Ducati Sporting Club UK > Model Specific - Discussion, Technical Problems and Help > 998 / 996 / 916 / 748 > How do you find an oil leak?

[yeti]

As some of you will know, the Black Beast started to weep a little bit of oil into the belly pan at Cadwell yesterday. Have has a bloomin good look with a couple of halogen lights, but short of running it up to full chat in the workshop, can't for the life of me see where the oil is coming from.

I am also very aware how the airflow inside a race fairing can travel in all sorts of odd directions depostiing oil in the most unlikely places, so short of stripping the engine out and replacing all the seals, any one got a good tip here?

My next move is to have the oil cooler pressure tested.

[Felix]

I doubt it will be oil cooler itself. One thing I have first hand experience with, though, is that the fittings on both sides of the oil cooler hoses have a finite life time. If the ones on the engine block are aluminium, I'd suspect those first. Believe me, it's not much fun high-siding out of Park corner.

[yeti]

In which case I think I'll have that lot off tonight and get it checked out properly. Any idea where I can buy dye penetrant crack detection kits?

[Scooter916]

Oh How I bet you wish you were still in the RAF, Those kits were like free then....
Thanks for the set up help over the TD.
Glyn
PS messy but talc sticks very well to oil.....

[CK]

if just in the bellypan John, it could poss be seeping from the clutch push rod hole, as the O rings do wear.

Just a thought to look at it & rule it out?

AK had this on one of our bikes and it took him a while to find it. When the oil cooler line went on Tango, AK found it quite swiftly......as it let go in spectacular fashion at Brands early this year

[Mr.R]

Hi,
To find an oil leak first wash down the motor with GUNK or similar degreaser,then dry it off or leave to dry.
Then dust the motor all over (or in the suspect area) with Talcum powder,run the bike up or take it for a short run (in the dry) .Then inspect it again, then all should become clear.This works for seals,gasket faces and porous castings.A bit time consumeing but very cheap!

Steve

[doogalman]

It must be obvious if you persist. Strip all the bodywork off. Clean everything up, run the bike up and turn the halogens on a nd hunt it down. It must be there. It is oil? is it ? not another fluid? ie coolant, brake fluid, clutch fluid, Fork oil. Talcum does work quite well. I would not strip components untill i had finally given up.
I would run the bike stationary on a paddock stand. road wind can mislead you.