Gen 1 coolant spec??

[luciano136]

I was looking to top off the coolant in the expansion tank.  Unless I'm missing it, the owner's manual does not mention anything on what coolant to use??  I have Motorex for my KTM and Triumph OAT branded for my Speed Triple.  Both are pre-mixed already, so if any of these meet the spec, I could just use that...

TIA!!

[Ant]

I buy BMW coolant from either my local dealer or online.

I know it will work just fine and I'm not gonna spend hours looking for something else just to save a few dollars.

[luciano136]

Originally Posted by Ant

I buy BMW coolant from either my local dealer or online.

I know it will work just fine and I'm not gonna spend hours looking for something else just to save a few dollars.

Yea, not the end of the world to buy another bottle; I'm more surprised they don't list anything about it at all in the owner's manual.  Usually, they at least give you the specs like motor oil.

[smithy]

Originally Posted by luciano136

Yea, not the end of the world to buy another bottle; I'm more surprised they don't list anything about it at all in the owner's manual.  Usually, they at least give you the specs like motor oil.

The OEM BMW coolant, which some believe may be slightly abrasive and the cause of the common premature leaking of a lot of the Gen-1 pumps....I had a leaking pump, (along with many others), replaced the pump with a second hand 2012 RR pump, used Nulon coolant and it's been good since, getting on towards 60k km and it's still good..

Smithy.

[luciano136]

Originally Posted by smithy

The OEM BMW coolant, which some believe may be slightly abrasive and the cause of the common premature leaking of a lot of the Gen-1 pumps....I had a leaking pump, (along with many others), replaced the pump with a second hand 2012 RR pump, used Nulon coolant and it's been good since, getting on towards 60k km and it's still good..

Smithy.

Interesting.  From what I can tell, it's just the generic BMW coolant they use in their cars as well.  P/N 82142209769 for a quart.  All I can tell is that it conforms to ASTM D3306 standard.  If I flush it, I'll just go with Engine Ice orso.  For now, I'll just top it off with the BMW stuff.

[luciano136]

Originally Posted by smithy

The OEM BMW coolant, which some believe may be slightly abrasive and the cause of the common premature leaking of a lot of the Gen-1 pumps....I had a leaking pump, (along with many others), replaced the pump with a second hand 2012 RR pump, used Nulon coolant and it's been good since, getting on towards 60k km and it's still good..

Smithy.

How much does a water pump replacement run btw?  The labor piece (hours) that is?  Looks like the water pump itself is $400.  Just preparing for the future LOL.  This bike only has 2k mi but just in case 

[luciano136]

I did notice that weep hole on the bottom of the waterpump is just a tiny bit moist with what I assume is coolant.  Not sure if any amount at all is normal or if it should be bone dry?  I can't visually see anything leaking from it when the bike is running.

[Antares]

Originally Posted by luciano136

How much does a water pump replacement run btw?  The labor piece (hours) that is?  Looks like the water pump itself is $400.  Just preparing for the future LOL.  This bike only has 2k mi but just in case 

Weep hole being moist is OK, though the sign of a leaky pump also comes from there, as it's actually the inner seal that cracks causing coolant to leak into the housing and then out the weephole. As for replacement, it's the easiest waterpump you can imagine, literally what you see, 5 bolts or so , in and out.

[luciano136]

Originally Posted by Antares

Weep hole being moist is OK, though the sign of a leaky pump also comes from there, as it's actually the inner seal that cracks causing coolant to leak into the housing and then out the weephole. As for replacement, it's the easiest waterpump you can imagine, literally what you see, 5 bolts or so , in and out.

Thank you!!  And great news on the replacement!  Yea, it does sound like a very small amount is normal as most water pumps weep a tiny amount from the seals.

[Salish1000]

As others have said on this and other threads, there is some concern about the OEM BMW coolant given the prevalence of water pump failures. When I bought my 16 with just over 10K miles I noticed some fluid at the weep hole. Actual drips. Reading here, I swapped out my coolant with a Nissan brand non-silicate I think, and also diluted down from 50/50 to about 20/80 with the use of water wetter as described most famously by Steve on the Concours 14 forum. A similar engine in terms of HP and heat. Water wetter not only improves the conduction of heat away from cylinders, but is quite slippery stuff, perhaps helping with the work of seals.

Not only do I run a bit cooler now, but that weep hole has become bone dry. YMMV.