[HydeWhyte]

Well it's that time. Winter weather & not a lot of riding time makes time for maintenance. In this case, I'm installing the new AS3 silicone hoses. I believe 4 years is the recommended interval for replacing the OEM hoses and I can't believe I've had the bike 4 years already.

Anyway, any tips & tricks for reaching the two connections that are at the rear center of the engine? I haven't removed the air-box yet to see what all has to be removed to access the hose clamps, so wondering if anyone else has already done it.

 

[MadisonMotorsportUK]

4 years for coolant hoses? New one on me. Brake hoses maybe at 4 years, brake fluid and coolant definitely every 4 years.

 

[JCW]

I remember dreading it too. But I think it came off and went back on without too much drama.
I can't recall any tips or tricks..

I believe I had the airbox and tank off but I have those off frequently

 

[rv6john]

Did you get the Samco or similar clamps with the hoses? They are much softer than OEM.

 

[HydeWhyte]

4 years for coolant hoses? New one on me. Brake hoses maybe at 4 years, brake fluid and coolant definitely every 4 years.

Seems you are correct about the 4 years. Not sure why I was thinking that, perhaps some Google searches that say the interval is 4-5 years for other vehicles, such as the 5 years recommended for my truck.

 

[HydeWhyte]

I remember dreading it too. But I think it came off and went back on without too much drama.
I can't recall any tips or tricks..

I believe I had the airbox and tank off but I have those off frequently

Service manual just says to remove the cowlings and lift the gas tank, then remove/reinstall hoses. I just can't see (yet) how to get a hand/tool down to the two hose connections on the back of the engine. Wondering if I'll be able to get to them with the airbox off or if anything under the airbox also has to be off & out of the way.

 

[HydeWhyte]

Did you get the Samco or similar clamps with the hoses? They are much softer than OEM.

Yes I did get the AS3 hose clamps. I like the smoother rounded edges, so sprung for the extra $49 for them.

 

[JCW]

There are the crankcase breather hoses, the fuel line hose from the fuel pump to the fuel rail. But those come off or get disconnected when the tank and airbox is off. I can't think of anything else...
There's the exhaust valve servo motor bolted right side... I've removed that previously but I don't think that gets in the way.

 

[rv6john]

@HydeWhyte I sure hope you are taking some pictures to post and show the next guy.

 

[HydeWhyte]

Turns out the airbox doesn't need to be removed but taking off the gas tank makes it a lot easier to get to the two connections I've been looking at. In the pics below, the 1st pic shows the two connections I'm looking to remove: the larger hose on lower right with clamp that has the phillips-head screw, and the smaller hose on the upper left with the squeeze-type clamp. The squeeze clamp is proving to be the most difficult to remove as it was put on at a not so perfect angle and access is very tight even with the gas tank off. Second pic shows the red gas tank I'm pumping the fuel from the bike's tank into, and the 3rd pic shows the jumper-wire and the fuel-pump relay terminals that are used to perform the fuel-flow test (which I hijacked to empty the tank for removal).

 

[Todd_Sails]

Why are you removing fuel?
I've don't it on my K5 Liter, pretty straigtforward. It's been a few years though, don't remember exactly.
IIRC, I lifter the tank, removed the airbox, and used various scredrivers and sockets with extensions, etc. to get the ones off behind the cylinders under the Throttle bodies.
Good luck- it's doable. I may have mentioned it on my K5 Liter thread when I did it and took some pictures.

 

[Todd_Sails]

Here's the pic I took when I was doing it and done.
I just rmemeber I had to get real creative to get those clamps off, and then on w/ the new hoses and make sure they didn't leak.

** Actually, it looks like the air box was still on! LOL

 

[Yellow Submarine]

I did the ones on my ‘04 and used Samco clamps. The only ones I remember being a royal PITA were the vertical one behind the water pump and the one that wraps around from the back of the engine to the right side. All the rest were simple & straight forward.

 

[HydeWhyte]

I think these two are the most difficult of the connections to make, the rest of the hoses look like they have much easier access. The larger hose wouldn't push onto the thermostat housing fitting, so I removed the housing to put the hose on, then bolted the housing back on. I took the heat shielding wraps off the stock hoses and put them on the new hoses where they run against the engine (just mentioned it in case someone would be curious enough to ask).

 

[HydeWhyte]

Why are you removing fuel?
I've don't it on my K5 Liter, pretty straigtforward. It's been a few years though, don't remember exactly.
IIRC, I lifter the tank, removed the airbox, and used various scredrivers and sockets with extensions, etc. to get the ones off behind the cylinders under the Throttle bodies.
Good luck- it's doable. I may have mentioned it on my K5 Liter thread when I did it and took some pictures.

Why am I removing fuel...

Well, basically I'm a newb & it's my first time removing the tank, so didn't really know if it was necessary or not. But mostly because I wasn't comfortable with the amount of fuel that kept coming out of the disconnected fuel line from the fuel pump and soaking the rags I had there to keep it from spilling on the bike. Besides, it let me do the fuel flow test to make sure the fuel pump was putting out enough fuel (it is) and yeah I know the flow test only requires a 10 second run but I pumped most of the gas out anyway (into a brand new 5 gallon gas can btw).

 

[JCW]

better to be safe than on fire...

 

[HydeWhyte]

Got all but two of the hoses installed, all that's left are the two that connect to the coolant reservoir and not 100% convinced I really need those two on (but will probably put them on anyway just because they're included in the set). Major task for today is to reinstall the gas tank, fill the coolant system with distilled water and run the engine up to temp and check for leaks, then if all's ok to replace the distilled water with proper coolant and put everything back together.

 

[Todd_Sails]

Why am I removing fuel...

Well, basically I'm a newb & it's my first time removing the tank, so didn't really know if it was necessary or not. But mostly because I wasn't comfortable with the amount of fuel that kept coming out of the disconnected fuel line from the fuel pump and soaking the rags I had there to keep it from spilling on the bike. Besides, it let me do the fuel flow test to make sure the fuel pump was putting out enough fuel (it is) and yeah I know the flow test only requires a 10 second run but I pumped most of the gas out anyway (into a brand new 5 gallon gas can btw).

Understood.

I only lift my tank and stick something in there to hold it up.

 

[HydeWhyte]

Understood.

I only lift my tank and stick something in there to hold it up.

Yeah I tried that first and there was no way I could reach the two thermostat housing connections with the tank in the way. Shoot, it was hard enough to reach them even with the tank off

 

[HydeWhyte]

Distilled water fill and run up to temp w/two cooling fan on/off cycles complete. Yay no leaks anywhere to be found. Now I'll let her cool down so I can drain & refill with the 50/50 Ecstar coolant. I have some Water Wetter left from the last coolant change so will put some of that in too.

I also have that new battery to put on, may as well go ahead & put the battery acid in & give a good slow charge. My old battery is still good but it's 4 years old now and I'd rather go ahead and put the new one on rather than have the old one go out on me somewhere out on the road.