Ducati Sporting Club UK > Model Specific - Discussion, Technical Problems and Help > Supersports: SS / SuperSport / Supersport 950 > Help please: Filler cap seal replacement

[ali]

Another typical thicky type question....

The fine rubber seal that sits between the filler-cap assembly and the tank body is missing a chunk. I've ordered a new one but need to know how to remove the whole assembly.

If I undo the allen screws, visible when the cap is open, will anything drop in the tank?? Do I need to undo anything else??

Huge thanks in advance,


Ali

[DanShapotsky]

Hi There

..if it's anything like mine the procedure is as follows

take out the allen bolts from the top section (of which only 3 hold the part in place) and remove the lock section

screw out the small allen head grub screws that hold the main plate to the the tank (dont need to take them out completely, just 4 or so turns)

gently and with patience work the main section up and out

remove the breather hose from underside once clear of the tank

if you dont screw the grub screws completely out then there is basically nothing else to drop into the tank, and even if you do - drain the fuel first through the drain plug on the underside in the corner and you will be able to easily retrieve anything that falls inside..although nothing will

..actually, the fun part with this operation comes when putting it all together again - the seals tend to want to unseat themselves - I've found that it's best to start feeding the seal on at one side, spread two fingers and hold as much as you can while using the other hand to feed the rest of the seal round the remaining section... do this away from the bike, then carefully reattach the breather to the underside (in the one with the hole not the blank ! ), run a small amount of oil round the actual o-ring seal and then very gently and evenly place the unit back on the tank, and work with as little pressure as possible all the way around until it seats back in place.

Once there, apply some pressure while tightening the grub screws and all should be well and sealed... if you try to put the new seal on with the unit close to the tank you will find that it constantly wants to tuck underneath the unit which can be a real pain once you have been at it for 20 mins

..hope that helps

Cheers

Dano

[Neil Murray]

Re-fitting the assembly while trying to keep the sealing ring in place drove me nuts, too, the first time I tried it. It kept going "swiiipppp" and coiling in on itself. Now I smear a thin layer of gasket goo on it to hold it to the filler cap body. It works a treat.

[Zimbo]

The 'breather' tube you mention is actually an overflow or drain tube. A drain for rain if you will. I had an interesting incident some years ago..I'd just filled up at a garage and as I walked away to pay I noticed petrol pouring outa the drain tube and all over the forecourt. I hastily tied a knot in it to avert a calamity. After scatching my block for a few minutes in perplexed bewilderment, I decided to leave it, got on and set off to where I was going (Cadwell). Half an hour later my leathers were sodden with petrol, which was coming up around the filler cap. Indeed, I was highly flammable. A bit of investigation revealed the cause: the drain tube that runs from the filler cap to the bottom of the tank had perished, causing fuel to pour out. After tying a knot in the tube and setting off, the air in the tank must have expanded enough to force the petrol through the split, up the tube, outa the filler and all over me.

zimbo

[Neil Murray]

Strewth.

That reminds me - I was filling up the other day, and this **** drives into the petrol station and casually throws his cigarette butt out of the window.

Do they think they're made of bloody asbestos, or what?

[ali]

Cheers one and all (especially the scots tech guru!) . Love that kind of super-in-depth-skinned-my-bloody-knuckles type of technical info. Can't wait to have a crack at it on sat, and then phone someone who knows what they're doing on Sunday....

Cheers,

Ali

ps: Welcome to the board Dano. Come in, take the weight of yer feet, have a cuppa...

[ali]

Bugger.

Anyone have any bright ideas for getting two knackered grub screws out???

No worries getting the locking section off, nor six of the grub screws, but two were well and truly mullered. I've tried tapping a micro-screwdriver in and using molegrips to turn it but it just reamed out the hole even further. The whole unit is, unsurprisingly, not moving with them in place.

Any help always appreciated.

Cheers,

Ali

ps: Who the hell thought it would need 8 crews anyway....

[neil]

You could try (as a last resort) drilling them out.......pick a drill just slightly smaller than the inside of the threads, drill them through & then collapse the grub screws in.......if there's enough space to do it!

[ali]

It's a bit tight on space, especially the angle to get the drill level. I think the only option is a Dremmel with the flexi dril bit. Iknow where I can get a Dremmel from but no the flex bit.... Arse.

There might be a possibility to use JB Weld liquid metal but it's softer than the makers would have you believe and I'm none too sure where to get it from.

Cheers anyway,

Ali

[DanShapotsky]

Hi Ali

..try a small torx drive screwdriver or bit - I've had some good success using them in the past when mostly everything else has failed... angling it very slightly towards you to get some pressure on will help too - and before all that give it a real good drench with release spray and let it sit for a decent amount of time... also, try different allen keys of the same size... tolerences are everything at that scale !

..the only other thing i can think of is an easy out, which if you can find a small enough one should pull them no problem.. and having seen the tank off they really only dig on the pointed end very slightly into the alloy housing (hence the 8 probably) - so possibly a bit more 'not so gentle' persuasion could be in order... but that's a toss up between it coming out and deforming the tank ... hope that helps

Cheers

Dano