Hi guys, I got my bike serviced recently by a non ducati mech(he works on various superbikes and also ducatis) and got my coolant replaced with water wetter. The bike immediately started overheating and even shut off on the way home, with smoke coming out from the front of the tank and sides. I waited for a while and managed to start the bike again and got it home, assuming it was just air in the cooling system causing this issue. Today I took my bike to the official Ducati service center and on the way I had the same issue. First time I managed to wait for a bit and restart the bike, but the second time the bike just wouldn't start and had to be towed to the service center(luckily I wasn't far off). The mech who did the initial inspection claims that the cooling system has somehow failed and that the thermostat has broken out of the casing? He showed me a longish silver rod sticking somewhere under the tank. Anyways, my question is, how can a coolant change cause so much damage? Did I make a mistake by switching to water wetter + water? I was hoping it would run cooler than before, not sabotage my cooling system... Or do you guys think the guy who changed the coolant messed up? I know he heat cycled the bike after the switch and he's typically very meticulous about his work, which is why I went there in the first place...
Sounds rough mate, hope you get it sorted and its not too expensive. Never heard of water wetter before. Personally I'd stick to what Manufacturers recommend when it comes down to any fluid.
This was taken from piston heads. The Waterless coolants cannot transfer heat as efficiently as water, thus causing an engine to run hotter. The engine will continue to run hot until a critical component fails as the boiling point is so high. To summarize: Engines can run 45-60°C hotter (at the cylinder heads) with Waterless products. Stabilized coolant temps are increased by 15-25°C, versus straight water with Water Wetter. Specific heat capacity of Waterless products ranges from 0.64 to 0.68, or about half that of water. Engine octane requirement is increased by 5-7 numbers reducing engine horsepower by 4-5%. Viscosity is 3-4 times higher than what OEM water pumps are rated to accommodate. Coolant flow rate through radiator tubes is reduced by 20-25% due to the higher viscosity. Race circuits are starting to prohibit Waterless products because they are flammable and cause a slippery surface hazard when leaked. When speaking to a classic car specialist recently the subject of Waterless coolants was brought up.A Waterless coolant manufacturer had given them product sponsorship ahead of classic Le Mans 2012, in FP1 the car stopped on track with smoke billowing out of bonnet. On closer inspection the coolant had plasticized and warped the head, the coolant then passed through the head gasket hydraulic locking cylinder one. The damaged cause was very costly and ended the team’s weekend early, it is not a product they would recommend or use again. End Quote.
Who recommended the coolant, you or the mechanic? Did you even know he’d replaced it with non spec stuff?
For what it's worth I used Evans water wetter in my Mazda RX7 FD for several years highly tuned and it was rock solid. I did blow it in the end but I'm quite sure that had nothing to do with the water wetter as we'd done several 200mph runs and then took it out at Silverstone that day and it had never got hot. It's supposed to run a few degrees hotter; 3-5 degrees in my case I think; with the benefits it provides on top of this. Would I use it in a bike? probably not as I don't see the need and there's too much fake science on either side of the argument but it did seem to do the job. Personally I would be looking to buy a better radiator, and maybe replace the water pump,etc rather than using this type of product if you are struggling with over heating. One of the main reasons I didn't go through with racing the Panigale is that most teams recommend an uprated rad and it annoys me that the bike isn't already over engineered for this type of use.
Water wetter is what the track guys use as a replacement for glycol based coolants. I bought it because it’s supposed to run cooler than regular coolant.
Found this link, http://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/2008/01/redline-waterwetter®-review/. I notice Water Wetter is recommended for use when you are using 100% water in the radiator although it is compatible with most antifreezes. I also notice the bottle is suitable for 5 to 6 gallons so a whole bottle will be overkill in a bike system. Hope you get it fixed with no lasting problems. Andy
This is the damage. It seems the thermostat has busted out of It’s case... Not in stock and has been ordered.
Do you suspect you'll have any engine damage from overheating, the bit in your first post about the bike not starting and having to be towed in to Ducati doesn't sound ideal.
