How do I flush a tri-z rad?

[Kintore]

Well I replaced my one hose on my Z the one right above the cylinder that goes into the cylinder and to the thermostat im assuming thats what its called. So thinking that the system would fill itself up again I topped up the coolant in the resovior(sp?). It didnt go down at all, so I popped off my right shroud and filled it up via the rad cap. I still dont think my rad fluid is going through because the level in the resvior hasnt changed and when I kick it and start her my little red light doesnt come on. :eek:
How do you guys make sure you rad is working?
Can I use food coloring in the rad to make sure its flowing to the resovior?
How do you change your fluid??

And I know that my impeller was working 100% before I popped of the hose.
Thanks 3WW

[Kintore]

Update here- got the rad topped up through the rad cap and I know the system is working. How do I get my little red light to come on now when I start her? and how do I know my red light is working?

[twgranger]

did you check the bulb and to make sure it is plugged in?

[Derrick Adams]

Kintore, just checking but you understand that the bike has to warm up before the thermostat opens, right? Only after that happens can you fill the system to it's level. Also, you probably won't see any flow until then either.

Hope that helps ya.

[TimSr]

If I understand right, you are working from the plastic resevoir, and it normally wont fill from there, and you normally wont have flow there. Youll only have fluid go into the resevoir if the pressure in the cooling system exceeds the limits of the radiator cap. The resevoir is supposed to save the coolant that blows out when it briefly overheats. Then whe the cooling sytem gets cold after its shut off, it will actually go under vacuum and suck the coolant back in. It used to be that cars never even had the recovery resevoir. My friend has had a TRX250R for several years and it was missing when he bought it. He never put one on it. As long as you have coolant flow that you can see with the radiator cap off, (only after its hot of you have a thermostat) then you are fine. Coolant should be checked and added via the radiator cap, not the plastic tank.

[hrc200x]

According to the manual the red light is supposed to come on for 3 seconds right after the Z starts. It does this just to show you its working. If all the wiring is good there are 3 things it could be that would cause the light not to work. Bad bulb, the temp light checker, or the temp sensor in the bottom of the thermostat housing. The temp light checker is a small plastic box thing that plugs into the wiring harness, mine is up by the steering, it must be 1"X1" big. My light doesn't come on for 3 seconds either, I tried to test light the wire up to the temp light and didn't get a reading so am assuming my light checker is bad or wires are bad somewhere. What color wires plug into your temp light checker?

[Kintore]

I know for sure that my red light was working before I popped of my one hose and replaced it. I also know that everything is plugged in, I never checked the harness or touched anything around there. Maybe ill have to run it with now light :(

And Tim, I filled it up through the rad cap, I did the resovior filling but realized I need to use the cap.

[stevensj13]

Can you refill the rad with the engine off? I need to drain it to replace a hose.... could I drain it, replace the hose, then refill the rad, and then start it up? Or would I need to run it and add rad fluid while its running?