Honda coolant

rogo

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I am not seeing any reference in the service manual about the coolant needing to be phosphate free.
No issues with my '05 ST1300.
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ST1100Y

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... the correct stuff to use should read: SILICATE & PHOSPHATE FREE FORMULA...
Interestingly enough is a large (german based) european motorcycle(!) outlet chain ( https://www.louis-moto.co.uk/ ) not even really offering "silicate free" in their house-branded coolants ;)
Asking the sales weasels about "silicate/phosphate free coolant?" just earns you deer in the headlight stares... :biggrin:
So after reading the labels you'll find yourself holding an arm full of bottles with the high-priced stuff: Motul, Liqui Moly (or I just skip that and order my trusted BelRay coolant online again...)
 

Igofar

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While I've had no experience with the waterless coolants myself, I've seen a few bikes that were running the stuff, and some of them were running really hot, probably by no fault of the type of coolant, as I was able to lower the temps down by over 40 degrees by tuning things up better. I found it curious that this "special" coolant still was allowing the bike to run this hot when it was out of tune etc. I often wondered if it would work with the pressures/heat and temps that Honda built these bikes for?
Never bothered researching the stuff myself.
But I have changed a bunch of mechanical seals and water pumps on folks bikes because they used the wrong coolant etc.
YMMV
 

STFlips

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I was pleasantly surprised that my local multi brand dealer has the Honda type 2 cheaper than the top of the line Prestone HD which is nitrate free but doesn’t mention silicates? The Prestone was on sale but $2 more than Honda stuff, woohee,
guess what I picked.
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I thought you'd already stated silicate-free is only half the battle, phosphate-free being the other half, which that Honda coolant doesn't claim.

BTW, when I looked online the ACE stuff is apparently $11.99 these days, so if you're still picking it up for $8 they haven't heard about the price increase yet. Good find on that, I'm disappointed to find that Prestone reworked all of their stuff and the generic extended life 5/150 stuff that I used last isn't the same thing it used to be. Now they have all these Asian/European/NorthAmerican versions instead and silicate-free/phosphate-free doesn't seem to be mentioned on any one version.
 

Igofar

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I thought you'd already stated silicate-free is only half the battle, phosphate-free being the other half, which that Honda coolant doesn't claim.

BTW, when I looked online the ACE stuff is apparently $11.99 these days, so if you're still picking it up for $8 they haven't heard about the price increase yet. Good find on that, I'm disappointed to find that Prestone reworked all of their stuff and the generic extended life 5/150 stuff that I used last isn't the same thing it used to be. Now they have all these Asian/European/NorthAmerican versions instead and silicate-free/phosphate-free doesn't seem to be mentioned on any one version.
You may be correct, I couldn't see the picture that well on my phone, but on the computer I'm only seeing silicate-free.
I'm guessing they are marketing that stuff more towards quads and such.
I won't use any coolant that does not say Both Silicate & Phosphate free, as I hate changing mechanical seals.
Good catch, thanks for pointing that out.
And as far as the ACE stuff, you do know that ACE stores are independently owned, and prices vary greatly from store to store as well as the products they carry.
I'm lucky to have an old one near me (It still has some made in U.S.A. craftsman tools on the shelves) ;)
 
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I was pleasantly surprised that my local multi brand dealer has the Honda type 2 cheaper than the top of the line Prestone HD which is nitrate free but doesn’t mention silicates? The Prestone was on sale but $2 more than Honda stuff, woohee,
guess what I picked.
692B2196-CFBC-4B20-8DDE-32D6885EBE13.jpeg
They changed the packaging. Last gallon I bought was blue and gray. But yeah it is what you want. A good deal which reminds me after my trips I need to also change my coolant.
 

Igofar

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They changed the packaging. Last gallon I bought was blue and gray. But yeah it is what you want. A good deal which reminds me after my trips I need to also change my coolant.
Unless changing the packaging means they changed the formula (think oil) and its no longer safe for your engine.
The type two was marketed for automobiles, quads, watercraft, etc. Why do they have a separate one for their motorcycles?
 
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The Honda Pro motorcycle coolant bottles have no reference to any of its ingredients as far as I can remember. Although I would hope (?) Honda know what's in it and it's good for our bikes cooling health. Maybe, maybe not?
What's the difference to Car Type 2 who knows? Maybe Honda?
Unless they were both to be tested by bright people in white coats I don't think we will ever know.
I believe the 2 year change interval for most is probably a little OTT, it obviously depends on use, but I don't see vehicles parked up at the side of the road overheating that much anymore, not here anyway.
You pays ya money and ya takes your choice.
I'm a motorcycle coolant, motorcycle engine oil type of guy, it's how I roll I spose. Does it cost me a little more, hell yes, but I might also be tempted to leave the coolant in for 3 or 4 years of light use. The bike doesn't seem to mind. I will check the Honda Pro packaging but I'm pretty sure there's no reference to what is or isn't in there. But it tastes sweet.....I know, I know.
Upt'North.
 
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Won't leave this in too long if I find something labelled as recommended, it all goes around, this and the first batch will get into one of the old cars. But interestingly I see a claim on this - good for 500,000 km. I put 328,000 km / 200,000 miles on my Accord over 25 years and changed the coolant only inadvertently when I had to get at something and whatever I lost when I changed the radiator which probably occurred after the 300k mark. We pounded it pretty hard and lots of stuff broke and wore out a couple times but when it went I still had the original water pump and never lifted the head. The coolant color never changed. The engine was as good as day one. I'm not even sure I ever changed the thermostat. Serious abuse and neglect really. Can't do that with a Jeep [I learnt].
 

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Igofar

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Probably just like Honda's re-branded oil, they won't put information on the product because it's re-branded (someone else's oil) and Honda has not certified any tests on their own on these products. Like their oil, there is not API donut or certification number, only a little square that states that what ever is in the bottle meets Honda's requirements (whatever those may be).
Somewhere I have a very old bottle of genuine Honda oil, and I believe the label reads something to the effect of "meets the minimum requirements" why would anyone try and sell a product, or purchase one for that fact, that only meets the minimum requirements of anything :rofl1:
More money for the mother company :rofl1:
 

Andrew Shadow

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Sometimes exceeding the minimum requirement is achieving nothing more than giving a person an unsubstantiated good feeling, but it isn't really providing any increased value.

I somehow doubt that Honda's minimum requirements are the minimum standards that are available in any particular segment of the industry. They are the minimum that Honda has determined will provide service levels that meet their engineering standards. If one accepts that the Honda service manual is the bible, then it follows that the minimum standards that Honda has set should also be more than acceptable as well. There is nothing wrong with exceeding those minimums, but is doing so really providing a significant benefit is what needs to be considered.
 
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the company slogan for one of sheet metal outfits I worked for in the early eighties was,
if it’s tin, we’ll get it in, no fluffy assurance as to whether any of it was gonna work or not but, they sold a lot of “tin’
 
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