C50 coolant level

[BudTheGrey]

I finally found something that Suzuki did really, really wrong on the C50. In practicality, you need to remove the cover to inspect the coolant level.

What led me to this conclusion was that after I got the bike back from the dealer after having the valves adjusted and a general pre-season check over, I though I noticed the odor of a coolant leak. I let it go at first, thinking probably some fluid had been spilled on the motor. A few days later it persisted, so I checked the things I could.

The owner's manual shows how to check & top off coolant, but doesn't say if it should be done when the bike is hot of cold. With the bike cold, the level was down below the "low" mark, so I filled it up to the "high" mark and went for a ride (see yesterday's 'first ride of the season' topic). At first I thought I got a whiff of coolant, but it went away as the ride went on.

Today, when i got home from work, I immediately popped the cover, and the fluid level is down to just about the "low" mark. Again, do I check hot or cold?

I'm trying to establish whether or not the deal might have left a clamp loose or something, or if maybe it was just overfull when they gave it back.

TIA for any advice.

[C50 Limited]

I don't have any factual information on this but it would seem that, since the coolant should expand when hot, you would want the level to be at (or slightly above) the low level when cold and at (or slightly below) the high mark when hot. As I said, I pulled that out of my arse, but it seems logical to me. The dealer or manufacturer should be able to tell you the facts. Please post when you find out.

[BudTheGrey]

As it turned out, this experience re-enforced my faith in the local dealer. I stopped by yesterday & told the story, and asked for advice. The service manager asked it I could leave it overnight and they'd make room for it today.

They got done this afternoon. The mechanic did a pressure test and fond that it was loosing pressure / fluid, but found no big leak. He took everything apart, cleaned the hose connections (apparently one had something between the hose and the fitting. Refilled it, did a 30 mile test ride, and confirmed no leak or loss of pressure.

After he told me all that, I figured it was at least 4 hours of labor, since getting to the hoses means removing the seats & gas tank, plus testing and etc. The bill was $0.00. The service manager said the problem occurred under their care, it was up to them to fix it.

The ride home was just over 20 miles. I could smell fresh cut grass, "organic fertilizer" that was spread on the corn fields, and steaks on the BBQ's. But I didn't smell any coolant.

[robertc729]

Cool to hear your service department took care of you like that, most won't admit a mistake that costs them that much time to fix.

[ChicsterMG]

Bud, glad your service department worked out for ya.

I still have the question of when you should check the fluid level. Like you said the owner's manual does not specify. It does say that you should have the bike on the stand when adding fluid, so, I am assuming that you should check it on the side stand.

So, check my thread on backfiring and a squeal, your post got me thinking. If the fluid level is low and the radiator is under pressure, it could cause a vacuum making it squeal. I went to garage and checked the coolant. Yep, it is almost non-existant! Makes me wonder if it was not checked during the 600 miles service. Shame on me for not checking it earlier, but, it should not have gone that low so quickly.

[PhilC64]

Now you have me thinking about my fresh from the dealer C50T. This is my first liquid cooled bike so it might be a new experience for me. How often should the fan cycle and should it be audibly noticible when it kicks on? Like I said, this is my first time for a bike with a radiator so I might be "over noticing" it.

[Colorado Cajun]

One quick way to see if you have coolant in the resovoir is look with a flash light under the bike from the right side. You can see the tank but you can't see the full line. It is good for a quick check to make sure you got coolant.

Phil, If you are riding in a hot climate, the fan will kick on. You can hear it. Mine only seems to kick on when it is past 70 degrees out side. I guess that it finally gets hot enough when the outside temp is higher.

[mateohly]

I am in Arizona and it is already supposed to hit temps in the 100's this week. I find that my fan comes on regularly when I am riding or stuck in slow or stopped traffic. How long I have been riding seems to affect how fast the fan comes on in those conditions.

[POE-BOY SAMICH]

Originally Posted by mateohly

I am in Arizona and it is already supposed to hit temps in the 100's this week. I find that my fan comes on regularly when I am riding or stuck in slow or stopped traffic. How long I have been riding seems to affect how fast the fan comes on in those conditions.

+1
Same for me here in TX. I rarely take a ride and NOT have the fan click on at least a couple of times, unless I'm riding in the early a.m. when it's still below 70F.

ChicsterMG,
I doubt they checked your fluid level if it's not an item listed in the manual. I would bet many dealers would limit their 600 mi service to only those things mentioned in the manual (even less than that for some shady dealers).

[dragbar]

Your fan should definately be coming on during slow traffic in heat. If it's hot outside, your stuck somewhere and you can't remember if you've ever heard your fan kick on in your life? I'm worry it wasn't working.

