Yamaha FZ6R Coolant Swap

10 years old and over 49k miles on original coolant?!
Insta: halfclickup
[e-mail]
Like, Comment, SUBSCRIBE!!!

[@rchaser4]

I really appreciate you uploading this video. My bike never gets hotter than 216 or so. Something happened this year and It’s getting hotter. Never new until now fluid should be done so regularly. This was a 5 minute video done in 32 minutes. The best instructional videos are concise, as few words as possible, etc. Again, thanks for the VERY helpful tutorial.

[@HalfClickUp]

Thanks for watching. I shoot all my tutorials in “real-time” so that you see everything I see, as I see it. Sort of in a fashion where folks can literally follow along while they tackle the same project. 👍

[@vintageyamahasquid]

@@HalfClickUp I can’t tell you the number of times I’ve been following a tutorial and the creator decided to cut out something they felt was unimportant that definitely was not. I really do appreciate you showing everything.

[@HalfClickUp]

@@vintageyamahasquid hey thanks for the kind words. I’ve found that most folks don’t appreciate the lengthiness of my tutorials. I prefer to show people a job in its entirety. Some folks prefer short tutorials with only main points covered, but that is how mistakes are made.

[@lunar-firefly]

Ay reason they say distilled is because it's completely free of minerals and chemicals that can cause corrosion inside the cooling system. I know this is totally late, but felt it should be mentioned for clarification. :)

[@HalfClickUp]

Firefly well we most certainly appreciate the information, late or not! 😬

[@vintageyamahasquid]

Just thought I’d throw in that it’s not just corrosion. Mineral deposits can build up in smaller passages and cause flow issues. It’s more of a problem in old beaters that need to be topped off constantly because of leaks. Not that I’ve ever topped my crappy car off with the garden hose because an old fitting that was a pain to reach was cracked and leaking… Definitely not speaking from experience here.

[@RemingtinArms]

Maybe running the new fluid for a couple minutes and getting the bike up to temp again will get out some hidden bubbles? Give us an AAR with some new riding temps!

[@HalfClickUp]

Remingtin yep that’s the plan! Gonna get a good round trip to and from work today, so I’ll know pretty quickly what’s up.

[@t.cochrane7860]

Thanks! I wouldn't know how where to start to change the coolant if not for your video! The only thing I did differently though is I bought a siphon to suck out any old coolant from the reservoir instead of removing it altogether. I guess you could wash it if you remove it though. Mine didn't have any dirt in it, or any coolant in it for that matter. Yup, my reservoir was actually empty! :-) I poured water in it to sort of clean it and used the siphon to suck the water out.

[@HalfClickUp]

T. Cochrane hey that probably saved you a good 20 minutes, cuz as you saw in the vid, that little booger ain’t the easiest thing to get to! Glad my tutorial helped you. Thanks for watching!!!

[@Mosdager]

If u want to remove the radiator cap when it's hot just put a rag over and slowly tilt the cap away from you and you'll be fine.

[@motomari7006]

Very informative video... you saved that fz6r’s Life !! 🔥🔥

[@HalfClickUp]

😉👌

[@omaralimujah2475]

So meticulously done. Your are better than my local dealer!. I will do my XJ6N soon. Salute to you.

[@HalfClickUp]

Thank you! Let me know if you have any questions.

[@lilbeanermexican]

Im so glad you made this video. I'm currently doing a coolant flush on my fz6r and yeah that bolt was a pain to take out. I had to wrench out that bolt the whole way. I had about the same amount of coolant in the reservoir.

[@HalfClickUp]

Hey I’m glad my content helped you, thanks for watching! 😬

[@lilbeanermexican]

I put my old coolant in clear containers and when my dad saw it he said "oh you change your oil too?" It was bad 😂

[@HalfClickUp]

@@lilbeanermexican LOL! Classic! 🤣👌

[@archiewilson4943]

You've done all the the cool mods. I guess it is time to check the coolant. I would judge you harshly but I ended up driving my 09 for several hundred miles with no air filter because the bike had been stolen from the previous owner and no one had bothered to check it.

