KX Riders

Maintenance & Technical => KX500 Original => Topic started by: martinfan30 on January 26, 2009, 01:35:30 PM

Title: Engine Ice..
Post by: martinfan30 on January 26, 2009, 01:35:30 PM
I searched, but no good results.

I've heard people using "Engine Ice" coolant with good results. Any thoughts?

Best way to flush?
Title: Re: Engine Ice..
Post by: slow600 on January 26, 2009, 01:41:37 PM
i use it in my thumper and the kx. havnt rode the kx in warm weather but my 450 never overheated with it in. fyi go to your local honda car dealership and buy a gallon of honda type2 blue. its the same thing for half the price.
Title: Re: Engine Ice..
Post by: k5abuser on January 26, 2009, 01:44:29 PM
the ice is great . the best way to flush your engine is to take the lower hose off and hold you thumb over the radiator . use distilled water  to flush with (the radiator on my 87 quadzilla looks new inside because that is all i mix with the anti). let the distilled water run though the motor and then though the radiator. mix 50/50 and your ready to go when you bled the air out of the system .
Title: Re: Engine Ice..
Post by: martinfan30 on January 26, 2009, 01:52:44 PM
Is bleeding a problem on these engines?
Title: Re: Engine Ice..
Post by: slow600 on January 26, 2009, 01:55:21 PM
50/50? engine ice comes ready to pour.
Title: Re: Engine Ice..
Post by: martinfan30 on January 26, 2009, 03:00:12 PM
50/50? engine ice comes ready to pour.

I saw that on the bottle too. I just want to make sure when I change the coolant, this will not have any issues in my new 
baby. I plan on flushing with distilled water. I also see a bleeder plug on top of the left radiator tank. Any thoughts on bleeding, and using this new coolant?

Also, what about the T-stat. Is there any issues with it, and should I just get a new one from Kawi? I found certain auto application T-stats work well in the XR's. Is there one that may be the same for the KX5?
Title: Re: Engine Ice..
Post by: slow600 on January 26, 2009, 03:11:29 PM
im sure its not the "correct" way but i just took out the 8mm bolt at the bottom of the water pump. its the one with the copper washer on it. took off the rad cap and let the hose run for a few min, started it up for a few seconds and then repeated. filled up with new coolant and rode it, no bleeding for me. checked the level when it cooled off and it was fine.
Title: Re: Engine Ice..
Post by: Friar-Tuck on January 26, 2009, 03:59:14 PM
 Don't forget the bleeder on the top of the head, (left side top of head) don't want any air pockets down there.
Tuck \o/
Title: Re: Engine Ice..
Post by: martinfan30 on January 27, 2009, 12:30:10 AM
Don't forget the bleeder on the top of the head, (left side top of head) don't want any air pockets down there.
Tuck \o/

OK, just two bleeders. Radiator and head.
Title: Re: Engine Ice..
Post by: KXcam22 on January 27, 2009, 03:45:53 AM
slow600,
  The blue honda coolant is good stuff.  I read about it on some coolant site and have been using it ever since. I was just going to swap my blue honda coolant for some engine ice (for something to try).  What info do you have that says they are the same thing?  Cam.
Title: Re: Engine Ice..
Post by: slow600 on January 27, 2009, 11:55:47 AM
honestly i have no scientific proof just read it on thumpertalk. the honda blue retails for 13.99 a gallon, the engine ice is like 19.95 for a half gallon i beleive. i get it free from work so it was a no brainer. just recently flushed the green out of my kx and did the once a year flush on my 450. the temps on the 450 are exactly the same as with the ice......good enough for me :-D
Title: Re: Engine Ice..
Post by: KXcam22 on January 27, 2009, 03:27:11 PM
On my last ride in never got my 450 out of 1st all day (slow and ugly) and I never got close to overheating, according to the racetemp strips.  It was a cool day but I was crawling through tight stuff on an MX 450.  I guess the blue stuff works. Cam.
Title: Re: Engine Ice..
Post by: dnmac1999 on January 27, 2009, 04:09:47 PM
Will this stuff freeze?
Title: Re: Engine Ice..
Post by: martinfan30 on January 27, 2009, 05:31:42 PM
Shouldn't. Unless you add water to it. It's pre-mixed with de-ionized water so that changes +/- charges present in normal tap/drinking water. That "regular" water can lead to excessive pitting, corrosion on internal water jacket surfaces.

Just completed a thorough flushing with distilled water, then added the "engine ice". Will test it this Saturday.
Title: Re: Engine Ice..
Post by: Bigtim on January 29, 2009, 07:48:39 AM
Will this stuff freeze?

it says -26 f' on the engine ice label. if you left your bike outside all winter in North dakota or something it would freeze. 50/50 regular glycol antifreeze/ distilled water is around-36 f'.  but these products are all about the numbers at the other end of the scale.  Bring the bike inside over winter.  You could switch your 1.1 rad cap to a 1.6 if boiling over is a concern.  I think you pay extra $ for engine ice because it lowers op. temps... resulting in the tinyest little power gain.
Title: Re: Engine Ice..
Post by: dnmac1999 on January 29, 2009, 09:26:17 AM
Ya i was just wondering about it cause i leave mine in a storage unit. Its not heated and we see temp. in the single digits every year. Was just wanting to know if i had to drain every winter or not. 
Title: Re: Engine Ice..
Post by: KXcam22 on January 29, 2009, 10:05:29 AM
It depends on how low the temp gets.  Engine Ice is equiv to 50/50 antifreeze/water which is good to -37C (-34F).  Inside a structure the temp will never get to as low as ambient.  I would feel safe to -30F. Cam.