Oil Leak - Rear Cylinder - SORTED!

[Loz]

My 750 Sport (a 2001 model) has just under 15000 miles on it and has been prone to leak oil from the rear cyl - it's done this from new. It's been repaired by the dealer twice - both times under warranty (even though the the second time was outside of the two year warranty period). I gather the repair made was to replace the head gasket.

Well, it's leaking again, big style, with the warranty period long gone. I have made a request to DUK to consider another go at it under warranty.

The question is, has anyone else with a 750/900 of this sort of vintage had any such problems? Is it a known fault? How did you sort it once and for all?

Advice, comments and your experience would be gratefully accepted! Thanks folks!

[Edited on 6-7-2004 by Loz]

[nelly]

Loz, the 2V's don't have a head gasket as such. They use O-rings around the various oilways between the head and the barrel to seal.
I'd guess one of these has gone hard or got trapped on assembly.
It's not unknown, but isn't a regular failing.
The problem is that you can't get the rear head off with the motor in the frame :(, so although the job itself is pretty straight forward, it's time consuming.
If you are going to do the job yourself, make sure the O-rings are greased up well and sat properly in their locations before tightening everything down.

[ali]

I'm not sure how Ducati UK are on goodwill but I'd try that route first as it's a documented problem since new.

If you back it up with photo evidence, copies of the warranty work log, receipts, and a nice 'this is obviously a manfacturing defect' type letter then you should get some action. Make sure you copy in some senior management on the letter.

Good luck,

Ali

[ali]

Tim Maccabee,
National Sales Manager,
Ducati UK Ltd,
Avebury House ,
201-249 Avebury Boulevard,
Milton Keynes,
MK9 1AU

Mr. Piero Guidi - President Ducati UK
Mr. Peter Brooking - Vice President Marketing Ducati UK

Nothing ventured and all that... :)

Ali

[Loz]

Nelly & Ali
Thanks for the advice! I won't be doing the job myself unless all else fails (I hate mechanicking almost as much as I hate decorating!). Bike booked in for 5 July for 2-3 days, looks like the dealer is going to have a good look at it. I'll post here with any interesting news if and as it happens.

My conscience is clear - I followed the run-in guidance to the letter :saint:

[Iconic944ss]

My front cylinder used to also have a base leak until I discovered one of the studs had slackened off......I could only do it up by hand but, it has not leaked since - how the hell are you supposed to get a torque wrench in there......

Ahhhh - DOH!...right - remove the motor for completely unrestricted access.

Good Luck Loz...

PS - Bimey Ali - you are well connected..mate, marra, friend, pal.......;)

[Loz]

... the oil leak was not based on the previous fault I had - o-rings - it was a case of the "clutch cover bolts not being tight".:puzzled::puzzled::puzzled:

Don't ask me how they got loose, I never touched them! It never even occurred to me to check that, i just assumed it was the previous fault that returned.

Anyway, the dealer was very good about it, they even cleaned the casing and other bits that got coated with oil and didn't charge me a thing. Thank you kindly, ??? Motorcycles of Chichester.
:)

[psychlist]

Didnt think you were the shy type ;)

[Loz]

Originally posted by psychlist
Didnt think you were the shy type ;)

Well, it wouldn't be right to advertise CMWs here on the SSs message board, would it, Paul?

;)