1299 Coolant Level Window Seems to be Useless

Stephen6 · Oct 22, 2017

I've been riding my 2016 1299 for 6000 miles and I decided to check the coolant level. I really wasn't worried about it but I thought I'd check. I looked at the coolant window and didn't see anything. So I thought, "I'd better put more coolant in quick". I removed the right side fairing and attached a small hose to a funnel to get the coolant into the tight space above the filler cap. I put a little coolant in and it came out the overflow tube. So I stuck a tube in and started to drain water from the reservoir. I constantly looked at the window as I was draining the coolant and didn't see any indication in the window. I drained the entire reservoir and saw no change in the site window. Finally, I filled the reservoir and used a zip tie as a dip stick to judge the coolant level.

I expect to see coolant level in the site window, but I never did. Is there a float that is supposed to indicate the level, and maybe it's stuck? Or is the site window just too opaque to show coolant level?

Halo2 · Oct 22, 2017

Supposably able to view coolant level with a black light.

RD16RR · Oct 22, 2017

The zip tie was a good way to check the level, but the best way to actually see it is to put a light source (flexible tip led flash light) in thru the top, and you'll be able to see the level more clearly thru the sight window

cmh210 · Oct 22, 2017

RD16RR said:
The zip tie was a good way to check the level, but the best way to actually see it is to put a light source (flexible tip led flash light) in thru the top, and you'll be able to see the level more clearly thru the sight window

+1 on that, I used to hold a flashlight up against the tank, below the level of the coolant and shake the bike. Then I could see where the level was at.

farmind · Oct 23, 2017

Pull off the feed pipe to the rad from the tank, lower it down to the side of the tank and there is the level when coolant comes out of the pipe, its 100% you know the exact level, easiest way.

BadBoyBeltran · Oct 23, 2017

This is the same for the 1199 models too. I assume that the 959 and 898 have the same radiator reservoir as well.

Maybe we can apply a “maintenance LED light” on the cap that we can turn on/off manually that will illuninate the inside of the reservoir. A float would be good also, but might be too much, and it can fail or give you an inaccurate reading as well. RD16RR says the same thing above.

Hopefully someone has has done something about this and can elaborate with the solution with photos etc.

HeronB · Oct 23, 2017

BadBoyBeltran said:
This is the same for the 1199 models too. I assume that the 959 and 898 have the same radiator reservoir as well.

Maybe we can apply a "maintenance LED light" on the cap that we can turn on/off manually that will illuninate the inside of the reservoir. A float would be good also, but might be too much, and it can fail or give you an inaccurate reading as well. RD16RR says the same thing above.

Hopefully someone has has done something about this and can elaborate with the solution with photos etc.

I used a zip tie while replacing my anti freeze and SAMCO hoses. The bike was all apart so made it easier. I filled it to the correct level than did a few heating cycles to let it cooled down squeeze a few hoses to pull the air bubbles out than use a Zip tie finding the correct level with the tip of it than added 1" and bent it right at the top of the fluid reservoir. Painted both sides at the bottom of the Zip tie with yellow paint.

3 levels (High level -Correct level and Low level) . Now I dip the zip tie inside to where it was bent also has a yellow mark at the 90° where it seat at the top of the reservoir. The fluid reads at half of the painted area. Call it primitive but it works.

I can do this every time Just by removing the right side Fairing.

Better than looking thorough the back with a flash light.

guessing.

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Stephen6 · Oct 23, 2017

Halo2 said:
Supposably able to view coolant level with a black light.

That is interesting. I checked it out on the internet, and it's commonly known that antifreeze glows under black light. I'll see if I can find a cheap black light pen.

HeronB · Oct 23, 2017

Stephen6 said:
That is interesting. I checked it out on the internet, and it's commonly known that antifreeze glows under black light. I'll see if I can find a cheap black light pen.

Yeah but when you replace it for Water wetter is even hard to see. It's like a plain water.

