Hi all Had my 2011 848 evo a few weeks now and when I first got it I checked the coolant level in the expansion bottle and found it was below minimum, I topped it up to between min and max and have since ridden about 110 miles. Checked it again this evening from cold and again it was below minimum, had a look and I cant see any obvious signs of a leak or smell of coolant, bike doesn't run hot according to the temp gauge & no smoke from the cans. Its in for a full desmo service next week but is there anything I should look for or is this normal behaviour? Didn't take much coolant to top up so must have been just below the bottom of the expansion bottle, Ive not checked the radiator as looks a bit of a mission to get to.. Thanks
Fingers crossed that there is a simple explanation. The main water radiator generally has a design fault where it eventually fractures at the top of the matrix on the L/H side next to the fixing. Many of us have contributed to threads on here in the past with a view to replacement using a Chinese aftermarket unit at a fraction of the cost of the original. https://www.ducatiforum.co.uk/threads/radiator-leak.87506/#post-1873799 https://www.ducatiforum.co.uk/threa...out-where-the-radiator-is-leaking-from.41906/
Famously difficult to fill and bleed. As @Chris has said before, they need to be leant right over and "burped" by squeezing the hoses with the radiator cap off.
Thanks for the reply's, I'll take the fairings off tomorrow and let it tick over and see if I can spot a leak, it must be pretty small. The joys of buying a used bike, always going to be a secret issue. Sounds like it should have been a Ducati recall...
found one on M&P probably still Chinese but M&P are UK based and doubt they will sell crap that will cause them hassle https://www.mandp.co.uk/products/ducati-848-1098-1198-08-11-radiator-690972
It could be just that it wasn't previously filled correctly however, I would suggest doing a proper inspection for leaks from the rad as they are a known weak point.
Thanks I'll have a proper look tomorrow in better light and with engine running, its going in for a full service and Desmo service next Thursday so will let them take a look as well
Stripped fairings off and have had the bike running on the paddock stand for twenty mins and no sign of a leak anywhere, no dried up traces of coolant in dust etc either. Bone dry around the rad and brackets and coolant pipes and water pump. Bike run up to 103 degrees then both fans kicked in and cooled it to 99 degrees then fans go off and come back on as temp gets back up to 103. So its a mystery, could it be an airlock or dare I say it head gasket : / although no sign of any steam from the exhaust and all smells normal runs normal when, riding doesn't get hot...
mystery remains but at least you can rule out rad fracture as above test would have "found it out" for sure.
going to go for a ride and see if the level drops again, only other thing I can think is its coming out the overflow while riding..
as Ricky said, it could be that it was low to start with, so has gulped a few top-ups* down and not leaked at all, but you are right to think of headgasket as always was a possibility on a car for example. Someone like @nelly could comment on frequency of this occurring, it's got to be pretty low i think, more as a result of neglect/long term standing/constant overheating/no antifreeze. *I always fill and top-up via main water radiator and then repeatedly "burp" add more until full.
I agree that's the way to fill the system, but getting access to the radiator filler cap is a real PITA. It's a piece of really bad design (IMO) - Ducati must've paid someone a lot to get it that difficult! There are a few videos on YouTube showing how to fill the system through the bleed screw on the water pump, using a pump-up garden sprayer - that way you're filling it from the bottom up. Makes some sense, although I've never tried it.
So went for a blast and did 70 miles, got back and the coolant was slightly lower then when I left maybe 5-10mm lower but bang in the middle of minimum and max in the expansion bottle. Left it sitting for a few hours to cool down and the level has now dropped to just above the minimum mark. Could perhaps just have been a bit low in the system and still needs a little bit more topped up, popped in to the garage servicing it next week and they are going to do some tests and see if anything wrong, bike was running lovely on my ride and not getting hot, no signs of a leak or smell of coolant either..