[@HalfClickUp]

archie wilson better late than never, I always say 😬

[@JRYDER13]

Very impressive the bike lasted that long without a coolant change 😱😱😱 that is to show everyone how a Yamaha could last that long 👍 good video, cheers dude 😊

[@HalfClickUp]

Jose Sardinha thanks brotha. I tell ya what, I’m about to turn 55k miles and she’s never had a valve adjustment, either 😳

[@JRYDER13]

@@HalfClickUp You are welcome dude, I did very much enjoyed watching your video. I own a Yamaha XJ6 and it is very similar to your FZ6. That is quite impressive with 55k and never had a valve adjustament WOW 😱😱 a branded motorbike like Yamaha is well worth the money any day everyday! 👍 From the UK to the USA take it easy and ride safe brotha 🏍️

[@HalfClickUp]

Jose Sardinha likewise friend, thanks for the compliments and thanks for watching! 😎🤙

[@Nathan-yp8fc]

​@@JRYDER13 According to the Haynes manual I purchased for my 2012 FZ6R, the only difference for the XJ6 and the FZ6R is the continent they are shipped. America receives the FZ6R and Europe gets the XJ6. As we cannot purchase the XJ6 in America, I converted my bike to the XJ6N because I like the look.

[@JRYDER13]

Hello@@Nathan-yp8fc, I genuinely didnt know that! Thanks for sharing this detail 😊 I have to agree with you, I do prefer the looks of the XJ6 ( My XJ6 is the naked version! ). They are more or less the same motorbike but for looks, personally the XJ6 has the egde 😁 your conversion has the top fairings but my XJ6 is the naked version and looks stunning! Love it👏👏👏

[@sanxi34]

You should REALLY think about taking off the drain bolt before uncapping the radiator. It will make your coolant (and oil for that matter) draining much cleaner PS: when refilling the coolant. fill the radiator, start the engine and let it run a bit while the coolant runs. It will burp out and as it comes up to temperature the indication is that the radiator will want to overflow. PSS: The maintenance manual for these motorcycles says 2 liters for coolant change, and 2.2 for coolant + reservoir fill. But those measurements are not exact

[@HalfClickUp]

Gonzalo Sanchidrián yes the procedure you describe is pretty spot on to the method explained in a recent Revzilla tutorial on coolant swaps. Every point you made is something I’ll be taking into consideration next time. Thanks for watching and thanks for taking the time to comment!!

[@rubgahan1016]

Thanks for the help. I just did it myself the job. Everything was OK. Greetings from México.

[@HalfClickUp]

Awesome, I’m glad my content helped you!! 👊😎

[@nepfan613]

I just used a swivel socket on the end of an extension to get that 10mm bolt out. Came out no problem.

[@HalfClickUp]

A classic example of having the right tools for the job! 👍

[@temphys]

That is how I learned to change my coolant in my Fz6r :))

[@HalfClickUp]

Excellent! 🤗

[@temphys]

@@HalfClickUp It's funny, I came to the channel to watch something else and then recognized your voice. I did my flush two years ago. "Sorry, Eveline, I didn't mean it!" totally got me forever :)))

[@HalfClickUp]

@@temphys LOL that’s really funny! I’m glad you appreciate my humor 😊

[@Nathan-yp8fc]

Great video HCU! Have you seen the temperature run lower with the engine ice versus the stock coolant? I received a radiator guard and realized when I was toying around with it yesterday, I need to remove the radiator to connect the guard properly. As the bike is 8 years old and running with the original coolant, might as well use the opportunity to do just what you've done here.

[@HalfClickUp]

Nathan so sitting in traffic and at red lights, the bike will still reach 210 and run it’s fan, but where Engine Ice really shines is when you’re moving down the road/interstate; it’ll never reach 200 if you’re cruising.

[@haqi9fly]

Wow and yours hasn’t over heated, man I hope my engine isn’t fucked up

[@HalfClickUp]

Sorry man, just now seeing this comment for some reason... What was going on with your bike?

[@waterfordMARTIN]

Just checked mine xj6 as I was installing crash sliders and had exactly the same amount in the radiator and in coolant reservoir as you..going to check which place has the coolant in stock right now lol 👌

[@HalfClickUp]

Hahaha glad you discovered it sooner than later! It’s time!

[@waterfordMARTIN]

@@HalfClickUp have a covid now so plenty of time to fix the stuff on my bike lol..thanks for ur vids..great for out europeans xj6 versions 👊

[@HalfClickUp]

@@waterfordMARTIN you’re very welcome brother, glad my content has helped you! 😎🤙

[@waterfordMARTIN]

@@HalfClickUp also found mine front brake reservoir probably miss some brake fluid..did u do a vid on this topic? Changing the brake fluid etc?

[@HalfClickUp]

@@waterfordMARTIN I have videos on my Mods & Maintenance playlist where I do pad and rotor swaps. I haven’t done a video on fluid swapping because I use a Mitey-Vac for that process instead of traditional manual bleeding.

