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Post by ScootForFun on Apr 23, 2012 17:45:12 GMT -5
Well so I had been putting off checking on my coolant, seeing as I have had no problems with cooling on my 2006 Linhai 300 SuperStrada (same as Aeolus 300, Mainstreet 300). If anything, I have always thought my 300 runs TOO cool. It takes a very hot day, driving uphill a long ways, or sitting a long time at idle for the temperature gauge to even register anything at all! But it will under any of those circumstances. And the fan comes on a little less than halfway, and seems to be effective at bringing the temperature down. So even though I have been made well aware of the stock Chinese coolant problem from reading throughout this and other forums, the fact that it seemed to run too cool finally got me curious enough at about 5000 miles on it to do a check. And boy was I in for a surprise. Well a half surprise. I already knew, but you could say I was just a bit skeptical. Well not no more. The second I undid that lower hose and started letting the coolant come out, what I saw was near black liquid.  It's true. The stock China coolant will cause corrosion and all kinds of nasty stuff to build up inside the coolant route. And clearly it was never changed (I bought the bike used, one owner, with 1,100 miles on it.) So after seeing that, I figured I better do a real good flush out of the cooling system, and change the thermostat, and get some good, no-silicate anti freeze like 50-50 Dex-cool. The flush out part was not that hard. But the thermostat? That's a lot harder, as you have to pull the entire seat pan out to get to it.  That's what Jim at Sunright (the distributor) told me. And I am just writing this post to reaffirm the notion: If you are going to go the cheaper route and get a Chinese made scooter, then do not skip this step. Change out that coolant ASAP. At 5000 miles, I have also been wondering about possibly changing out the main V-Belt, and maybe even going to an expensive Kevlar belt ($150.00). I tend to take long cruises on this puppy, and I just don't want to get stuck a long way from home with a broken belt. But Jim at Sunright said that I really shouldn't have to worry bout the belt until I hit 10,000 to 12,500 miles. They are not seeing any trouble out of them on the Linhai 300's until after that really, but he said to be safe I should change it after 12,500 miles for sure. |
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Post by trigger on Apr 23, 2012 18:09:10 GMT -5
Yeah good catch. I found burping the system of air bubbles worked best with the cap off and the engine running. As the T-stat opens more fluid is drawn through, pushing the air to the fill area. Don't rev the engine.
I have to agree with Jim on the belt. Inspect every 3000 or so. I think 12,500 might be pushing it. The Gates belts work fine.
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Post by skuttadawg on Apr 23, 2012 20:05:48 GMT -5
When you do the PDI you should change the oil , gear lube and coolant if its LC
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Post by hanilanzi on Apr 24, 2012 10:07:15 GMT -5
Linhai Turista 300 here (i think the same thing as Mainstreet 300 and Aeolus 300) and i bought it from 1st owner at 300 miles on it.
First thing i did when i got it home was coolant flush and like Scoot said, it was almost black stuff coming out, so i flushed the whole thing and for about 20 minutes, while engine was idling i kept fresh water coming in and flushing it until clear water going in was coming out.
then i filled it up with 50/50 prestone and rode it for a week and did the same thing again.
the 2nd time flushing it it wasn't as dark as the first time but i was still surprised to see that much discoloration in a week.
but after the 2nd flush within a week everything is looking and working great.
great idea to do this flush if it hasn't been done yet.
also i did a kevlar belt replacement on it and it rides great now! highly recommended!
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Post by ScootForFun on Apr 24, 2012 11:40:56 GMT -5
Hey hanilanzi,
Does your bike do the same thing and not register any temp at all unless one of those conditions is present? Or does it run always at a little less than halfway? I am just trying to figure out if there is something wrong, or if that's the way it is with the LH300?
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Post by hanilanzi on Apr 24, 2012 11:58:57 GMT -5
Scoot,
when i first flushed and changed the coolant i noticed that when idling the temp gauge went all the way to H without fan kicking in, and then noticed that as soon as i took it for a test drive the temp came all the way back down and then slowly came back up to about half and then i could hear the fan kick in and temp went down again.
second flush the same thing happened, so i guess the scooter needs to be driven for a pump or thermostat to kick in i guess, i am not sure about this one.
otherwise i drive the scooter to work and back (about 14 miles each way) and it takes a while for a temp gauge to move at all, if i am stuck in traffic coming from work on a highway i noticed the gauge came up to half way when stop and go and the fan kicked in and cooled the engine down, but it's hard for me to be a really good example because i am in minnesota and it hasn't been warm enough yet to get really good readings.
usually it's about 40-50 F in the morning when i leave and about 50-60 F when i am scooting back home. i guess i'll see about this one when it gets into 90's.
but as of right now, it looks like it's running cold most of the time, which it makes sense for the temps i am ridding it in right now.
hope this info helps.
