Removing the radiator is only necessary when there is a fault with it or its cooling fan, or you are doing an 8,000 or 12,000 miles service and checking the valve clearances (tappets). Whilst it is possible to check and adjust the rear cylinder's tappets without removing the radiator, it is impossible to reach the front cylinder head valves with the radiator in place.
You don't need to remove the radiator just to change the coolant. If a coolant change is all that is required, just follow the instructions regarding draining and refilling the cooling system and ignore references to removing the unit.
Don't do anything until you have a litre of nonsilicate antifreeze - this is the pink "advanced formula" stuff, not the standard green or blue antifreeze - and a litre of distilled (battery) water. Mix them equally. Don't get it on your skin, it feels horribly greasy.
DO NOT USE STANDARD GREEN ANTIFREEZE because the Deauville, like its great-uncle ancestor the CX500, has a mechanical seal within the water pump, which keeps engine oil separate from coolant. Ordinary antifreeze contains tiny silicate particles which accelerate wear between the two ceramic faces of the mechanical seal, causing premature failure. You can see this in detail on this site. The CX's mech seal can be replaced - although this is not a job for a beginner - but the Deauville's mech seal is integral with the water pump and in the case of failure, the entire water pump unit has to be replaced (or so Honda claim. I've yet to see a Deauville water pump to assess it for possible repair).
David Fisher [8-Feb-09] adds "I am at the moment in the throes of a mini-service on my 650 V-X and the next job is to change the antifreeze, which I’ve done twice before. The first occasion was when I acquired the bike (5.5k miles) and as I recall, the coolant I drained off was green. I thought at the time that this was probably the original coolant but could of course be wrong. Anyway, in my “ignorance” I went to my local Honda dealer and bought some new antifreeze – it was blue but not being any the wiser I used it (it was the only one they stocked anyway) ... the label said that it was suitable for use in all engines including aluminium. On the next coolant change occasion I also used a “universal” antifreeze (blue).
However, since reading your guide I decided to do the job properly and get some non-silicate antifreeze – easier said than done – most Parts Shop people just give you a blank look when you ask for it. As luck would have it today I called in Tesco’s and whilst browsing the Car Care section I stumbled across a discontinued line of “Prestone” antifreeze which is nitrate and silicate free, long life (5yrs/150k miles) ..... Whoopee! But it’s yellow."
So ... any colour you like is fine as long as it's the NON-SILICATE type.
Ensure that the engine and cooling system are completely cold, or you may get seriously scalded by hot coolant.
Locate the coolant drain plug on the water pump body on the lower left hand side of the engine.
Place your drain tray under this point and a little way outwards as the coolant will spurt out towards you.
Remove the plug and allow the coolant to completely drain. Then replace the plug, tightening to 6 ft/lbs.
Note the correct pink colour of the liquid - this shows that the cooling system had been filled with the nonsilicate type of antifreeze.
Antifreeze by the way is flammable ..
If you are doing a tappets check on the front cylinder, also remove the clamp at the other end of this hose, and remove the entire hose from the engine. But if you are just taking the radiator off you can leave this hose where it is.
However, once the right hand bolt is out, you will see that the radiator mounting lug is slid over a stud, from left to right.
Ease the radiator out. In this picture I am holding it upside down to avoid any spillage.
Check the delicate fins for damage and remove any embedded debris such as insets or small stones. using a feeler gauge or something equally slim and flexible.
Then use a hosepipe to reverse-flush the radiator from the bottom to the top hose junctions.
Clean any dirt or corrosion off the flanges where the hoses are attached.
There are no pitfalls with reassembly, but when locating the radiator back against its mounting points on the chassis, the bottom edge of the radiator body needs to slip behind the metal strut which goes across the front of the engine. Slide the radiator back from the left side, onto its top lug and don't tighten all the holding bolts until you are satisfied that the hoses marry up with the radiator.
The cable clamps (called Jubilee clips in the UK) often get corroded or rusty and this is a good time to change them.
As with all holding bolts, nuts and screws, a gentle squirt in ACF50 (not WD40) prevents corrosion and helps the next spannerman to get them out, hopefully not for a couple of years!
To refill the radiator, check the hose clamps are tight and using your 50/50 nonsilicate antifreeze and distilled water mix, fill from the top down until the radiator is full. After a short road test or static engine run, check the level again, and top up as required. Also don't forget to check the level in the plastic opaque coolant bottle at the rear of the engine, as routine coolant top-ups are done here and not at the radiator cap.
To fit the aftermarket chrome radiator guard, unbolt the fan from the rear of the radiator, noting that one of the securing bolts serves as an earthing point for the fan motor. The chrome guard's arms come around the rear of the radiator body and are secured by the same bolts which attach the fan. Don't forget to reattach the fan's earth lead, ensuring that it is in contact with the metal of the radiator.
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