Ducati Sporting Club UK > Model Specific - Discussion, Technical Problems and Help > General Motorcycles only > Cleaning out engine oil??

[ali]

Hi All,

In the spirit of Ruth's technical guru competition:

My DD bike currently has the filthiest oil I've ever seen in it. Is there any way of cleaning the inside of the engine out which doesn't require the services of a professional garage, or the expenditure of large amounts of cash??

*sits back waiting for the answers*

Cheers,

Ali

[phil_h]

Check and clean the screen filter first !!!
Get a magnet-on-a-stick-thing and prod around inside via the drain plug and screen filter plug holes to check for magnetic metal (!).
Stick your fingers in as well to check for non-magnetic metals.
Do a change with some reasonable but cheap oil.
Run the engine for about 15mins to get everything hot - (you don't need to ride it !)
Check and clean the screen filter again.
Prod around again (you know it makes sense !)
Change the filter cartridge.
Then change the oil again for a good brand.
Sorted ... as long as you didnt find any lumpy metal bits when you were prodding around, but this would allow you to take the cases apart and polish them inside while you wait for the large bills to arrive

[Rushjob]

You can purchase solvent flushing oil.....
Empty old oil...add flushing oil....run.....drain.... add new oil & filter
Or there are some additives which you add to the old oil before you drop it, run the engine then drain.
Andy

[AK]

cant you use WD40 for this - I ALWAYS use WD40 for cleaning

C

[748mart]

Has anyone used a solvent flushing oil? I wouldn't think it's a good idea as you will not be able to drain it all out.

[Harv748]

Was thinking the same thing as mart

I would just empty current stuff...replace with a cheaper (but still suitable) oil...run for a short while then drain, and refill with proper stuff (as suggested by Phil)

[phil_h]

I've used solvent flushing oil once, agese ago on an old bevel engine, and was worried when running the engine cos the oil is so much thinner, everything sounds wrong.
If you think about it ... if you are so worried about cleaning your engine that you want to use a solvent ... shouldnt you be stripping it down anyway ?
That's why I majored on the magnet-and-fingers stuff - its the shiny gunk that it may be hiding in the black gunk that you need to be worrying about !

[NBs996]

When my bike gets treated to new oil I go along with what Harv says.

Drain the old oil whilst warm, refill with cheap (but suitable!) oil and take it for a 10 minute ride. Don't need to ride it, but it's a good excuse to get away from the wife and kids for a bit! Then do a oil/filter change with decent oil and there y'go.

It's obviously not going to do a 100% clean cos there'll always be some residue, but i think it's plenty good enough.

n

[ali]

Thanks all!

I'll be following the 3L of Halfords Cheap'n'Nasty approach, and then refilling with a load of lovely fully synth.

Don't worry Phil, I'll be getting my fingers good and dirty!!

Cheers,

Ali

[Guido]

See this thread, notably Dave Harris' comments which as an ex-Castrol employee, I concur with.

Guido

http://217.199.188.40/xmb/viewthread...11537#pid96199