[@jfranklin8893]

Thanks again for another great video. What was the final verdict about the amount of coolant needed? Did you find that after running the bike that the level of coolant in the radiator dropped and you had to add more coolant? or Did the coolant level remain the same and not require anymore coolant? Btw: my Haynes service manual has you remove the exhaust to get to the reservoir bolt that sits behind the header pipe. I much prefer your way of getting to it by removing the left side plastics : )

[@HalfClickUp]

Yes Sir after a couple of rides I burped the system again and was able to add a bit more coolant. That’s insane about removing the header. Sometimes manufacturers just like to make things as difficult as possible. Like Step 1: Remove engine 🤣

[@jfranklin8893]

@@HalfClickUp 👌 thank you.

[@YouZhouAus]

Great job! Very thorough explanation! Love it!

[@HalfClickUp]

Hey thanks for watching! Hope my stuff helps ya!

[@jasonburke6782]

Steel venom gloves are the best fyi

[@HalfClickUp]

Hmm unfamiliar.. is that a type of rubber work glove?

[@ShawnTRD]

That blue green coolant color is Yamaha brand color. You should probably replace the thermostat asap.

[@HalfClickUp]

Shawn ya know, you’re probably right! 😳

[@willn6048]

Why change the thermostat?

[@OGYELLOW]

Thanks for doing this for us with no pod

[@HalfClickUp]

James Dean Cooper pod?

[@OGYELLOW]

@@HalfClickUp tri pod

[@HalfClickUp]

James Dean Cooper ah, gotcha. Yep, I try to get the purest first-person POV I can when it comes to a lot of my maintenance and mod vids. It’s important and most helpful for folks to see what I see. Thanks for watching!

[@OGYELLOW]

@@HalfClickUp yea man. I'll be asking alot. Just picked up my first bike 2 hours ago and it's an 09 fz6r!

[@HalfClickUp]

James Dean Cooper congrats dude! Year one of this venerable bike. Great choice, you’ll love it. Feel free to reach out with technical inquiries at [e-mail]

[@josec209]

Do you need to remove the reservoir to fill it? Mine looks bone dry and when I put some in the cap it doesn’t go into the reservoir. Could it be clogged? It’s an older bike that was probably sitting for a while. 2012 fz6r

[@HalfClickUp]

You need a little funnel with a flexible tube if you want to avoid removing the reservoir. I don’t own one so it was the only way I had to fill it. When you fill it up at the radiator cap, it won’t go into the reservoir. That only fills the radiator itself. This is why the level drops the first time you start the bike after filling the radiator.. it sucks it through the hoses and the rest of the system, which is why you have to keep adding until it reaches the top.

[@Mosdager]

That's one of the biggest deterrents to buying any vehicle for me. If the coolant is corroded or diluted, I stay away. Not worth the risk for me.

[@HalfClickUp]

A wise approach for sure.

[@Fc2x]

Noticed the oil light come up decided to change it and it seemed a bit milky like 😢 keep in mind my bike almost always runs at 190-210 temp, bad head gasket ?

[@HalfClickUp]

@@Fc2x yep, sounds like it dude. It’s a helluva job but it’s not difficult if you follow the service manual. Or, follow along with my two-part tutorial: Yamaha FZ6R: Valve Seal Tutorial - Part 1 of 2 kzbin.info/www/bejne/pZyaXqeveJ17oNU

[@meirbotnick3816]

Getting ready to do on mine and was just wondering should I let the coolant run though with the drain plug off to make sure all the water is out?

[@HalfClickUp]

Yes two ways to do it: Quick flush - plug off, let distilled water/vinegar solution run straight through. Full flush - plug on, fill system with distilled water/vinegar solution, start bike and let it idle till the fan kicks on. Shut down and drain.

[@TheKniperlight]

Hey man, quick question. Did you noticr any difference in temperature after refreshing the coolant? My bike always runs warm in traffic, up to 103 degrees celcius and the fan comes on. Hope it cools down when I put in fresh coolant.

[@HalfClickUp]

DK🌹 yeah man my bike was to the point where it was running 200 degrees Fahrenheit at 80mph on the interstate highway. Since switching to Engine Ice, it runs in the 180s at highway speeds and the fans only kick on when idling for several minutes at long traffic lights. DEFINITELY worth the switch to Engine Ice.

[@TheKniperlight]

Half-Click Up awesome, thanks!

