General Maintenance Indications - Ducati Diavel Workshop Manual

Hazardous Products - Warnings
Never remove the radiator cap when the engine is hot. The coolant is under pressure and will cause severe burns if it
comes into contact with the skin.
The cooling fan operates automatically: keep hands well clear and make sure your clothing does not snag on the fan.
Battery
Warning
The battery gives off explosive gases; never cause sparks or allow naked flames and cigarettes near the battery. When
charging the battery, ensure that the working area is properly ventilated.

General maintenance indications

Useful tips
Ducati recommends that you follow the instructions below in order to prevent problems and obtain the best end result:
- when diagnosing faults, primary consideration should always be given to what the customer reports about motorcycle
operation since this information can highlight anomalies; your questions to the customer concerning symptoms of the
fault should be aimed at clarifying the problem;
- diagnose the problem systematically and accurately before proceeding further. This manual provides the theoretical
background for troubleshooting; this basis must be combined with personal experience and attendance at periodic
training courses held by Ducati;
- repair work should be planned carefully in advance to prevent any unnecessary downtime, for example obtaining the
required spare parts or preparing the necessary tools, etc.;
- limit the number of operations needed to access the part to be repaired. Note that the disassembly procedures in this
manual describe the most efficient way to reach the part to be repaired.
General advice on repair work
- Always use top quality tools. When lifting the motorcycle, only use devices that comply fully with the relevant European
directives.
- When working on the motorcycle, always keep the tools within reach, ideally in the order required, and never put them
on the motorcycle or in hard-to-reach or inaccessible places.
- The workplace must be kept clean and tidy at all times.
- Always replace gaskets, sealing rings and split pins with new parts.
- When loosening or tightening nuts or screws, always start with the largest or start from the centre; tighten nuts and
screws to the specified tightening torque working in a crosswise sequence.
- Always mark any parts and positions which might easily be confused at the time of reassembly.
- Use exclusively Ducati original replacement parts and the recommended brands of lubricants.
- Use special service tools where specified.
- Ducati Technical Bulletins often contain updated versions of the service procedures described in this manual. Check the
latest Bulletins for details.