But definately check you coolant at the cold level, just like auto's. If you take the cover off, use a marker to mark the lines so it's easier to see. And unless i'm mistaken, the tank is NOT slanted per se on the bike, so you should be checking it straight up.

Go to parts store or wherever and grab you one of those extended mirrors that you should be using to check your oil So you can see while in the seat.

[tlwisner]

Originally Posted by BudTheGrey

After he told me all that, I figured it was at least 4 hours of labor, since getting to the hoses means removing the seats & gas tank, plus testing and etc. The bill was $0.00. The service manager said the problem occurred under their care, it was up to them to fix it.

Anybody can screw up, but a dealer that takes care of it is a good dealer to have.

Thios nthread should be a good reminder for all of us liquid cooled types to check our coolant.

[coyoteiowa]

as a new c50t owner I have smelled coolant and now you got me wondering if mine has issues... With only 300 miles on the bike the dealer says "its just that new smell". seems everything seems to a new issue with them.

Btw Im very surprised they admitted fault.

[BudTheGrey]

Originally Posted by ChicsterMG

I still have the question of when you should check the fluid level. Like you said the owner's manual does not specify.

I asked the mechanic that did the work. He sez that when the engine is cold, the fluid level should be up to or just above the "low" line in the tank. The tank is mostly an expansion area, so when the engine is hot, the level should be closer to the top line.

[BudTheGrey]

Originally Posted by PhilC64

Now you have me thinking about my fresh from the dealer C50T. This is my first liquid cooled bike so it might be a new experience for me. How often should the fan cycle and should it be audibly noticeable when it kicks on?

I got my C50Le at the high of summer last year (July 21st). On hot days, the fan won't come on at road speed. It will come on, with noticeable noise, in town, stop/start driving, or on very low spped roads (I was on a 8 mile stretch of freshly graded WET clay. I sure did take my time there). After a couple thousand miles the mufflers will "burn off" and get a little louder, hopefully covering the sound of the fan some.

[BudTheGrey]

Originally Posted by coyoteiowa

as a new c50t owner I have smelled coolant and now you got me wondering if mine has issues... With only 300 miles on the bike the dealer says "its just that new smell".

So pull the cover off the coolant tank, and monitor the coolant level. Put a piece of masking tape on it and make a mark every 100 miles or so. In your dealer's defense (kinda), the guy that worked on my bike showed me where the fill pipe for the coolant is (hint -- remove the seats and the tank). If would be a super human effort to put in the coolant and not spill some into the fins of the radiator. That would cause some odor for a while when driving. Try washing out the radiator fins.

Originally Posted by coyoteiowa

Btw I'm very surprised they admitted fault.

Our first experience with dealer was getting a new rear tire on my wife's 99 Savage. I told them my preference was Dunlop, and they looked in the catalog and ordered the tire. I picked up the bike after then installed the tire, and when i got to work, I noticed a rub mark on one side of the tire; bad enough that the rubber was beginning to melt. I called them from work. "don't ride it any more" they said, and sent a truck and trailer to pick it up.

Long story short, if you look in a catalog catalog using the bike model, rather than tire size, you get what that manufacturer offers. In this case, some are 90 series, and some are 80 series, and the dunlop was the wider series. It was rubbing on the head of the mounting bold for the saddle bag bracket when a rider was seated on the bike. Some research found the right size Dunlop tire (fits a VTX1300, iirc). They ordered it, mounted it and my additional out of pocket was the $10 price difference in the tires.

Here's a kicker; I didn't buy either of these bikes at this dealer. My wife's was a private sale. For mine, I was looking for a C50T; this dealer didn't have one. The other dealer (50 miles away) didn't either, but he did have the last C50LE to be had in northern NY, and the rest is history.

[PhilC64]

Thanks Bud! I guess I'm just a bit nervous with my first new bike in 15 years!

[Colorado Cajun]

Originally Posted by coyoteiowa

as a new c50t owner I have smelled coolant and now you got me wondering if mine has issues... With only 300 miles on the bike the dealer says "its just that new smell". seems everything seems to a new issue with them.

Btw Im very surprised they admitted fault.

There is a oily type of liquid they spray on the engine at the factory to prevent any rusting when it is shipped from Japan. I forgot what it is called. Anyway, it takes a little while for it to all burn off. That may be what you are smelling.

Anyone know what it is called?

[ZukiChaos]

Originally Posted by BudTheGrey

I got my C50Le at the high of summer last year (July 21st). On hot days, the fan won't come on at road speed. It will come on, with noticeable noise, in town, stop/start driving, or on very low spped roads.

Same with my bike. Temps have to be in the 80's+, and when I stop is when I hear the fan kick in.

I thought with it being liquid cooled the bike wouldn't breathe hot air back onto me, but it does anyway--with or without fan running...just to set your expectation level.