still confused on checking/adding coolant..details please

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yankeeslover

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im soo sorry.. you are talking to a complete dummy when it comes to mechanics... once again 2000 sxr 700... im alittle low on coolant in the overflow tank.. tonight im gonna grab a coolant tester from walmart and test it... im also gonna hunt down some 60/40 premix... how again exactly do I add this coolant? do I open up the radatior cap and add there? do I do this with engine running? engine off? cold engine? warm engine? once I take off radiator cap do I have to bleed it? if so, how do I bleed it? I hear bleed from motor, and others say bleed under seat, is bleeding required if im just adding coolant? I don't mean to ask so many questions, I just want to make sure I do it right the first time, then I know the correct way next time and no questions asked..thanks again...
 
If your coolant tests ok and you're just adding some, just put it in the overflow tank to the full line and you're done. Same as a car.
 
Please forgive me if I sound stern. The FIRST thing you need to do is test it! Pull radiator cap and suck some up into tester. If test comes back at 31 (straight water freezes @ 32) then drain ALOT/MOST/AS MUCH AS YOU CAN then refill with 50/50 or 60/40. If you cant find desired mix you can mix it your self. If mixing yourself spend the extra money and buy distilled water (garden hose is fine for car, I wouldnt put it in my sled). You will then need to bleed system from either or possibley both under seat and motor locations. If it comes back at 0 then I would drain some (1/4-1/2 gallon) replace with STRAIGHT antifreeze. May or maynot have to bleed from either or both locations. If it comes back at -20/-30 then top off with 50/50,60/40 and shouldnt need to bleed system. You can take cap of as many times and as often as you want with no reason to bleed the system. Where the bleeding system becomes a factor is when you introduce air into a fluid system.
 
To answer other questions...Yes take cap off and fill there. You can add coolant at any temp range or with engine running or not. For the sake of safety do it with sled sitting as level as possible (on flat ground) and with engine cold
 
so in short, my overflow bottle is real low right now... I can test the coolant right from that bottle? if it comes out good which im hoping, then I can add 60/40 right into the overflow bottle and not worry about the radiator cap? I don't have to add extra to radiator cap itself just overflow jug? and if theres not enough coolant to test in the overflow tank I can open radiator cap and take it out of there to test, but even doing that I Still don't have to bleed it? so if I take some out of radiator itself in motor and test it, it does not have to be bled? im doing this in morning... just not sure if I have enough coolant in jug to test, I don't want to pull all the coolant out of jug and then have to bleed it...
 
yankeeslover said:
so in short, my overflow bottle is real low right now... I can test the coolant right from that bottle? if it comes out good which im hoping, then I can add 60/40 right into the overflow bottle and not worry about the radiator cap? I don't have to add extra to radiator cap itself just overflow jug? and if theres not enough coolant to test in the overflow tank I can open radiator cap and take it out of there to test, but even doing that I Still don't have to bleed it? so if I take some out of radiator itself in motor and test it, it does not have to be bled? im doing this in morning... just not sure if I have enough coolant in jug to test, I don't want to pull all the coolant out of jug and then have to bleed it...
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If theres coolant in the overflow jug then it should be full at the radiator cap so in theory you will not be able to add at the cap as it would over flow the housing and run all over in the belly pan. You can remove radiator cap to test if you can get any out of over flow jug WITH OUT ANY CONCERN ABOUT BLEEDING. Radiator cap/overflow is the highest point in cooling syaytem, antifreeze runs down hill. The cap on your over flow is vented....right? Those vents are there to let the trapped air out of cooling system. Where bleeding becomes necesary is when you have had system apart in lower areas of system and let large amounts of air into areas that water pump has a hard time pushing the air out.
 
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