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Post by ScootForFun on Apr 24, 2012 12:22:01 GMT -5
Yes, that does help hanilanzi, so thanks to you and all the others who share information so freely on this forum! With what you are saying, I am leaning towards these LH300's tend to run on the cooler side, which is a good thing!
So tell me, you notice a difference with those upgrades you have done? The kevlar belt? The rollers? The Iridium plug?
About the only thing I have done is replace the tires with new Michelin Pilot Sport SC's- and there was a major difference in the ride and in cornering.
I also pulled the muffler off cause the metal part was getting too rusty, sanded it down real good and then got some high temp black rustoleum paint and painted the thing with two coats. Looks way better.
While I was doing that with the muffler, I noticed that where the muffler pipe bolts to the engine, there was a slight gap. Looks like a crappy dealer install. So I tightened that up real good, and tightened the muffler clamp up real good when I put it back. I didn't realize until now that it was supposed to be this quiet, after putting over 4,000 miles on it!
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Post by hanilanzi on Apr 24, 2012 14:23:01 GMT -5
Scoot, the upgrades where i can tell the difference in performance are different weights in variator and Malossi clutch. I got a Malossi Maxi Delta clutch and when i ordered the sliders (upgrade from stock rollers) i also got a racing contra spring which after installing i had some issues at about 70mph where it felt like it was slipping or something. so i put the old contra spring back in my clutch. But yes, i can tell that it takes off faster because of new sliders, which are lighter then stock ones, and top speed is little higher because of the clutch - top speed at about 78mph (measured with a GPS onboard, stock speedometer says i am doing about 86mph when i am actually doing 78mph). racing exhaust gave me a really great "real bike" sound, but i don't think there is much of a performance boost on that side, and that could be because people say i should re-jet my carb after installing a racing exhaust, which i haven't done yet, so i don't know if there would be any performance impact if i did do that. i am really happy the way my scooter is setup right now. like i've said, i use it for work and back when the weather is nice here in 'ol Minnesota eh!  and it rides great. |
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Post by spandi on Apr 24, 2012 17:58:11 GMT -5
"Chinese Coolant"?..... You mean the Red Koolaid that my new scoot's radiator was filled with?
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Post by chaz12 on Apr 24, 2012 22:31:56 GMT -5
I ran my Bali 250cc scooter with the Chinese coolant for 100 miles. It did not hurt my scooter. But mine was blue chinky stuff. Not coolaide.. lol... People have there own opinions about the junk.. Too me, ya it would ruin a engine to run it in the engine 1000 miles but 100 miles, no... My scooter was actually dripping the stuff out slowly from the waterpump gasket. Chinese never get parts tight enough.. Always check everything you can..
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Post by justpassinthru on Apr 24, 2012 23:57:48 GMT -5
"Chinese Coolant"?..... You mean the Red Koolaid that my new scoot's radiator was filled with? According to what I'd been told...red indicates it's the aluminum-friendly antifreeze. I bought my Xingyue VOG-type 300 from a dealer...oils were all changed and he did a damned good PDI. No problems with 1100 miles on it. But I bought it in the fall, and by the time I got it home (a couple hundred miles away) cold weather had set in. Not wanting to dismantle a strange, new machine with gloves, I settled for a strength-test and left it alone. The dealer, his service guy told me all the oils were changed. But he said "antifreeze is antifreeze." I know better. Depending on who I asked, I learned that either the machine was shipped dry; or that the fluids were flushed; or that the antifreeze was fine. Don't know what to believe; and I don't have a manual. I suppose I'll wind up paying someone to flush it. The scoot is worth it; it's turned out to be a dependable, fun ride. |
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Post by spandi on Apr 25, 2012 9:32:34 GMT -5
"Chinese Coolant"?..... You mean the Red Koolaid that my new scoot's radiator was filled with? According to what I'd been told...red indicates it's the aluminum-friendly antifreeze. I bought my Xingyue VOG-type 300 from a dealer...oils were all changed and he did a damned good PDI. No problems with 1100 miles on it. But I bought it in the fall, and by the time I got it home (a couple hundred miles away) cold weather had set in. Not wanting to dismantle a strange, new machine with gloves, I settled for a strength-test and left it alone. The dealer, his service guy told me all the oils were changed. But he said "antifreeze is antifreeze." I know better. Depending on who I asked, I learned that either the machine was shipped dry; or that the fluids were flushed; or that the antifreeze was fine. Don't know what to believe; and I don't have a manual. I suppose I'll wind up paying someone to flush it. The scoot is worth it; it's turned out to be a dependable, fun ride. I don't care what anybody tells you, the only way to be sure is to flush the system yourself and fill it with a quality antifreeze. |
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Post by ScooterChick on Apr 25, 2012 13:23:27 GMT -5
ok, Well now I have a question. I have about 90k's on my new Saga 250cc. It hasn't been in for the first check yet. The mechanic said the first servie is due at 500k's and the second at 1500k's. Should I be concerned about coolant already? In regard to stuff being loose, we noticed that too and I told them I didn't want the thing falling apart on me at a stop light! The tightened a few things and said they come from the factory that way. Still I think if you want the public to think that you have a good product, you should at least tighten a few bolts before selling the thing..  . I have had any problems with the exception of getting up to about 70k's or so and feeling some "vibrations". We took it back and they put some dynobeads or whatever that stuff is called in the tire to balance it. It's been raining, so I haven't really had a chance to tell the difference. When I bought it back home, it was windy! So, nothing felt balanced to me as a new rider from a 50cc to a 250! Scooterchick |
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Post by imagesinthewind on Apr 25, 2012 13:29:16 GMT -5
Okay, I haven't done this on the Peg and now I'm wondering if I should.
