1198 - Am I right in thinking you can just fill the expansion tank; don't have to take the air tube off and fill the rad? As per this - Checking And Topping Up The Coolant Level - Ducati SUPERBIKE 1198 Owner's Manual [Page 84] Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Conflicting views online but I suppose the official manual is the one to go by. Answered my own question I think [emoji3] Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Any idea why yours has got low Pavey? I checked mine after a recent samco hose replacement by a well known dealer, turns out they only 2/3rds filled it, i.e. There was an air lock so once the system settled it was underfilled. Apparently 10/1198's are notoriously painful to bleed properly.
I've had airlocks on more than one occasion My routine is to fill the rad then the header and run the bike up to 100C + and check all the hoses are getting warm and the fans kick in at 103 (or around there) I know the fans have sod all to do with it but its an additional wee check while you're doing it Leave it overnight then top up the header again, I always find after leaving it a while the header level has dropped Anytime I just filled the header I ended up with a lock in the rad Just my experience of doing it, pretty simple, but fiddly operation. You can get the top off the rad but its stuck there unless you remove the airtube (I think it is). Anyway I've managed to fill the rad with some 1/4" tubes stuck into the rad, it takes a little time but defo doable. John
Won't the service manual tell you the capacity? Measure that out, you won't get it all in I expect as not all would be drained but but it should be close i'd have thought? When I did my 999 I did through the rad and topped up the expansion tank. The level in the rad kept dropping over time (hours/night) and I kept coming back, tilting the bike side to side, topping up and walking away for a bit. But I was in no hurry. Bit like I always find garages overfill the oil, they don't have time to leave it long enough to settle back down. Did my 999 the other day and it was bang in the middle after 3 goes of running the engine 2 mins and giving 15 mins to settle. Left over night and it was nearly at the top of the sight glass the next morning.
When I flush/change over from summer (water) to store (coolant). I just drain, fill, then let it run with cap off for a bit, and add as needed. As the coolant runs thru the level will drop in the rad. Feel for the lower hose to get hot as its running (and watch temp gauge). Once its hot then you know the thermostat has opened and you shouldn't have any air.
