2003 K1200RS cooling system bleed

[k547]

2003 K1200RS

I apologize if there is an existing thread(s) on this subject, I did search but only came up with some general suggestions.
Can anybody direct me to a thread?

I removed the upper crossover hose that connects the left and right radiator and the lower one that connects the bottom of the left radiator to the thermostat housing on the bottom of the right radiator when I was replacing my front shock. No other hoses or coolant drains were touched.

Now that it's all back together the coolant appears to be full but the amount I put back in is 18 fluid ounces less than what I drained out.
So I have an 18 ounce sized air bubble.

I've repeatedly squeezed the hose and allowed the bike to idle for about 2-3 minutes twice with no change in the coolant level. I'm reluctant to let it idle for long imagining a big air bubble in the cylinder head....although I can't imagine how any coolant below the thermostat could have been affected by draining the two radiators.....on a cold bike the thermostat would have been closed when I drained the radiators.....

Any suggestions or other posts I could read?

 

[pauls1150]

I'm not specifically familiar with the differences between the K1200 and K1100 cooling systems, but in my K11 manual, there's a directive to "Crank engine with starter while kneading hose between water pump and filler neck" while adding the coolant.

 

[kbasa]

Consider a vaccum bleeder.

You basically drain all the coolant out, you bleed all the air out of the cooling system using a Bernoulli attachment from your compressor. Then, you fill a big container with your coolant and stick a hose in it. The system, which is now void of air, draws the fluid into the system and fills it completely, eliminating the need to bleed it.

I think I paid like $125 for mine. I bought it for my car, which has the motor in the middle and the radiators a good 7 or 8 feet ahead of it, up in the nose. Cars can be even worse to bleed than bikes, but this kind of tool should help you.

https://www.amazon.com/coolant-vacuum-refill-kit/s?k=coolant+vacuum+refill+kit has a whole page of them.

In my neck of the woods, $125 is like 20 minutes of shop time down at the bike dealer, but it's like 15 minutes of time at the car dealer, so I had no issue spending the money.

 

[k547]

thanks for your replies, I got all the coolant back into the system.

 

[pglaves]

In my neck of the woods, $125 is like 20 minutes of shop time down at the bike dealer, but it's like 15 minutes of time at the car dealer, so I had no issue spending the money.

Dave, Are you actually saying that the bike shop rate is $375 per hour??

 

[pauls1150]

Some shops impose a "minimum charge" per hour regardless of what the task is, and might adjust that if you're a known "regular" or bought the bike there.
When my RTs were under warranty, I saved half an hour of labor by removing the bodywork before taking it in.

 

[kbasa]

Dave, Are you actually saying that the bike shop rate is $375 per hour??

It is at the Porsche dealer. The BMW dealer is like $250 or 275 or something? It's been a few years since I was in a dealership now, but when I had the RT's recalls done, it was in the $250+ range if memory serves.

German car dealerships are insane for hourly shop rates, which is why I bought a 2005. I can still maintain it.

 

[langoptc]

thanks for your replies, I got all the coolant back into the system.

Could you share the secret to your success so that others might benefit? Thanks.

 

[k547]

Could you share the secret to your success so that others might benefit? Thanks.

Over a couple days time I repeatedly warmed it up and let it cool and repeatedly squeezed the hoses until I could not get any more bubbles out or coolant in at the radiator cap and made sure that the coolant level in the overflow tank was at the minimum or above.
Just a long slow process repeated over and over.