I bought it in trade for two 50cc Fly scooters from a dealer. He was having trouble
selling the bigger scoots and I wanted one. I just assumed he did the coolant.
So, anyone know off hand how to drain the coolant from a Qlink Peg?
I've nothing to do today (a good feeling) and I could get this done today.
Thanks!
Ginny
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Post by spandi on Apr 25, 2012 15:19:58 GMT -5
ok, Well now I have a question. I have about 90k's on my new Saga 250cc. It hasn't been in for the first check yet. The mechanic said the first servie is due at 500k's and the second at 1500k's. Should I be concerned about coolant already? In regard to stuff being loose, we noticed that too and I told them I didn't want the thing falling apart on me at a stop light! The tightened a few things and said they come from the factory that way. Still I think if you want the public to think that you have a good product, you should at least tighten a few bolts before selling the thing.. . I have had any problems with the exception of getting up to about 70k's or so and feeling some "vibrations". We took it back and they put some dynobeads or whatever that stuff is called in the tire to balance it. It's been raining, so I haven't really had a chance to tell the difference. When I bought it back home, it was windy! So, nothing felt balanced to me as a new rider from a 50cc to a 250! Scooterchick Honestly if I were in your shoes I'd do a fluid dump, engine oil, transmission and the coolant. I'd also get Loc-tite thread locker and go over all the bolts just to make sure nothing drops out along the road. |
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Post by hanilanzi on Apr 26, 2012 9:11:55 GMT -5
+1 spandi, i did the same thing when i got mine... i don't care what they say, i'd rather be safe then sorry. specially if it's a brand new scooter! ScooterChick flush everything mentioned above, it will cost you about $40 if that much, most of it you can do yourself if you are handy, first 1000km (or miles) are crucial on lifespan of the scoot. |
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Post by spandi on Apr 26, 2012 10:09:43 GMT -5
Thanks hanilanzi! yep, I wouldn't trust this to anyone (let alone a dealer) to do a first class job with first class ingredients, and on a Chinese scoot It's even more crucial to performance and trouble free reliability than "normal" There is plenty of help right here at Scootdawg to "learn as you go"
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Post by ScooterChick on Apr 27, 2012 22:11:58 GMT -5
My Scooter is still under warranty and if I tinker with it, I will void the warranty; which happens to be a 2 year one like the Kymcos. I only have to get another 400k's on it before it is due to be serviced....all fluides drained, etc.
It only had 19 ks on it when I purchased it, so I don't think that it should be in dire straights at the present. If anything goes wrong with it this soon, they have to replace the bike, parts, etc.
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Post by ariot on Apr 28, 2012 0:55:05 GMT -5
XY260 here, central Fl., temp on mine even in hot 94°+ weather has never gone above 1/4 way and only at long stop lights. If your that far north it may not move much if at all. Enjoy the ride.
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Post by hanilanzi on Apr 28, 2012 1:12:21 GMT -5
ariot, funny you said that because today i drove to work and drive in was good but driving back home, after about 10 minutes i noticed that my temp gauge kept going up and up until it hit H and i couldnt hear the fan kick in. i was freaking out and stopped at first gas station i could find.
i put my bike on a center stand and noticed underneath there was a small leak and knew right away it was a coolant because of the color, so i look underneath to find out that the hose to the water pump was detached.... i am like "WHAT???"
so luckily i had some tools under my seat so i took the left side of the plastic off so i can see what's going to and i found out that the hose was completely detached from the water pump, it looked, nothing was broke or anything but it made me wonder how the heck did it come off!! so i loosened the metal clamp around the rubber hose and slid it back on the water pump and tightened the clamp around it, bought some coolant at the gas station, filled it up and head home.
