1. This site uses cookies. By continuing to use this site, you are agreeing to our use of cookies. Learn More.

1200 2010 Multistrada Issues?!

Discussion in 'Multistrada' started by IndyAleckJones, Mar 13, 2018.

  1. Hi all,

    New to the forum and to the bike!

    Since owning the bike for about a month now I had noticed on cold start up its smokes an awful lot and was running a little rough, I thought best to take it to my local dealer as I had heard horror stories of leaky cylinder heads and dodgy coolant and this felt like a leaky cylinder head and a lack of compression. I was advised it was probably condensation because of the cold weather etc etc. It needed a service so I left it with them to get serviced.

    Turned out it was down on power due to an exhaust valve not operating as it should, this was dealt with, the service was done and a few missing updates were carried out. It now runs spot on!

    However the white smoke on start up is still there, I don't appear to be losing coolant and I'm only suspicious as i've owned a lot of bikes both newer than this and older and never once seen this amount of white smoke even cold? it lasts for about 1-2 minutes and then will be fine.

    I have read about the existing cylinder head issues, and mentioned this to the service manager and he instantly wrote that idea off. They had the bike for 4 days so at some point would've started it and noticed the smoke, presumably being a main dealer they wouldn't of just ignored it if they thought it was a big issue. The bike has 33k miles and a full service history so presumably if this was an issue it would've reared its ugly head by now?!

    Also... my fuel sensor is failing, again I feel I've read everything about this on this forum and others, is it worth getting it sorted, have Ducati released a working replacement yet?

    Any help would be most obliged.

    Thank you.

    Aleck.
     
  2. Welcome Aleck.

    I'll let others advise on the white smoke.... as i've never seen it and I'm on my 4th and 5th Mutley (non DVT).

    Fit a defeat device on the exhaust valve to keep it open as this helps with around town surging. If your funds allow?;
    decat'ing/new exhaust and a custom map / dyno will transform the bike.

    As far as I'm aware the replacement Fuel level senders are exactly the same and this is a common problem.
    I've had two go on two different bikes 2014 (under warranty) and a 2010 (paid myself) models.
     
    #2 AirCon, Mar 13, 2018
    Last edited by a moderator: Mar 13, 2018
  3. Owning a similar bike, though I’m not having similar problems, I’m curious to see the response to your questions.
    Oh and welcome to the forum. :)
     
    #3 Carr01, Mar 13, 2018
    Last edited: Mar 13, 2018
  4. I had a 2010 that did get a porous cylinder head. On start up there was white smoke but with it was the very distinctive smell of antifreeze, a rather sweet curry like smell. Once you know it you never forget it.
    It was the horizontal cylinder on mine which was leaking into the exhaust port. Drips of coolant could be seen on the exhaust header studs after being parked overnight. Performance was not affected but the coolant header tank almost emptied in around 500 miles.
    At this time of year many engines produce white smoke (steam) at start up. It is just condensation within the engine and exhaust being evaporated as it warms up. I wouldn't worry about it unless any of the symptoms I described above are present.
     
    • Agree Agree x 2
  5. I'd speak to another dealer about the white smoke if I was you, just for peace of mind.
    Welcome, by the way.
     
    • Agree Agree x 1
  6. Does the Service history have any indication of head replacement? Even if the recall for the fluid change had been done, some damage could have already occurred. I’d get another dealer on that.
     
  7. Thank you all for your input, I'm not sure I know what antifreeze does smell like, but there is a smell in the mornings when I start it up...

    I will have to check my service history, I know it has the correct fluid (the pink stuff) I am desperately hoping it is steam, but it seems excessive?

    There is no visible coolant around the exhaust header studs that I've noticed, I feel I've likely read every forum post relating to the head corrosion and so far the only similar symptom I have is the smoke/ steam.

    My dealer did say the exhaust valve was making the situation worse, however its been a few days since they removed the valve from the operation and left it open and it still seems to be happening.

    The dealership were great and I did trust them, but maybe just for additional peace of mind a second opinion would be good.

    Thanks again all, hopefully I can get my head around all this eventually!

    Aleck.
     
  8. Can’t see why the exhaust valve would have any influence on the colour of the smoke myself
     
    • Agree Agree x 2
  9. I think it was less the colour of the smoke, more that the seized exhaust valve wasn't allowing all the steam out, therefore there was a backlog come cold warm up.... some spiel that felt a bit nonsensical to me at the time, but it started there and then and there was no steam and so I lapped it all up.

    In hindsight it had likely been started already that day and so wasn't fully cold...
     
  10. Take a look at some much earlier posts that will give some detailed descriptions and experiences. Odd to be only playing up now but does seem too similar to that issue. If worst case, it is the heads that need replacing, it should be done out of goodwill as it was a recognised fault. Did the dealer offer you any warranty when you bought the bike?
    https://www.ducatiforum.co.uk/threads/cylinder-heads-replaced.13750/#post-207169
     
    • Like Like x 2
  11. So @IndyAleckJones , you have not mentioned how many miles your 2010 bike has done on its original cylinder heads. If it's 15,000-20,000 then it is likely to need heads shortly. Much over 20,000 and it's surprising it has lasted so long.

    I suggest you mark the level of the coolant in the header tank carefully, and check it frequently. If it drops detectably, then you have the cracks-in-the-head problem. Sorry.
     
  12. Boll0cks, That's me heading out in to the garage with a magic marker!!
     
  13. I had a check last night and there is no mention of replacement cylinder heads in the paperwork I have. Am I to assume these are the original cylinder heads at 33k miles? I am not sure if that is good news or bad, surely if it were to go wrong it should've done it by now judging by all the posts I have read about bikes around 12-18k mileage.

    I had a whiff of some spare anti freeze I had lying around last night to try and acclimatise myself with this smell everyone is talking about, and it isn't the same I don't think.

    I guess the only way of truly knowing if I have this issue is watching the coolant level, I have done 70 miles since owning the bike and it is still at the expected level, so fingers crossed it stays that way.

    Thank you all for your help :upyeah:

    Aleck.
     
  14. The head on mine failed at 21,000. A friend has a 2010 Multi and it is still on the original heads at 30,000+. So it can happen at any time, or may not happen at all.
    Antifreeze out of the tin just doesn't smell the same. If you want to know what it smells like drip a couple of drops onto a hot exhaust.
    Keep an eye on the coolant level to be sure.
     
  15. +50K miles on Mutleys.... no cylinder heads for me...
     
    • Like Like x 1
  16. Not sure if you had seen the video of mine, I did have to have the heads replaced. It was just out of extended warranty but the dealer persuaded Ducati to do it on goodwill.
     
  17. Put a mirror into the white “smoke” and leave it there for a minute, if the surface of the mirror is covered in water droplets it’s not smoke it’s steam, some exhausts hold a heck of a lot of condensed water that takes a couple of minutes to evaporate out.
    So if you’re coolant level isn’t dropping, that’s all it will be just condensation evaporating out.
     
    #17 Mark9, Oct 30, 2019
    Last edited: Oct 30, 2019
    • Agree Agree x 1
  18. That’s a resurrection of an old thread!
     
  19. So it is, hadn’t realised, I wonder if he’s still got the bike, if so it would be nice to know the outcome.
     
Do Not Sell My Personal Information