Ducati Sporting Club UK > Model Specific - Discussion, Technical Problems and Help > Sport Touring: ST4 / ST3 / ST2 > Topping up ST engine oil with panels on

[John W]

Hi people.

I'm wondering what magic trickery you lot go to in order to top up your St engine oil without removing the fairings.
The filler seems almost inaccessible to me.

Is there a particular flexible funnel you all use, or what ?

Cheers,
John.

[Glyn]

hosepipe with funnel stuck in end.

[rockhopper]

Cheap funnel from Wilkos. Isnt it odd, when you look at a word long enough it become rediculous. Whats funnel all about?

[BDG]

Halfrauds sell a large bright orange funnel which has a long screw off flexible pipe at the bottom.

unscrew and use the bottom part of the funnel, it works perfectly.

When abroad either hack up a plastic bottle with sharp knife, or just find a piece of high gloss printed leaflet and roll up to make a funnel (reminds you of Blue Peter)

[John W]

BDG, I can't see how a printed leaflet would help, as it would be almost horizontal.
I've used a plastic coke bottle with a finger off a rubber glove over its neck to fit in the filler hole on the 996 before, but
the fairing would stop me using this on the ST4S.

Maybe I'll just look out for a length of clear pipe and small funnel (thanks Glyn).
I'm just trying to think ahead so I can take the necessary gear incase I need to top it up on any of our trips.

I took all the panels off it yesterday to datatag the bike, and geeze is it a pallava. Who ever thought up the way that fairing is mounted didn't think about servicing or easy access

Cheers,
John.
p.s. Rockhopper, no idea. Same goes for words like spanner, helmet, or even piston

[BDG]

John, once the leaflet is rolled into a funnel it can be bent ever so slightly and works, better than taking the fairing off if you are miles away from the proper kit.

The high gloss finish doesn't absorb/ leak oil too quickly.

Sounds Heath Robinson but does the job.

[belthead]

Pinch one of the mrs.'s plastic cooking funnels, add one short piece of prefeerbaly clear piping and your are a for away.

[Athelstan]

John
BDG has excellent creativity that works, so don't pack anything in the panniers unnecessarily taking-up valuable space. At home I have the "orange funnel with flexible hose" to do the job. Speaking of which IMHO do a total oil change every 3,000mls. Happy ST4s touring :

[John W]

Thanx Athelstan.

Don't worry, I'd have put the funnel in the wife's pannier

Yep, I intend to do a change every 3k, but we often do close to or more than that mileage each trip, so I like to keep an eye on the oil level.

Thanx for the wishes. Can't wait to get away on it now. Got a call today to say the panniers are in. Just need the DP exhaust kit to turn up now

[Athelstan]

John
The fitment kit should come/be included with the panniers you have just bought (if they are new ones that is!) - or to put it another way - that was my experience.

Tip - put a locking nut on the back of the two bolts connecting the pannier rack to the exhausts - in the fitting instructions it doesn't say do this, but I put them on just for the extra piece of mind, although I've never heard of any panniers falling off due to the bolts "working" loose.

Have Fun