Ducati Sporting Club UK > Model Specific - Discussion, Technical Problems and Help > 851 / 888 > Smoke signals

[Jools]

Yesterday on my way out to meet the guys my T8 started to puff white smoke out from under the fairing. I had a little look around and it seemed to be coming from the join on the vertical cylinder head downpipe, so I put it down to a leaky zorst joint. Anyway, by the time the bike had warmed up the smoke had gone.

At the end of yesterday's ride I thought there was a bit of vibration that I hadn't noticed before (about 4K) and when the bike was idling at traffic lights I thought that I could hear a little extra clonking noise. It was one of those things that I couldn't be certain about and might have been imagining.

Anyway, it played on my mind so I've just started the bike from cold again to see if I could track down this mysterious knocking - couldn't hear it at all today so maybe it's just me.

But, today there was a repeat performance of the white smoke trick, a little denser today than yesterday. I was unencumbered with wearing a lid and stuff and I had a bit more time to poke about. The smoke is actually coming from the oil breather and wafts a fair bit about (you might even think that a new pope had been chosen) and disappears once the bike is warm - although I know there's a bit of oil haze because there's a fine misting of oil on the vertical cylinder and the crankcase around the breather.

The bike has just turned a few miles over 3000 since I've had it and is just about to get an oil change and new filter - anything to look for or worry about or is a minute of white smoke just one of those Ducati things?

[Chaz]

It.s not the white smoke you have to worry about it's the red mist.lol

[KeefyB]

White smoke?
Could be the head gasket!?

[MonstaTom]

it could be that the crankcase breather pipe has split and is venting around that area leaving a film that burns off after a while.

[KeefyB]

Originally Posted by MonstaTom

it could be that the crankcase breather pipe has split and is venting around that area leaving a film that burns off after a while.

Yep,or it could just be the vent has come loose.Those vents have a short threaded section which screws into the crankcases.I seem to remember mine was forever leaking.You could check the breather and the pipe mentioned above first.I think I used a little ptfe tape on mine to help seal the joint.Be carefull tho,those threads are pretty fine.

[philthy]

Jools

If I was you I would up my credit card limit now......just in case!