Oil Leak from clutch!!!!!!!!!!! (aint it supposed to be a dry one?)
 

Think I may have found the reason for my 'off' at Croft last weekend.

On removing the panels the other day, I found one of the clutch cover bolts had vibrated loose and gone AWOL.

Nothing strange, or harmful in that you say.........I found oil all down my RHS crankcase and all over the rear brake pedal and master cylinder. Although I could not find any traces of oil on my rear tyre/zorsts, I am convinced that this was the reason for my 'off'. The way the bike left go rar first points towards oil residue of somesort in my book.

Spoken to Stewart Johnstone and he says that the factory have a tendancy on the clutch bolt holes to drill too far into the casing and go right though or at best, leave a thin wall that then gives way under the oil pressure.

The bolt in question was the one at 3 o-clock when you look at the clutch from the RHS.

Anyone else had this and know of a cure...

Have tried silicone sealer in the hole and on the bolt but the oil was back when I returned from the GP yesterday.

Any advice or tips would be appreciated.

Thanks. Guy

[Edited on 14-7-2003 by Guido]

Guy, Try some of the grey instant gasket that Ducati specifies for the crankcase covers. ThreeBond 1215 I think.
Make sure the threads of casing and bolts are bone dry, else the gasket will get "washed" out as you tighten the bolt up. Use brake cleaner on some rag or a cotton bud to make access easier.

Thanks Neil,

Do you have the Threebond stuff or is it a dealer only item?

Regards, Guy

(PS. Sure I saw Rob at Donny yesterday thru the crowd...but wasn't he at Goodwood?)

Nothing to do with your clutch Guido, but do you know stewart johnstone (the?) I know he lives in a village near Easingwold because he bought his house off a friend at work. A useful bloke to know.

PS apparantly he still owes her for the wardrobe they left!!!

PPS hope to meet when I eventually get my bike on the road again

I have some Guy, but only for the workshop. It's not the cheapest of goo.
You can/should be able to buy it from the dealer though.
If you're down this way, I can bung some in a pot or something to get you away with.
Rob was at Donny. Me to :D
I stayed pretty much put.......rob just goes off wandering on the blag :sing:

Yup,

He lives in my village. Can talk more when we meet....in not such a public environment....bike security and all that

Neil....that'll be the man I saw with nuts of stainless...and I'm not talking about Capirossi!!!:D:D:D

[Edited on 14-7-2003 by Guido]

Guy you can always try some puffta tape.
P.T.F.I tape supplied by Wolseley centers.

Just wrap it round the thread two to three times in a clockwise direction looking at the end of the bolt.

Cost about 25-30p

Jon

Just a thought, is the oil definatley coming from the hole where the bolt is missing? Or is it coincidence.
My brothers 900ss suffered the same oil deposits down the right side from the general area of the clutch. This was after getting VERY hot while stuck in traffic for brands world supers the other year.
The oil seal around the output shaft behind the clutch basket had failed.
Regards
keith

Thanks Keith, but yes, the oil is coming from the bolt. Took the cover off and the inside was dry. SJ repalced the output shaft seal for me last year and it hasn't failed since. He said Ducati were producing new ones cos they failed so much.

With the engine running and the clutch cover bolt out, the oil globs out quite freely and down the cases.

Thanks for the tip Jon on the PTFE tape...hadn't thought of that......now how can I get hold of some of that from Wolseley....;););):P