If you id the juice as AF and not oil, then you will need to see where its leaking from. Yes, pulling the left n right middle cowls will tell you a lot, but not really give you access to the thermostat housing. My hoses were leaking at the large spigot on the left side of the housing (driver's left). Since I saw some corrosion on the housing, I replaced the hoses. While you are in there, you might consider swapping out the stat n o ring for new pieces, but I am getting ahead of myself.
You should be able to see the stat housing and signs of leakage from one or both sides. You will be looking with a good flashlight behind the radiator, and behind that cross brace just above the bottom of the V of the engine. Also check all the hose to radiator connections. To do significant work in this area you either need a trained pet octopus or you will have to pull the radiator OR go in from above. The latter gives you more room to work, but involves pulling the gas tank, air cleaner, air cleaner housing, and I think, throttle bodies. This gives you access to the whole area around the thermostat housing and you can replace any and all hoses and clamps if you wish. A less roomy alternative is to remove the front wheel, dangle the calipers from string or wire hung on the handlebars, remove the fender, pull the radiator, and take off the cross brace behind the radiator. Since your aunt freeze is 2 years old, and Honda recommends changing it every 2 years, this is the path I took and would recommend. At 17 years, your hoses should be carefully examined, but replacing the ones behind the stat housing is going to be difficult from the front (Larry says its possible - I don't disbelieve him but I do think it is beyond the capabilities of most of us mortals not blessed with his repertoire of incantations). Many guys who have worked atop the engine (
@CYYJ, for one) have said the hoses last a long long time.
Now that I have bored you with background info, when I had a drip, I decided to replace some of the hoses. Unclip the fan connectors (small screwdriver prying up on the barely visible tiny tab to release the male n female parts), remove the big hoses from the radiator to drain the system, go change your clothes and clean up all the AF you spilled on the floor, remove the radiator mounting bolts,
tip the radiator out at the bottom to unhook it from the top hangers, and carefully remove it from the bike. Now you can see that brace easily, remove it from in front of the stat housing and you can replace the two big hoses from the radiator and the thermostat and O ring.
It is very possible that all you need to do is tighten the hose clamps a bit. The OEM clamps are very narrow and can cut into the hoses if tightened too much. More than a few guys have gone the Breeze Clamp or Gates heat shrink hose clamp route. While I was in there I replaced the clamps I could reach and discovered that you have to be careful positioning the Breeze clamps because the spring assembly on them is so large it can get in the way of other components.
Should you decide to replace the clamps, PM me, I can give you some links to other threads if nobody posts them first.
If this is an oil leak, you are on your own. I had a trusted mechanic pull my clutch cover because I did not want to incapacitate the bike for as long as that would have taken me. Good luck!
