Checking coolant level hack

4759 Views 6 Replies 4 Participants Last post by Jambriwal, Aug 2, 2019

Geepers

Discussion Starter · Jul 12, 2019

Just place a flashlight up against the reservoir and you can see how much is in there without pulling the side cover and messing with that dipstick which is almost impossible to read anyway.

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that is a good service tip. thanks Geeps.
just a question; why? does coolant ever dissipate over the course of a normal routine service change? am just curious. does anybody ever check their coolant level in their new Honda automobiles? or other for that matter? I have had at least six water cooled m/c. and have done regular service maintenance on them for years and 100k miles. I never did or needed to add coolant. I have flushed these systems and refilled them. but have never added to them. I suppose topping off the expansion tank wouldn't hurt anything. you cant over fill the radiators, any excess coolant will get pushed out the tank overflow and spill on the pavement.
but I guess it doesn't hurt any to just know that your coolant level is satisfactory. sleep well. poncho

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Geepers

Discussion Starter · #3 · Jul 12, 2019

Poncho said:
just a question; why? does coolant ever dissipate over the course of a normal routine service change? am just curious. does anybody ever check their coolant level in their new Honda automobiles? or other for that matter?

You're right actually. I'm always checking coolant and oil in my motorcycles but rarely do in my car. Go figure. I'll have to ponder that one...

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Poncho

· #4 · Jul 12, 2019

Geepers said:
You're right actually. I'm always checking coolant and oil in my motorcycles but rarely do in my car. Go figure. I'll have to ponder that one...

where your treasure (money) is, so is your heart.. some just put them into their toys

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KUGO

· #5 · Jul 12, 2019

I also don't check the tire pressure in my 4-wheeled vehicles most every other time I hop in/on, but do with the bike. Have sensors/alerts that clue me in to potential trouble before it happens, with both four wheels and two, but I recognize that the odds are greater for personal mishap if I get something wrong and I don't have the cage around me. I'm a better driver because of life-long riding, too. I guess my only real point is that I take a bit more care/precaution with the bike, primarily for the safety reasons. I used to race 1/4 mile with a former street Corvette that was my daily driver. I didn't pre-check everything if I was going to the grocery for milk, but I checked everything if I was going to the strip that day.

Took my car into the Cadillac dealership for an oil-change last month. (Another sensor told me it was time.) When I got it home I assumed everything had been done correctly. Out of habit, I checked the oil lever that next weekend. It was THREE QUARTS LOW! Never a drop underneath, not burning any, so what happened? Never low before. I have my theory, and the dealership now knows it, but sure glad I checked it before I took it anywhere out of town. Sometimes those of us who get accused of being a bit anal are simply happier knowing for sure that all is well. Sometimes, you have to check your own 6.

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Poncho

· #6 · Jul 12, 2019

KUGO said:
Sometimes, you have to check your own 6.

when you do your own work, you still check it, right after your done putting in 4qts.. why would you not check it when someone else (suppose) does it.? we hardly trust ourselves, why would we trust someone else with our machines? just because we pay for a service does not guarantee the it was done / right.

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Jambriwal

· #7 · Aug 2, 2019

Good tip on the Flashlight. After changing my coolant i check it the Honda way. Full temp and let it idle 2 to 3 min. Shut it of wait 2 to 3 min. With bike in upright position. So far good. The clean coolant off dipstick fast. You have to be ready.
Next time Flaslight.!!!!!

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