coolant top-up

[short-edd]

I need to top-up the coolant level (owned the bike for 6 days) I’m not a complete mechanical idiot but it looks like I have to strip half the bike to get at the bottle, Please tell me I’m wrong.
Surely there’s an easier way to top-up the coolant.
Edd

[Descolada]

No, you're not wrong. You need to remove the seat, remove the side panels. remove the tank retaining bolt from the far end of the tank (furthest away from the handlebars). Next you need to loosen the mounting bolt at the top pf the tank (by the handlebars) and then lift the tank up at the lower end. You use the bolt retaining bracket to wedge the tank up into place.

I don't think you can get a pipe up and into the reservoir because you still need to get the cap off the reservoir tank in the first place.  

Anyone else know if you can do a work around to this. Could you, for example, add coolant by pressure feeding it up the overflow pipe?

[greywolf]

If your coolant tank is under the rear fuel tank support as in the picture, you may be able to loosen the coolant tank enough for access but propping up the fuel tank insures success. Leave the front cross bolt place. Some people only loosen the side cowlings but I worry about scratching something. The overflow hos is also a vent so pressure feeding through it can blow the cap. See the following on how to access under the fuel tank. http://www.vstrom.info/Smf/index.php/topic,10933.0.html

[Jacko]

Yeah, real smart job Suzuki. I topped mine up when I lifted the tank to fit the Scottoiler. It won't be getting topped up again until I need to lift the tank for some other reason.

[mr_diver]

 can top mine up removing the black plastic panel by the seat and the tank.

K6's rule  

[greywolf]

 can top mine up removing the black plastic panel by the seat and the tank.

K6's rule  

That got in the way of ABS installation so it had to be moved. I'll neener ABS over ease of coolant addition any day.

[bosnjo]

Let me guess GW, Glee is the same? Still haven't checked on "how to" on mine, just lifted up the seat and and confirmed coolant level was OK.

[greywolf]

Let me guess GW, Glee is the same? Still haven't checked on "how to" on mine, just lifted up the seat and and confirmed coolant level was OK.

Right. It's the same for for the same reason, making room for the ABS pumps on some or all models since 2007.

[Little_Chris]

GW, I lifted the tank on mine today to ACF50 under it and to run some new wiring for additional lights. The expansion bottle was about 50% full; is that about right? Now I know what I'm doing, I reckon to lift the tank is about a 20 minute job.

[greywolf]

There are high and low marks on one side toward the front. Since the job is so tedious though, I over fill mine to where the curve on the left side starts. It won't overflow from that height and that's all that matters on the high side..

[crazyhorse]

Hi

I am not sure if anyone else has posted this, as a another way of topping up the coolant res. on a late 650 or a Glee.

If you remove the right hand, what Suzuki call 'Frame Cover', the bit between the tank and carrier. (I am talking about the Glee at the moment). Five minute job max!

Alongside the main alloy frame, adjacent to the expansion bottle, is the vent tube from the top of the coolant bottle.
If you pull this up you will find a 'T piece' which joins the air vent from the fuel tank and the coolant tank together, and all this vents down to the rear brake pedal area.

Now prise the hose from the coolant bottle, from the 'T piece' and use this hose to top up with coolant.
(By whatever means you find convenient).

This is easy compared to getting to the point of lifting the rear of the fuel tank to gain access to the stopper on top of the coolant res.

If you have a carrier fitted, and I expect most of this forum do, it will take a little longer, but not by much, and sure beats the Suzuki method of getting to the point of raising the rear of the fuel tank, to top up.

Sorry about the long windedness, but its easy to do, and hard to put in words.

Let me know how you get on, or if you find doing it this way wrong, in any respect!

TTFN
Crazyhorse

[short-edd]

I finally managed to top it up (by cheating) I removed the plastic frame covers (2 fixing)
removed the rear tank bolt and wedged the tank up with a 3” block of wood.
Just enough room to lift off the rubber bung and inserted a 1/4” clear flexible tube into the header and filled to level required.
Wish I’d found the “T” piece first.
Edd.

[Jacko]

Stupid place to put an expansion bottle, absolutely no excuse for that whatsoever.