so i am wondering something.. did i possibly overfill the coolant when i flushed it couple weeks ago and refilled it with a new one, so the pressure inside the cooling system was too high so it forced the hose to come off or is it just coincidence that it was loose and it came off??
can coolant be overfilled at all or no?
i will be flushing the whole thing again in the morning just to get the cheap stuff that i bought at the gas station out and fill it with the good stuff.
i guess i will have to keep an eye on this one. last thing i want to do is overheat my scoots engine!
any opinion on this one?
thank you
hani
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Post by Saber on Apr 28, 2012 6:23:24 GMT -5
"Chinese Coolant"?..... You mean the Red Koolaid that my new scoot's radiator was filled with? Funny when I helped my buddy with his RK 54B it had blue coolant in it. Honesty I truly believe it was washer fluid. He only had a few hundred miles on it and over heated all the time. Also corrosion was already evident at the hose ends. 1 gallon of 50/50 and an hour of time to flush refill and burp was all it needed. |
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Post by justpassinthru on Apr 28, 2012 7:28:22 GMT -5
can coolant be overfilled at all or no? If it's overfilled, no room for expansion, the excess coolant would be vented out the pressure-cap on the radiator. My XY300t-4 has an overflow tank. Others may just have tubes to dump it. It shouldn't blow off a connection. That connection was probably not tightened up enough at PDI. |
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Post by spandi on Apr 28, 2012 8:38:09 GMT -5
can coolant be overfilled at all or no? If it's overfilled, no room for expansion, the excess coolant would be vented out the pressure-cap on the radiator. My XY300t-4 has an overflow tank. Others may just have tubes to dump it. It shouldn't blow off a connection. That connection was probably not tightened up enough at PDI. That's why I replaced all the metal clamps and tightened up everything myself, I don't leave it to dealers or anyone else to make sure it's done right. |
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Post by Saber on Apr 28, 2012 17:09:35 GMT -5
If it's overfilled, no room for expansion, the excess coolant would be vented out the pressure-cap on the radiator. My XY300t-4 has an overflow tank. Others may just have tubes to dump it. It shouldn't blow off a connection. That connection was probably not tightened up enough at PDI. That's why I replaced all the metal clamps and tightened up everything myself, I don't leave it to dealers or anyone else to make sure it's done right. The RK 54 B has an expansion tank on it. |
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Post by hanilanzi on Apr 30, 2012 10:14:59 GMT -5
Linhai (Diamo) Turista 300 has an overfill tank also.
i am just glad i didn't overburn the whole thing. i double checked all the hoses going in and out the coolant, water pump,...
and tightened the hose clamps, i am just keeping an eye on it every time before i ride the scoot, just in case.
thank you for the input guys!
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Post by ezbreazzy on May 4, 2012 20:11:16 GMT -5
I have a couple questions that maybe someone could answer for me. My 2008 Aeolus 260cc scooter with a linhai motor in it. from reading all the post above about changing out the antifreeze i will do it this weekend my scoot only have 23 miles on it so im guessing i didnt ruin anything since the temp guage goes up half way then the fan comes on and runs for like 3 minutes and cools it back down that i dont have a problem there. but like i said i will change it out this weekend. Also i need to flush out the brake fluid.....what type of brake fluid do i need to use seems to me i read somewhere it was Dot 4 is that correct?
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Post by spandi on May 4, 2012 21:01:03 GMT -5
Check your manual (mine lists 3) but I go with DOT4 (you cannot however switch them in reverse... as in using DOT3 when 4 is called for.)
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Post by ScootForFun on May 4, 2012 22:49:35 GMT -5
On my LH300 the brake fluid type is written right on the brake fluid holders on the handle bars, and it probably is too on the Aeolus 260. And that is probably where you read it, ez.... Should take either type, DOT3 or DOT4 if it's the same as the LH300.
You may have lucked out ez, and your dealer could have changed the coolant, but unless you can find out for sure, and even then, would be a good idea to change it to 50/50 Dex Cool ASAP. You want a non-silica coolant, not just any antifreeze like for a car...It's cause there is a lot of aluminum in the engine. And the 50/50 dex cool is already mixed and ready to pour. And it is the cheapest I've seen at walmart.
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Post by hanilanzi on May 5, 2012 9:04:46 GMT -5
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That's what Jim at Sunright (the distributor) told me.
and it rides great.
. I have had any problems with the exception of getting up to about 70k's or so and feeling some "vibrations". We took it back and they put some dynobeads or whatever that stuff is called in the tire to balance it. It's been raining, so I haven't really had a chance to tell the difference. When I bought it back home, it was windy! So, nothing felt balanced to me as a new rider from a 50cc to a 250!
