Mastiff - coolant change precedure?

[andyw]

Anyone help me out and give me a blow by blow description of the routine for the Mastiff please?

What AntiFreeze/Coolant is recommended or do you use?

Thanks
Andy

[phlat65]

remove the cap, remove the drain bolt on the water pump (only hex head bolt on the WP)
drain coolant into sutable container, be carefull, it will shoot out of the hole pretty far, be prpeared.
After draining is complete, replace bolt, do not over tighten, and fill with coolant slowly at the end to let all air escape. our bikes do have a thermostat (I think), so it can take awhile to fill.

I personally use the VW/Audi Longtime coolant (the Blue one)mixed at 50% with distilled water, and change it anually. you can get it at a VW or Audi dealer, I use the German brand Pentosin for all my fluids

there are many coolant formulas thee days, just stay away from the high silicate formulas. something interesting I just read, conventional coolants use silicate to lay down a corrosion protection layer, that depletes pretty quickly from the coolant, but the new mixes like dex-cool and such suspend the corrosion addatives in the coolant so they last a long time. that is why they consider them lifetime.

having worked on VW's for a lomg time, the blue coolant is the only formula that will keep a water cooled vanagon from corroding the heads at the gasket area and leaking. and it works well with aluminum engine parts.

[cat]

there are many coolant formulas thee days, just stay away from the high silicate formulas. something interesting I just read, conventional coolants use silicate to lay down a corrosion protection layer, that depletes pretty quickly from the coolant, but the new mixes like dex-cool and such suspend the corrosion addatives in the coolant so they last a long time. that is why they consider them lifetime.

having worked on VW's for a lomg time, the blue coolant is the only formula that will keep a water cooled vanagon from corroding the heads at the gasket area and leaking. and it works well with aluminum engine parts.

that's interesting. i don't know if the VW dealers here would have it.

anyway, yes, check the description re the formula - if they don't give any information, go to something else. i've been using MOTUL stuff, including the premixed coolant (which is not more expensive when you look at what they charge for bottles of distilled water here, and i don't have to measure it, i know theirs is right, proper deionised water. ... then there's Silkolene - that MZ recommend, and Motorex.

[keithcross]

The problems with High silicate coolant is well known in another club I belong to. Silicate is basically a fine sand, this scours the inside of the water jacket. Unfortunatly it can also wear the water seal in the water pump.

Keith

[cat]

The problems with High silicate coolant is well known in another club I belong to. Silicate is basically a fine sand, this scours the inside of the water jacket. Unfortunatly it can also wear the water seal in the water pump.

oh! I never heard it that way. No wonder. Well, maybe it's not the only reason, but water pumps / water pump seals seem to be a common point of failure nowadays.
I'm going to check the MOTUL site now - seeing that I can't look at the bottle now.

[keithcross]

I use Silkolene Pro Cool, its works well, but is premixed and is expensive compared to other makes.

Keith

[andyw]

[quote="phlat65"]remove the cap, remove the drain bolt...........[quote]

Much appreciated and input from everyone else on coolant choice........thanks guys

[Fil]

I use Silkolene Pro Cool, its works well, but is premixed and is expensive compared to other makes.

Keith

Me too