[CaiCardenas]

When taking my seat off last night to get rid of the seat strap, I noticed that my coolant was well below the fill level. It wasn't empty, but it was about in-between the bottom of the tank and the fill level (probably just less than a quarter full). The bike is about 3 months old and was ridden only 2-3 times a month.

Is it normal for the coolant to naturally evaporate that much in that amount of time? Or is it just likely that it wasn't filled properly to begin with? I've checked for leaks and couldn't see any signs.

Either way, looks like I need to fill it up. Can I just top it up with new coolant, or do I need to completely empty the tank first?

Thanks for your help, I'm learning things every day here!

 

[Tucsonmax1]

You need to check Cold and Upright.


HD has their own Coolant. Not sure if you can add anything else?? I would take it back to the dealer and have them check it.

 

[CaiCardenas]

You need to check Cold and Upright.


HD has their own Coolant. Not sure if you can add anything else?? I would take it back to the dealer and have them check it.

Thanks Tucsonmax1. The bike was both upright and cold when I checked (well, the bike hadn't been ridden in a while but where I keep my bike it gets a bit humid and warm, does that count for anything?).

I'll give my dealer a call tomorrow.

 

[Tucsonmax1]

Yes and No. Yes the Water level rises when Hot. Hence the C and H lines on a cars bottle. No, Because its not hot enough to cause a level change.


If its really low, You might have a leak. Or the dealer didn't check it when delivered. You may be able to use some clean tap water. But I'd only do that if empty. As the Water raises the Freezing point. Wont protect it well in Winter

 

[charlesskelter]

Do not use trap water. Trap water has minerals in it that will build up and calcify in your system. Only add distilled our de-ionized water in a cooling system. This is especially critical on vehicles that sit extended periods of time.

 

[Rock270]

When taking my seat off last night to get rid of the seat strap, I noticed that my coolant was well below the fill level. It wasn't empty, but it was about in-between the bottom of the tank and the fill level (probably just less than a quarter full). The bike is about 3 months old and was ridden only 2-3 times a month.

Is it normal for the coolant to naturally evaporate that much in that amount of time? Or is it just likely that it wasn't filled properly to begin with? I've checked for leaks and couldn't see any signs.

Either way, looks like I need to fill it up. Can I just top it up with new coolant, or do I need to completely empty the tank first?

Thanks for your help, I'm learning things every day here!

evaporation shouldn't be a problem in your case. I'd look in the bikes manual and see what antifreeze to buy, or buy the antifreeze from the HD stealer, I wouldn't put just any antifreeze in it unless I knew for sure it was ok for the type of radiator we have, ...then fill it to the cold level while the bike's engine is cold and bike is level or standing up.


also look for any signs of leaks, if so I'd take it to the dealer and have it checked out.

 

[Tucsonmax1]

On a few of my previous "Bikes" Honda Silver Wing and Yamaha Majesty I used Prestone 50/50. The Gold stuff. And never had any coolant issues. HD has what reminds me of Dexcool. Which I flushed out of a previous car. 08 Malibu. Again I used the Prestone Gold.

 

[SWDan]

My Street 750 was not filled by factory or dealer. The dealer did give me some antifreeze to top it off thinking I may have a leak, but that wasn't the problem. Someone just forgot to check it, only took about a pint to bring it up to the mark.

 

[Tucsonmax1]

I had to add 4oz. of HD coolant to mine. I think they are Under filling from the factory. Possibly from bleeding air out of the system. As the Radiator Cap is underneath the gas tank.

 

[UnaClocker]

Mine had a hole in the hose that runs from the radiator cap to the overflow bottle. I found it pretty early on when adding my security system to my bike. Put some electrical tape over the hole (was a slice in the hose), until the dealer could replace the hose (about 1,000 miles later). With that hole in there, some coolant could leak out each time the engine heated up, and the engine would just suck air when it cooled down, rather than draw from the overflow bottle. Bad bad bad. The tape worked great though, it's not a pressurized hose.

 

[Tucsonmax1]

Or you could have cut the hose. And spliced it together with one of those Plastic connectors. Normally used for Vacuum lines. I did something similar when I pinched some wires. Just cut and spliced with Heat Shrink But Connectors.

 

[Hdkez]

My street 500 is losing water after every ride. I have to top it up with water. Its a new bike street 2018 model. My fans dont come on once I stop, its just a trail of water behind me, what could this be? Am I doing damage by riding it?

 

[Propnut]

Being a new bike I would take it straight back to the dealership.

 

[Nayak]

Hey Guys.

I an new to this forum. I recently purchased a 2016 Street 750. 😁
Similar problem faced. My Coolant tank seems to be totally dried out.

