on the shaft where the seal seats. Its the silicates getting caught
under the
> seal that cause the problem.
>
> Pat
> G'ville, Nv