I was a Honda M/C and ATV tech for 35 years and commend your video! I retired in 2005. My only addition would be replacing the copper washer on the drain bolt with a new one. That is a Honda recommendation also.
i was under the impression that i had to remove so much to drain the radiator , watched this and all done , al-thou i might add just a little to overflow now ive read comments , great video, showing how to cheers
Upper is the "Full" mark which you do not want to go above. Lower is the "Add" mark just like an engine oil dipstick. When you get down to the lower line you want to fill it to the upper line.
I'll add that these marks are for when the engine is cold. The fill level may go above the upper line and may go down to the lower line with heat expansion of the fluid and hoses when hot and be to spec.
That is well said!! They are the cold values for sure....... when I bought my Honda new in 2010 from the dealer, the coolant level was just barely above the "min" fill level line...... So when I change it, I just fill it back to that mark since that is how it was when I got it from the factory (for the most part).
@@kingOpooPee when you drive it there is a greater chance you will leak coolant out of the top of the reservoir, or have the lid start leaking of the bottle.
They do run very hot. The good old days of the air cooled 200, 250 Big Red's etc. They would get so hot going into our huntin camp that they would burn rubber boots. And that is from the crankcase not exhaust. All Honda atc's, atv's air cooled and liquid run hotter then other manufacturers.
is this basically the same process on the foreman 500? obviously the location of some things are different but seems straight forward. Manual says to take it to the dealer.
@willalot in my opinion they always say "take it to the dealer" because that's how they make money...... thats why I'm showing how easy it is to do the 420 Rancher..... im not familiar with the Foreman, but I would assume the process is similar if not the same.....
Hi again. This past weekend my quad was bogging down after a while of riding and even shut off on me I let it cool down and made it home. I noticed today that my coolant reservoir in the back is cracked and had no fluid in it. Do you think my machine overheated because of this? It still starts up like a champ but Im not riding it till i replace the little tank.
Hey, i have a question at 0:52 what was the hose to the left of your finger for and where does it lead to. I have one but it doesn't lead to anything and i think it is cut?
Good question. Honestly I'm not sure.... Try asking a local Honda dealer's service department.... just don't let them talk you into letting them service it!
When you unbolt the reservoir and dump the coolant, just make sure you swish around the distilled water a couple of time and then dump it out.... This should get rid of the dirt in the reservoir... I would think any dirt in the system isn't good for it.... try and get it as clean as possible....
Tap water or other water has calcium and other impurities that could build up and clog or affect the coolant system if used. Its best to use distilled water which doesn't have the impurities...... hopefully that helps...
I see that too... Engine Ice says once a year, up to 2 if used for racing, but that is too often in my opinion..... the maintenance schedule in the Honda Rancher manual says every 100 hrs or 600 miles, change the coolant. I dont use my Rancher all year long. It gets about 50 to 100 miles of use during the Fall hunting season (if even that)... Then I winterize the engine and it sits in the garage for 8 months of the year (unfortunately).... I likely will let this go for another year then see where I am with the mileage and engine time before I change it again. ...... If you use your Rancher more often, it never hurts to change any fluid early, but too early too often isn't necessary in my opinion. Engine Ice doesn't know all engine manufacturer's maintenance interval recommendations, so they probably take the "shortest time" recommendation to cover themselves ......
The "Engine Ice Hi - Performance Coolant" i used comes in a 1/2 gallon container and is premixed. I used it as is. I didn't add water or anything..... After filling the radiator then filling the reservoir to the min. level, I had maybe 4 oz. of coolant remaining....Hope this helps....
@@chrisj5.0 I bought the coolant at the local Honda Dealership, but i honestly can't remember what i paid. Dealership costs are usually higher.... After a quick search on the interweb I do see it is for sale on Amazon for about $20. Another good place to look is www.rockymountainatvmc.com... they have everything parts and fluids related for a Honda Rancher.......Hope that helps....
How long did you let it run while the distilled water was in there? Did you get it hot enough for the fan to come on? Or did you just let the fan come on with the coolant in there?