My confusion is whether to top it up from the Coolant tank under the seat (As suggested by some, on other forums) or to remove the Fuel Tank and refill it from the knob below (suggested by an EX Harley service guy).
Also if not DEXCOOL (as many forums here suggest its crap), what then?

Other problems faced are:
1. Oil blinker turned on all the time. Oil seems to be at the right level.
2. Bike doesn't seem to start immediately but after multiple attempts (only clicks near the fuse box before) on self starter.

I am sure there is an very easy fix to all this. Need the right guidance.

Thanks in Advance.

 

[PugslyCat]

You probably should have started a new thread on this rather than resurrecting a zombie thread that is older than your bike. We'll deal with it, though.

Coolant Refill
I'm concerned about the coolant tank being completely dry. I have to wonder why this wasn't caught in the course of normal maintenance as well as wondering what else hasn't been caught. I'm also wondering if there is any coolant left in the system.

I would start by getting some coolant in the bike now. Dexcool has a useful life of five years and the bike is four or five years old. You may want to go ahead and perform a cooling system flush with clear water and refill with the coolant of your choice.

If you don't do a complete flush and fill, stick with H-D coolant or Dexcool or some other orange coolant for now. Some coolants don't mix well with Dexcool. They may gel when mixed with Dexcool, clogging the cooling system causing overheating.

You should be able to fill it at the coolant tank. After you put coolant into the bike keep checking the coolant level. With the bottle completely dry you have no idea how much of the rest of the system is also dry. Air from throughout the system will bubble up into the tank, making space for more coolant throughout the system. Add more coolant until the level in the tank stops dropping. The level should quickly stabilize. If it doesn't, coolant is going somewhere it really shouldn't.

Keep track of how much coolant you are adding and compare that to total system capacity as listed in the manual. That will give you an idea of just how bad the problem is.

Coolant Leak?
Now you need to figure out where all that coolant is going to:

1. Keep an eye out for any escaping steam. It may be helpful to get the engine up to temperature and park the bike in idle while you dismount and look for leaks of steam or liquid.
2. If the coolant is leaking into the cylinders and burning you will notice a sweet smell to the exhaust.
3. Perform an oil change and check the waste oil for signs of coolant leaking into the oil.

Starting Issue
If I try to start an engine and get a series of clicks I check out the battery. That's especially true once the battery is 4-5 years old:

1. Start by cleaning any corrosion from the battery terminals and battery cables. Make sure the battery is charged, and test to see if the problem is resolved.
2. Have the battery load tested. Replace it if it doesn't pass the load test.
3. Check for any loose wires or those making only intermittent contact.

Oil Light
You oil level may be fine, but low oil pressure will also cause the oil light to come on. This could be due to a faulty oil pressure sender, an oil leak, a gasket failure, or a blocked oil passage within the engine. It can also be caused by using the wrong viscosity oil.

 

[Nayak]

Thanks a lot for that very informative post and a very quick response @PugslyCat.

Firstly, Apologies for resurrecting the old post. As I am new to this forum and to the Harley family, I wanted to get an idea on what I am dealing with here. This post looked something close to what I was looking for.

Coolant refill:
I will surely try this way out.
1. Any idea on what is the original coolant used by H-D on a Street 750?
2. Any particular one when you say DEXCOOL (ACDelco 10-101 DEX-COOL Extended Life Coolant), or..?
3. Also someone in a similar forum suggested to mix the coolant with some additive like Distilled water etc. Do you suggest this to be done or the coolant needs to be refilled as it is from the canister?

Coolant Leak:
I believe there is some coolant in the system as I rode the vehicle down 200 km(120 miles) post purchasing it, with no such major problems but normal heat of a 750cc engine.
I keep riding it and have kept an eye out for leaks, steam, etc but haven't found any of these yet. Will keep doing this further post the refill just to be sure.

Starting Issue
I already checked the battery for residue, low charge etc. It doesn't seem to be the reason. I rechecked post a full charge and the issue persists.
I tried changing the relays next to the fuse box. When I interchanged them (all 12V), the bike started cranking up on every attempt but failed to start.
When I reset the relay as they were and tilted the copper points inwards at the bottom of the relay, the bike started normally. I believe this was a loose connection at the relay socket. But the issue is not a permanent fix as I need to open the right panel below the seat and bend the relay a bit for the bike to start off normally most of the times.

Oil Light
This again, will be followed as you suggested and will update if it gets fixed.
faulty oil pressure sender- The bike has just clocked 300-350 miles in total, so I believe this shouldn't be the case.
an oil leak- No stains found in the garage floor or anywhere near the engine.
a gasket failure- Need to check this.
or a blocked oil passage within the engine- Again low miles done and viscosity of the oil seems normal when checked from the oil check outlet. So don`t think this might be the case too.

