Ducati Sporting Club UK > Model Specific - Discussion, Technical Problems and Help > General Motorcycles only > Oil window all white/brown

[Lee1980]

I had this on my 748s before and it went after a long run. On me S4r seems to be super thick like caramel almost can see bit of oil at the bottom of glass, pretty sure its not below minimum but cant see how high it is.

I took off filler cap and the cylindrical recess in cap was full of thick sitcky goo light brown in colour, and i had to shake it hard to get it out .

I went for about 20 odd miles today not enough to clear it at all

Its only done 1800 from new so far does this mean the oil is knackered?

[ericthered40]

were do you store your bike

[Carbon749]

Sounds like condensation has found it's way in to the oil and it has emulsified. The brown caramel mix you can see is the oil and water emulsion. A good oil will have additives to try and combat this.

The worst thing for an engine oil is short runs in cold weather and then being stored in a cold garage. Engine gets warm on the short run and then as it cools condensation can form inside the engine and find it's way in to the oil. A long run should allow the engine, and oil, to warm up enough to flash the condensation off.

The other, and worse, possibillity is that a gasket has gone and you are leaking engine coolant in to the oil. This is a very out side posibillity. Much more likely that the cold damp weather, short runs etc etc are to blame.


I'd keep an eye on it, if it does not clear after a decent run with the engine at normal temp then may be do an oil change. An oil change is cheap preventative maintenance.

Also, another consideration is that if you do have water in the oil this could start to "corrode / rust" any steel internal engine parts if left standing for to long ie: 3 or 4 months over winter.

[Lee1980]

Its outside mostly but is used nearly every day, my journey to work is 4 miles there and back in slow traffic mostly so it gets hot all the time even the fans kick in but i guess its just not runnning for long enough to clear the condensation

I did 15 miles this morning and 20 tonight its still thick in the window once this fog clears do a loooooong run!

Is it only ducatis that do this? all my previous bikes had dipsticks so I would never really know if they were doing the same.

[ChrisBushell]

Lee

Your description above is classic for the formation of "emulsion" in the crankcase in the kind of weather that we are having. No you are not alone cars suffer as well.

Basically even with a 20 mile run you are probably getting the water up to temperature, but not getting the oil hot enough to drive off the condensation. As you have an oil cooler unless you blank this off the chances of you getting the oil hot enough are very slim on the open road, but you probably need to run the bike round town for 10-15 miles to get all the metal hot enough to start driving the stuff off.

As Carbon sayd, change the oil 1st and then go for a good ride round town that should clear it off and keep off the short journeys!

[Lee1980]

Thanks Chris

A good long run is in order then. Its only done 1200 since the 600 first service so the oil is still newish. Reading the links from ukmoc provided by CK it sounds as if this stuff builds up on cold parts of engine like the window and really hot oil never gets there to melt it like.