 Changing Coolant
I am getting the ST2 ready for the road after an extended lay up, I have changed the oil and filter plus new belts, so the next task is replacing the coolant, I have drained down and have got to refilling it now. My question is, are these motors prone to airlocking.
I have managed to get 2 litres into the system so far but it does not want to take any more, so I have left it to stand overnight to see if any air will rise to the top and vent through the rad, I have tried with the bike on the side stand and the centre stand, but it seems reluctant to accept any more fluid at the moment.
A secondary question is, when I drained down the coolant was clean and clear, but now I am refilling I can see a film of rust floating on the surface of the new antifreeze and some black floaters (?) a bit like the algae that can be found in central heating tanks. these came to the surface after I had got the new coolant in the rad.
I suppose with hindsight I should have taken the rad off and flushed it out with a hosepipe. But we all have 20/20 hindsight so I plan to run the bike for a week or so then drain down again in the hope that the coolant flow through the motor will get any crap in suspension so that it will drain out. Any ideas on this and the airlocking would be appreciated.
A supplementary query, here in Spain it is virtually impossible to buy neat antifreeze it comes as 30% mixture or 50% mixture, I have bought 50% as specified, but I am wondering if these premixes are made with distilled water (as Ducati specify) or is it likely to be tap water. I tried to get neat antifreeze because I have plenty of distilled water in my workshop but to no avail so the premix will have to do for the time being, until I can get some neat (Puro) antifreeze.  |