Ducati Sporting Club UK > Model Specific - Discussion, Technical Problems and Help > 851 / 888 > It's a blown head gasket isn't it?

[Fordie]

Jools. if you took out one of the spark plugs and them fired her up, apart from sounding a bit rough you may see "water" coming out of the plug hole if the gasket has gone . Or disconnect the plug lead fire her up ,then remove the plug to see if any residue is presant. I hope neither is the case and its just "overfill" 4D

[jeff st4s]

See this is what I love about this site, one minute you can be olympic sword fencing in the verbal arena for the pure fun of it, then next minute you can have your motor cycling knowledge expanded by you fine Gentleman.
I bless you one and all.
As you may gather, I did not know that!

[gary-g]

Every blown head gasket that i have experienced has pumped most of the water out of the cooling system, through the overflow.
Diesels are the most spectacular - its a bit like mt. etna erupting under the bonnet, sending orrible brown stuff all over the place.
I shouldn't say this, but i've not had one go on a bike before, i imagine the result is similar though.
Look for the easy fix first, you'll know when it has really gone.

[Glyn]

if it has not gone badly you wont get oil in to the water as there is enough pressure to pump air into the water system on the copression stroke but not enough to suck the water in
if it smokes worse when you first start it, it could well be head gasket as the water can seep in when the engine is idle

[Douglas851]

I have heard that the head gaskets can go on 888s. At least you can get the rear head off without taking the engine out.
Get it fixed, if you keep running it the head warps and causes real damage.

[jgriff]

Check your compression if you can before you pull it all apart.
Griff

[mbracing748]

Have to say it sounds very simular to what happened to my 851 when the head gasket went. Have to say it was cheap and easy to replace.

[Mr.R]

Originally Posted by Douglas851

I have heard that the head gaskets can go on 888s. At least you can get the rear head off without taking the engine out.
Get it fixed, if you keep running it the head warps and causes real damage.

Hi, It's possible to remove both the complete top ends, with the motor still in the frame.

Steve

[marko]

if I was you Jools I would give nelly a ring, I'm sure he wuoldn't mind.

[Jools]

Thanks for all the replies guys...I still think that the oil was overfilled from when I bought it, cos although it's on a paddock stand, the path the bike stands on is on a slope...so when it's on the stand the bike is actually on the level. I'll start it up tomorrow and see if the overflow happens again now that the tiny bit of overfilling the header tank caused it to spit coolant out. I will try whipping the spark plugs out as well to see if there is water getting into the bores.

One thing i do know is that if it is a head gasket the oilway bit of it hasn't blown because there was no water in the oil and there is no oil in the water.

Plenty of time to sort it...the 888 goes on SORN for the winter next week and the ST comes out to play