@@DadsTimeOutdoors thanks. Is that a year round coolant? Or would using an "equivalent" green coolant be better for hot & cold temps? It get 100+ here in summer & as low as single digit temps in winter. I recently purchased a used 2013 Rancher & it has green coolant in it so im contemplating draining it & putting in the honda coolant. I have no idea what "green" coolant the previous owners put in there. Straight green or 50/50 green
@@shooter3288 I'm sure its good for year round use.... im in Texas where the climate is on the warmer side of the spectrum, even in the winter..... for a cold cold climate I'm sure it would work too......
@@damon323 if the engine is warm, I wouldn't go above the max line. The right way to add fluid is wait till the engine is cold and fill the resevoir until it is above the minimum, but not to exceed the max line.....
If you use regular tap water, its not good because most tap water has calcium in it. If you use tap water to flush, calcium deposits can form and clog and prevent the coolant from circulating through the engine... best to use distilled for a flush
I was a Honda M/C and ATV tech for 35 years and commend your video! I retired in 2005. My only addition would be replacing the copper washer on the drain bolt with a new one. That is a Honda recommendation also.
i was under the impression that i had to remove so much to drain the radiator , watched this and all done , al-thou i might add just a little to overflow now ive read comments , great video, showing how to cheers
Awesome video buddy! Great instructions. Thank you!
Thanks for taking the time to do this. Very helpful.
Thank you Doug, you're my hero!
Great video by the way. Helped me tremendously
.got it done & good to go 👍
Thanks, just getting ready to do mine. You were very helpful, Thanks!
Upper is the "Full" mark which you do not want to go above. Lower is the "Add" mark just like an engine oil dipstick. When you get down to the lower line you want to fill it to the upper line.
I'll add that these marks are for when the engine is cold. The fill level may go above the upper line and may go down to the lower line with heat expansion of the fluid and hoses when hot and be to spec.
That is well said!! They are the cold values for sure....... when I bought my Honda new in 2010 from the dealer, the coolant level was just barely above the "min" fill level line...... So when I change it, I just fill it back to that mark since that is how it was when I got it from the factory (for the most part).
What will happen if you over fill it?
@@kingOpooPee when you drive it there is a greater chance you will leak coolant out of the top of the reservoir, or have the lid start leaking of the bottle.
So what level should it be at should it be at the lower line or in between the full and lower line? Or somewhere else
Thank you. Easy peasy.
Thanks for showing us
Thanks for posting it helped a lot.
I have a 2018 rancher and after about an hour of riding, it gets hot. Everything is good, that I've checked. I haven't checked the thermostat
It’s supposed to get hot guy
They do run very hot. The good old days of the air cooled 200, 250 Big Red's etc. They would get so hot going into our huntin camp that they would burn rubber boots. And that is from the crankcase not exhaust. All Honda atc's, atv's air cooled and liquid run hotter then other manufacturers.
What type of coolant?
When adding coolant, should the quad be idling?
is this basically the same process on the foreman 500? obviously the location of some things are different but seems straight forward. Manual says to take it to the dealer.
@willalot in my opinion they always say "take it to the dealer" because that's how they make money...... thats why I'm showing how easy it is to do the 420 Rancher..... im not familiar with the Foreman, but I would assume the process is similar if not the same.....
@@DadsTimeOutdoors it is basically the exact same process, only difference is resovoir is in a different place. Thanks video really helped
thanks brother!!
Hi again. This past weekend my quad was bogging down after a while of riding and even shut off on me I let it cool down and made it home. I noticed today that my coolant reservoir in the back is cracked and had no fluid in it. Do you think my machine overheated because of this? It still starts up like a champ but Im not riding it till i replace the little tank.
Not sure.... I would imagine it is ok... but it doesn't hurt to ask around at local dealerships or repair shops
@@DadsTimeOutdoors ok. I greatly appreciate you replying. You put me a little bit more at ease
Hey, i have a question at 0:52 what was the hose to the left of your finger for and where does it lead to. I have one but it doesn't lead to anything and i think it is cut?
Vent line , it’s fine
Can you also use a coolant flush kit the same way you would on a vehicle that hasn’t had one in a long time?