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Stephen6 · Oct 23, 2017

RD16RR said:
The zip tie was a good way to check the level, but the best way to actually see it is to put a light source (flexible tip led flash light) in thru the top, and you'll be able to see the level more clearly thru the sight window

That's a good idea. I don't have a flexible tip LED light right now, but it would come in handy for a lot of things. I'll get one.

Mick1976 · Oct 23, 2017

The sight glass on my Carbonvani radiator shroud has a little more clear window then the OEM shroud but even with water wetter I still have to use a light to see.

tinus675 · Oct 23, 2017

Also the little gap above the filler seems to be a miss, should be easy to have a hole there in the fairing to fill through. I saw a video on the tube and it looked like the 959 they were playing with had a hole to fill though.
I have been meaning to check if the 959's have this sight glass problem, thought maybe it would have been fixed by now. Seems hectic to have to take fairings off to check the level, then you might as well not have a sight glass because you can make a dip stick or use the tube method above.
Can't wait to hear if the black Light works. Manual makes it out to be easy, clearly.

BadBoyBeltran · Oct 23, 2017

That’s just to check the level. If you need to add coolant, the correct way would be to remove the nose fairing because you are bending it to get the cap out and to stick a funnel in, unless you use a thin hose and pump it in. You still have to bend part of the nose fairing to get a hose in there.

tinus675 said:
Also the little gap above the filler seems to be a miss, should be easy to have a hole there in the fairing to fill through. I saw a video on the tube and it looked like the 959 they were playing with had a hole to fill though.
I have been meaning to check if the 959's have this sight glass problem, thought maybe it would have been fixed by now. Seems hectic to have to take fairings off to check the level, then you might as well not have a sight glass because you can make a dip stick or use the tube method above.
Can't wait to hear if the black Light works. Manual makes it out to be easy, clearly.

Johnnyflies · Oct 23, 2017

cmh210 said:
+1 on that, I used to hold a flashlight up against the tank, below the level of the coolant and shake the bike. Then I could see where the level was at.

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BadBoyBeltran · Oct 23, 2017

I see that, but it has to be dark around to be able to tell right away. There have been times where I can see the level right away, and some where I need another person to shake the bike a bit to figure it out.

mark419ny · Oct 23, 2017

search feature is your friend this has been addressed since the 1199. anyway first thing you can do is change your coolant. i use liquid performance race coolant its orange and easy to see. they also make a street version its red but its the same exact thing except for color as people would say i dont race.

second if you put a small light in the over flow and turn off your garage light you can see the level.

or you can do what everyone mentioned here.

ducati in their wisdom disigned their bike with an opaque window and almost clear coolant and didnt give you an oil viewer either. after a year they gave you the viewer 2013 but never addressed the coolant window.

mark419ny · Oct 23, 2017

tinus675 said:
Also the little gap above the filler seems to be a miss, should be easy to have a hole there in the fairing to fill through. I saw a video on the tube and it looked like the 959 they were playing with had a hole to fill though.
I have been meaning to check if the 959's have this sight glass problem, thought maybe it would have been fixed by now. Seems hectic to have to take fairings off to check the level, then you might as well not have a sight glass because you can make a dip stick or use the tube method above.
Can't wait to hear if the black Light works. Manual makes it out to be easy, clearly.

also addressed since the 1199 by antihero. cut the fairing around the coolant. the other fairing covers it anyway.

HeronB · Oct 23, 2017

mark419ny said:
also addressed since the 1199 by antihero. cut the fairing around the coolant. the other fairing covers it anyway.

Any pics of the cut out??

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Halo2 · Oct 24, 2017

I wouldn't cut it, its not hard to remove the caps with the front fairing still on.

bradp51 · Oct 24, 2017

HeronB said:
Any pics of the cut out??

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I remember when Antihero did the cuts. It was really rough. Looked like he used pliers and just snapped bits off. But as he said you cannot see it.

when I tried the mcCool fluid about 3 or 4 years ago I just used a tube to fill. BTW that made no difference.

1299 Coolant Level Window Seems to be Useless

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