[@infamousctsv2]

Sorry to keep asking you questions but when I took my overflow off, the black metal piece, the mount was bent. No idea who bent it or when, this is my first time flushing it but from the looks of the paint, it was bent a while ago and someone just made it work. Do you have any ideas what that piece is called? It’s shown in your overflow tank at 12:55. It’s not the heat shield, it’s the small funky looking piece the bolts go in. I’m not sure what to search for, and I’d rather get the right piece than stick with this bent one. I’ll try my best to bend it back but we’ll see

[@infamousctsv2]

I think I bent it back to the right position good enough to actually work how it should’ve

[@HalfClickUp]

@@infamousctsv2 if you change your mind, the part you seek is the recovery tank bracket: 4P5-21873-00-00 It’s $5.76 on Partzilla.

[@infamousctsv2]

@@HalfClickUp wow thats cheaper than I thought, I’m definitely gonna pick one up, thank you so much! I wish I could subscribe more than once

[@KleantRrera]

It supposed to take ''I don't know" amount of coolant. LOL

[@HalfClickUp]

Hey man, we learn as we go around here 🤣👌

[@bubbadyer9668]

You left out the replacement of the tricky bolt. Is there a pro tip for that one?

[@HalfClickUp]

Extensions and patience, my friend! 😉

[@313lilhotboy4life]

The secondary tube coming from the reservoir, is there a specific spot it has to be at or can you just let it hang?

[@HalfClickUp]

Just hangs there. If there were any plastic guides at any point in time, they’re gone now 😆

[@lilswank2012]

Do you know about what temp you were at when riding like this? What did you get up to?

[@HalfClickUp]

Even in this condition, temps never saw more than 214 to 216, and that was in stop and go traffic on hot days. That’s pretty impressive of the cooling system. You’d never know just how poor the condition of the factory coolant was without looking.

[@lilswank2012]

@@HalfClickUp I bought this bike as a 3rd owner and my temp is getting around that and staying there when the fans kick on. I’m going to flush tomorrow after work. Thank you man

[@HalfClickUp]

@@lilswank2012 good idea.. could very well be the source of your problem. I certainly recommend the Engine Ice if you have access to some.

[@axlejoyeux6408]

Did you end up needing more coolant or was one jug enough? I have the same bike and trying to decide if I need to buy one jug or two.

[@HalfClickUp]

One jug is all you need.

[@axlejoyeux6408]

@@HalfClickUp Thank you! Weird it takes a total of 2.25 with reservoir and radiator and only needed 1.89 but I wont complain! Saves me 25 bucks!

[@HalfClickUp]

Aksel Joy yep I’ve still got the whole second jug sitting on a shelf, as well as the tiny bit still left in the first jug. I still have no explanation for the discrepancy in supposed required coolant vs. what I actually had to put in. 🤷‍♂️

[@christophervece]

@@HalfClickUp Probably a bit of water still left in the system? Just like prior to dumping the first flush of water when you had some "stuck" nasty old coolant in there that needed an extra push to be released... I don't know! That's all I've come up with... I'll be flushing/cleaning mine this summer, so maybe I'll "waste" a tad bit of engine ice (if that's what I end up using) and see if there is some stuck water in there from the flush/clean. 🤷‍♂

[@HalfClickUp]

@@christophervece FYI Prestone in the yellow jug has been fantastic, too. I’ve been running it since I swapped water pumps.

[@Grainsauce]

Did you temps change at all with the engine ice?

[@HalfClickUp]

Rarely hits 200 at highway speeds.

[@haqi9fly]

Oh man I’ve been looking for you I need help with my Fz6r! I’ll make a vid and trying send it to you!

[@HalfClickUp]

[e-mail]

[@haqi9fly]

@@HalfClickUp hey what’s up man I sent you and email. Please just read the last one I sent because the first one didn’t come across correctly. I was in a rush and had to catch the train. Thanks man

[@haqi9fly]

@@HalfClickUp honestly man I think I should just purchase an entire wire harness and remove the old one too many wires that needed reconnecting. Those Bronx rats really ucked my bike.

[@HalfClickUp]

@@haqi9fly hahaha yeah dude that’s a helluva issue you got there. I replied to your email a few minutes ago 👍

[@haqi9fly]

@@HalfClickUp hey what’s up HcU I read your email. Thanks a lot man I really appreciate that. Yea I thought about replacing the harness and that you considered it I feel much better about doing so. Thanks dude much respect!

[@Cassius_Gaming]

Awesome mate Thankyou!

[@HalfClickUp]

Stephen Derrick you’re very welcome! Hope the vid was helpful!