What viscosity oil and coolant (post complete draining) would be suggested?

 

[Lesblank]

Interesting HD coolant info:

I went to the local dealership and asked for the MSDS (Material Safety Data Sheet) of H-D Extended Life 50/50 Prediluted Antifreeze & Coolant. They printed it out for me and I called the manufacturer listed as the "Supplier". It is supplied to H-D by Old World Industries, Inc. My question to the company was, "Is this antifreeze available for sale under any other label?"

Drum roll please...Peak Global Lifetime 50/50 in a gold-colored bottle.

I found it at NAPA in 50/50 form and in full strength.

H-D dealership price: $20.00
NAPA price: $9.59
NAPA price for full strength (undiluted): $12.99

But what should be of significant interest isn't just the price; this antifreeze is compatible with "any color antifreeze" and it "Provides a guaranteed LifeTime of maximum protection when a complete cooling system flush and fill is performed."

Since the Peak Global Lifetime antifreeze is exactly the same as H-D antifreeze (verified by matching MSDS), you can add any antifreeze to your Harley without harm to the system. However, since all Harley's are shipped with this same "Lifetime" antifreeze, it never needs changing so long as you never add any other type or contaminate.

So, is the 28,000 mile coolant change interval just another way to make money? According to the lifetime guarantee on the label of the bottle, yes, it certainly is... but I think that I'll change it anyway for $10.

For oil, from owners manual:

 

[PugslyCat]

Coolant
Thinking about this a little bit more, General Motors and other automobile manufacturers recommend changing the coolant every five years not because of issues with the coolant itself, but because the rust inhibitor is failing about that time. That's an issue with an iron block.

Judging from earlier posts on this thread, it's possible that the coolant was never topped off at the dealership and the previous owner was just riding around at a low level. It's the type of thing that would be caught at the 1000 mile service, which this bike probably hasn't had, yet.

Les found out that the H-D/Peak coolant is one that works and plays well with others. If this bike has been running out of coolant and the original owner topped it off with some other orange coolant, such as the original Dexcool, you still might get into the mixing types and gelling issue. I would stick with the H-D/Peak coolant that Les described above or another brand that specifically states that it works with all other types of coolant.

I was indeed thinking of the ACDelco 10-101 DEX-COOL Extended Life Coolant based on earlier posts, but Les' find has me thinking that could be bad. It could limit your ability to use other coolants.

Coolant always used to come in a concentrated form and the mechanic would dilute it with tap water. The final mixture was typically 50% coolant and 50% water in temperate climates. Now you can often buy coolant pre-diluted for convenience. Check what your jug says on it.

Flush and Fill
If I were to do a flush and fill my choices would be in order:

1. The H-D/Peak coolant that came in the bike just because it won't gel with whatever the cooling system gets topped up with down the road.
2. My second choice would be any other antifreeze that was all brands compatible.
3. Failing that it doesn't matter which anti-freeze you put in as they all perform about the same, but keep in mind that you won't be able to randomly mix different chemical combinations.

Oil
As for oil, I operate with 20w50 year round. Most years that includes operating in temperatures down to 35 degrees Fahrenheit. I don't know if the shop is using synthetic oil or not. It wouldn't hurt to do an oil change now, especially if you don't know the maintenance history of the bike.

Starting Issue
Have you tried a brand new relay instead of just swapping them around or bending the contacts?

What condition are the spark plugs in? If it was running poorly they may be fouled. Try pulling a plug and cranking the engine to see if you have a spark. Check that the plugs are properly gapped. Do this one plug at a time to avoid getting them mixed up and back in the wrong cylinders. That would be bad.

Oil Light
Don't rule out a faulty sensor just because it's new. Infant mortality is far from uncommon with electrical/electronic components.

If the bike has only been ridden a few hundred miles has the oil ever been changed? Oil just sitting in the crankcase can accumulate water due to condensation. That's especially true if the engine is infrequently run long enough to boil off the water.

 

[Nayak]

Very useful information... Thanks @Lesblank .

That clears the "mysterious" coolant from HD

 

[Nayak]

Summing up what you both just shared above, I am planning to do the below and proceed to the next step.

1. Get .Peak Global Lifetime 50/50 (Gold colored) and fill it in the tank on the right side below the seat and not under the fuel tank gasket.
This will ensure that there is coolant in the system to run it down to a service station and get a complete flush and fill.

2. Change all the 4 relays to new ones and check if the issue persists.

3. A complete oil change with a new filter in place.
Is it recommended to opt for a new HD oil filter or a K&N universal filter would be better?? Or any other suggestions?

4. Check the spark plugs (One at a time).

5. Oil lamp= faulty sensor? where do I find this particular sensor on the bike and how do I check if this is causing the issue? @PugslyCat