696 Overheating Question

Capt CF · April 23, 2009, 02:28:27 PM

I have scoured the forum and downloaded the coil doc here - http://up.sur-la-toile.com/ihpS . My O coil looks fine so I don't really suspect I have the dreaded coil problem, but I have noticed some issues with overheating and since this is my first Duc I wanted to run it by more experienced folks to see if I really have a problem. Normal riding/commuting (DC area) I will see 3-4 bars - around 30-45 min ride with a bit of stop and go and a bit of 60-70 mph cruising. The other day I took it on a ride that lasted maybe 2 - 2.5 hours and as I was pulling into a popular restaurant area I hit some traffic. After a bit of stop and go with temps in the high 70s, I noticed my leg was getting wicked hot so I looked down and I was at 6 bars. I'm just curious if that is normal for the bike - ride it for a couple of hours and then hit stop and go and shoot to 6 bars or if it should NEVER hit 6 bars under any circumstances. When I got back out on the highway it quickly dropped to 4 and was back to 3 by the time I got home. Another thing I have noticed seems to occur only in stop and go traffic and only if I am at 5 bars or higher. When moving forward in first gear (stop and go - maybe 5-7 mph), when I engage the clutch to stop, the bike doesn't jump back down to normal idle (1200-1400 rpms for mine), but stays at around 2k rpms for about 10 seconds or so and makes a weird noise. Pardon my description, but I am not a mechanical expert on this thing, but it almost sounds like a flywheel or something spinning inside and making a bit of a whining noise or perhaps what a loose belt would sound like. After 5-10 seconds or so the screeching or whatever it is stops and the bike drops back down to normal idle RPM. Like I said, this doesn't happen unless I am at 5 bars or higher. If it matters, the only mods I have done that might affect it would be termis (racing ecu, filter, etc.). I have just a touch under 4000 miles.

Thanks in advance for any information/advice. Great forum you guys/gals have here..

zedsaid · April 23, 2009, 08:54:40 PM

My bike constantly runs 4-5 bars. I have had my bike in the shop several times because people here saying that over three bars is too hot. They checked the coil thing, not it. They checked with Ducati, who said that if it doesn't go to all bars and blink, it's not overheating.

I'm planning on getting an oil cooler anyway.

Capt CF · April 24, 2009, 05:28:22 AM

Quote from: zedsaid on April 23, 2009, 08:54:40 PM
My bike constantly runs 4-5 bars. I have had my bike in the shop several times because people here saying that over three bars is too hot. They checked the coil thing, not it. They checked with Ducati, who said that if it doesn't go to all bars and blink, it's not overheating.

I'm planning on getting an oil cooler anyway.

Do you get that flaky squealing noise when letting off the throttle and pulling in the clutch when it is in the 4-5 bar range?

zedsaid · April 24, 2009, 10:48:08 AM

Quote from: Capt CF on April 24, 2009, 05:28:22 AM
Do you get that flaky squealing noise when letting off the throttle and pulling in the clutch when it is in the 4-5 bar range?

Not that i've noticed, but i'm usually wearing plugs.

Capt CF · April 24, 2009, 10:53:34 AM

Quote from: zedsaid on April 24, 2009, 10:48:08 AM
Not that i've noticed, but i'm usually wearing plugs.

I just started using plugs myself - right after the Termi install.

R2 · April 25, 2009, 11:48:36 AM

My bike rarely stays at 3 bars. It usually runs at 4 and I've seen it go up to 6 bars more than a couple times when I get stuck at a couple stop light in a row, or creeping a long in traffic. Can't help you with the squealing or RPM issue, mines never done that.

CairnsDuc · April 25, 2009, 04:34:02 PM

Put the Oil cooler on, Oil is the life blood of your engine, and in any bike like the 696 I think it is just wrong that Ducati does not put the oil cooler on from Factory!

your oil has to:
Lubricate the Engine
Cool the Engine
Lubricate The Gearbox
Cool the Gearbox
Clean/Cool the Clutch

Way to much work for the oil without a cooler, On my S2R 800 even with the Factory fitted cooler the oil still has a lot of hard work to do, so I change the oil a lot more than Ducati suggest (every 3000km)
on a bike with no oil cooler, I would be changing that oil every 1500 to 2000km's.

zLoki · April 26, 2009, 10:57:18 AM

I used to run 4 - 5 bars on a hot SoCal day. Normal days were 4 bars. You dont have to worry to much until 6 bars, plenty of guys in the hotter states run a bar hotter than me with no issues.

The oil cooler is a good option, I opted for ceramic coat on the exhaust. It looks cool (black on my 696 Dark) and it keeps the temps down. I'm averaging 3 - 4 bars now and did not see 6 bars on a 100 degree day in traffic.

Pretty straight forward to take the exhaust off (except for the O2 sensors) and it's about $150 to get them coated.

Capt CF · April 27, 2009, 06:16:09 AM

Thanks for all the replies. I think I'll get the oil cooler installed and see how it goes. I've been paying closer attention to the bike now that the weather is warmer and it definitely always runs in the 3-4 bar range. If I get stuck in stop and go traffic after riding for a bit it creeps into the 5-6 bar range, but will cool back down to 3-4 once I get back on the open road. I'll re-post after I do the oil cooler and let you know how much of a difference it made.

Thanks again all!

Howie · April 27, 2009, 08:14:11 AM

The oil cooler will not help a lot when not moving.

Capt CF · April 27, 2009, 08:16:20 AM

Quote from: howie on April 27, 2009, 08:14:11 AM
The oil cooler will not help a lot when not moving.

Ahhh the joys of an air cooled bike. How does the oil cooler work anyway? Is it basically a heat sink type thing that the oil flows through in addition to the normal route?

Howie · April 27, 2009, 08:23:50 AM

Quote from: Capt CF on April 27, 2009, 08:16:20 AM
Ahhh the joys of an air cooled bike. How does the oil cooler work anyway? Is it basically a heat sink type thing that the oil flows through in addition to the normal route?

It is a radiator. Less air movement, less air flow, less cooling. Water cooled sport bikes ain't fun in traffic either.

Capt CF · April 27, 2009, 08:32:39 AM

Quote from: howie on April 27, 2009, 08:23:50 AM
It is a radiator. Less air movement, less air flow, less cooling. Water cooled sport bikes ain't fun in traffic either.

Good point. I guess it has to be better than having no oil cooler, right? I guess I'll go ahead with it..

duclvr · April 27, 2009, 09:27:16 AM

4-5 bars standard here in S. Florida.

Langanobob · April 27, 2009, 10:47:52 AM

Quote from: Capt CF on April 27, 2009, 08:32:39 AM
Good point. I guess it has to be better than having no oil cooler, right? I guess I'll go ahead with it..

I think Howie's correct that it won't help a lot when stuck in traffic. We've had similar discussions here in the past and I'm pretty sure I remember someone added an oil cooler and reported back that although it didn't change the world when in traffic, it did make some difference. There's some convection going on even when going slow or stopped and also radiation but I don't think the radiation is significant. But a cooler will do something and as you say, better than no cooler at all.

Edit: Don't remember if it was this forum or somewhere else - someone had a plan to install a computer fan on his oil cooler with a switch for use only in stop and go traffic. Don't remember if he did it or how it worked out.

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696 Overheating Question

CairnsDuc