What coolant?

[roygrif]

What is the preferred coolant of these triples, what is the best value for money?

[threepot]

You can buy ready mixed from dealers. It has the right water (soft-distilled). 2.8 ltrs for t3 3cyl engines.

[roygrif]

I was hoping I could pick some up at a walmart or similar and not have to be outrageous prices like the dealers typically charge.

[Roden]

You need a mix of 50% distilled water and 50% corrosion inhibited ethylene glycol.

I use Nulon, it meets that spec.

Cheers,

Roden

[threepot]

Don't compromise on coolant,it's just as important as oil(type of water content is important). Prevents internal engine corrosion,protects water pump.Better to spend a little now,rather than a lot laterI changed the coolant on my bike recently,what I changed...probably original Triumph spec,looked as good as what I was replacing it with .

[ervdrvr1]

roygrif,
You can use any good quality coolant made for aluminum engines. Use Propylene Glycol instead of Ethylene Glycol(Ethylene is extremly poisonous to plants, animals, and kids..propylene is not, and it works just as good) mix 50/50 with distilled water(avail at grocery store). Don't recomend GM's DexCool(possible problems with gelling, engine failure). Flush cooling system with a 50/50 mix of water and distilled white vinigar, run till hot, cool, drain, flush with clean water to remove vinigar, fill with coolant mix. Repeat every 2 years. Personally, I use EngineIce. Pre-mixed 50/50 with de-ionized distilled water. A little pricey, but works great down here in Texas in the summer!! Whatever brand you use, don't mix with other brands just to be safe(Ethylene based and Propylene based are not compatable)!!

Erv
Deep in the Heart of Texas!!

[Roden]

Erv, I didn't realise that Ethylene is so poisonous, the stuff I'm using is Mono Ethylene Glycol, 1060 grams/litre but....I don't water the plants with it or let the dogs and kids drink it and I always dispose of it properly.

It does say to wash it off your paintwork straight away if spilled, so it must be potent...

Cheers,

Roden

[roygrif]

Originally Posted by threepot

Don't compromise on coolant,it's just as important as oil(type of water content is important). Prevents internal engine corrosion,protects water pump.Better to spend a little now,rather than a lot laterI changed the coolant on my bike recently,what I changed...probably original Triumph spec,looked as good as what I was replacing it with .

I often find that the cost to quality ratio is not a linear function and quite often (as in the case of engine oil) that a high quality cheap alternative can be found.

[ervdrvr1]

Roy,
Yep, kind of like oil, what ever your comfortable using that is approved for the engine should be fine. As long as you flush/change according to the service manual to prevent scale/algea/corrosion all should be fine.

Roden,
As long as your taking it someplace for recycling, good for you. Many folks out here are just plane anti-social and lazy and dump it on the ground or down the drain. This stuff is leathal for humans at 1.4ml/kg, but as little as 2 tablespoons(30ml) can kill an adult(a lot less for the kiddies and small fury animals). Some parts of the world ad a bittering agent to make it taste nasty, but not everyplace(and I'm not going to taste it to find out either).

Erv
Deep in the Heart of Texas!!