[@juanvalencia538]

Hello friend How much you pay for your bike when bought with 11k miles?

[@HalfClickUp]

$3,500 in the year 2015.

[@alexanderking3971]

Did you end up needing to add more coolant? I'm wondering I can get away with a 1/2 gallon

[@HalfClickUp]

I did not, but I did go back and repeat the burping procedure and got a bit more air out of the system.. not enough to warrant adding any more coolant, though. I still stand by my experience of the Fizzer requiring 3/4 of a jug.

[@alexanderking3971]

@@HalfClickUp awesome thanks man. I appreciated your vids bro, you're my go to when I plan do to anything to my fz6r 👌 keep up the great work

[@HalfClickUp]

@@alexanderking3971 hey thanks dude! I’m happy my tutorials are helpful! 😎🤙

[@noonespecial673]

does your clip ons hit your fairing? also howd you install the ram mount into the stem lol

[@HalfClickUp]

Yes but it only prevents full lock by about half an inch. Definitely not a deal breaker! In order to install a RAM X-Mount, you need a ball stem adapter nut: Motorcycle Aprilia, Honda,... www.amazon.com/dp/B00CCDPHZ6?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

[@JRDNGIXX]

Like your videos man! I'm about to do the same to an fz6r I just picked up from my buddy with 9K miles on. He bought it back in 09 new..btw which windscreen are you using? Is it the ZG DB?

[@PerezFamily]

how's it running now ? going to do a flush soon great video

[@HalfClickUp]

Highest temp she sees here in the 105 degree Texas summer is about 214 sitting in traffic. 190s at interstate speeds.

[@PerezFamily]

Wow that’s great thanks for the reply 😬👍🏽

[@HalfClickUp]

Mr. Sixhundred and thank YOU for watching, brudda! 👊😎

[@robertholsopple9451]

My cap on my expansion tank keeps coming off on my 09 fz6r. I made sure it was properly seated but after a ride or 2, it's blown off again. Mabe I'll gorilla tape it down to the expansion tank?

[@HalfClickUp]

Man the thing may just be wore out somehow? Perhaps the plastic threads have become weak and sort of stripped? A new overflow tank assembly may be in order!

[@robertholsopple9451]

@@HalfClickUp btw my hose inside the expansion tank is bubbled up like yours. Mabe they are made like that?

[@HalfClickUp]

Bob Holsopple that’s very interesting... I’ve been most curious as to what that hose looks like on other bikes. Good to know!! Either they’re made that way or it’s a result of thousands of heat cycles.

[@robertholsopple9451]

@@HalfClickUp dunno. I got 27,500 on mine so shes no spring chicken either, lol

[@JayzBeerz]

10 years? it's every 2 years bro.

[@HalfClickUp]

JayzBeerz yeah sorry dude, I’m new! 😬

[@JaySiy]

So 1 jug is suffice for my fz6r

[@HalfClickUp]

HardCore'Vette yep

[@hakanaslan5736]

hi , whats your top speed on this bike ? thanks

[@HalfClickUp]

Hakan Aslan 140mph

[@hakanaslan5736]

@@HalfClickUp thanks , how many horsepower do you need from this machine

[@HalfClickUp]

Hakan Aslan the FZ6R comes factory with 77.5hp I’d guess my mods have increased that to somewhere around 85 to 87hp.

[@hakanaslan5736]

@@HalfClickUp thats very successfull :)

[@smoke05s]

What kind of clip ons are those?

[@HalfClickUp]

Christopher Young Woodcraft.. I have an overview video in my FZ6R Mods and Maintenance playlist if you’re curious.

[@smoke05s]

@@HalfClickUp Thanks, I'll check it out

[@kevinhenretty6460]

What exhaust did you put on your bike??

[@HalfClickUp]

Kevin Henretty header from an 03-05 R6 with a Yoshimura slip-on. Fuel management with Power Commander PCFC, sport map from Marthy’s Exhaust Solutions.

[@kevinhenretty6460]

@@HalfClickUp I have a 2012 FZ6R myself. It is so hard to find aftermarket parts that fit it!

[@HalfClickUp]

Kevin Henretty if you wanna go with a full system that doesn’t cost $1,000 you should check out Black Widow exhausts. Full kits for under $500. People seem to like em alright.

[@lopezdad30]

@@kevinhenretty6460 I think M4 makes a cheaper full exhaust for the FZ6R. Or you can always go with Marthy's viper exhaust

[@HalfClickUp]

Kevin Henretty anything in particular that ya looking for?