Good question. Honestly I'm not sure.... Try asking a local Honda dealer's service department.... just don't let them talk you into letting them service it!
Will it hurt it to rid with a little bit of dirt in the reservoir?
When you unbolt the reservoir and dump the coolant, just make sure you swish around the distilled water a couple of time and then dump it out.... This should get rid of the dirt in the reservoir... I would think any dirt in the system isn't good for it.... try and get it as clean as possible....
How often do u change fluid
I do it once every two years which if I remember right is what the maintenance schedule says
Why distilled water and not only water to clean te system
Ty
Tap water or other water has calcium and other impurities that could build up and clog or affect the coolant system if used. Its best to use distilled water which doesn't have the impurities...... hopefully that helps...
How much antifreeze did u use
Just under 2 quarts.
Where is the thermostat located
On tye other side of the engine
Been a little over a year now. What's your thoughts on the Engine Ice? I think they recommend changing it yearly.
I see that too... Engine Ice says once a year, up to 2 if used for racing, but that is too often in my opinion..... the maintenance schedule in the Honda Rancher manual says every 100 hrs or 600 miles, change the coolant. I dont use my Rancher all year long. It gets about 50 to 100 miles of use during the Fall hunting season (if even that)... Then I winterize the engine and it sits in the garage for 8 months of the year (unfortunately).... I likely will let this go for another year then see where I am with the mileage and engine time before I change it again. ...... If you use your Rancher more often, it never hurts to change any fluid early, but too early too often isn't necessary in my opinion. Engine Ice doesn't know all engine manufacturer's maintenance interval recommendations, so they probably take the "shortest time" recommendation to cover themselves ......
What is the capacity?. What is the quantity of coolant required???
The "Engine Ice Hi - Performance Coolant" i used comes in a 1/2 gallon container and is premixed. I used it as is. I didn't add water or anything..... After filling the radiator then filling the reservoir to the min. level, I had maybe 4 oz. of coolant remaining....Hope this helps....
Doug W. Where did you get it from?
@@chrisj5.0 I bought the coolant at the local Honda Dealership, but i honestly can't remember what i paid. Dealership costs are usually higher.... After a quick search on the interweb I do see it is for sale on Amazon for about $20. Another good place to look is www.rockymountainatvmc.com... they have everything parts and fluids related for a Honda Rancher.......Hope that helps....
Why does this thing sputter badly isn’t it fuel injected
1:40 = my brother in the bathroom
How long did you let it run while the distilled water was in there? Did you get it hot enough for the fan to come on? Or did you just let the fan come on with the coolant in there?
Yeah I ran the engine for about 10 minutes.... long enough to get the engine warm....if the fan comes on then is definitely long enough....
@@DadsTimeOutdoors thanks. Is that a year round coolant? Or would using an "equivalent" green coolant be better for hot & cold temps? It get 100+ here in summer & as low as single digit temps in winter. I recently purchased a used 2013 Rancher & it has green coolant in it so im contemplating draining it & putting in the honda coolant. I have no idea what "green" coolant the previous owners put in there. Straight green or 50/50 green
@@shooter3288 I'm sure its good for year round use.... im in Texas where the climate is on the warmer side of the spectrum, even in the winter..... for a cold cold climate I'm sure it would work too......
Gotcha. Thanks
Let your cats drink it? That color seems to be green
Put too little coolant in. Filled to the min not the max.
Yeah, I added the remainder to the overflow reservoir after I made the video...right below the max line...
@@DadsTimeOutdoors So you do fill it to the max line if the engine is warm?
@@damon323 if the engine is warm, I wouldn't go above the max line. The right way to add fluid is wait till the engine is cold and fill the resevoir until it is above the minimum, but not to exceed the max line.....
@@DadsTimeOutdoors Thanks Doug, really appreciate the info and you posting the video man.
thing runs like crap get that fixed goofy
Can I use regular water instead of distilled?
If you use regular tap water, its not good because most tap water has calcium in it. If you use tap water to flush, calcium deposits can form and clog and prevent the coolant from circulating through the engine... best to use distilled for a flush