Ducati Sporting Club UK > Model Specific - Discussion, Technical Problems and Help > 998 / 996 / 916 / 748 > Oil level

[Lee1980]

I posted some pics a while ago about the colour of the oil on my 748s, as it seems that fully synthetic abosorbs all the crap in the engine making it go black.

Onto the level this if my first bike with a site glass seems a stepback compared to a dipstick to me. I need someone to sit on it now

how long should the level take to settle? the engine has been cold all night.

I last topped it up about 1000 miles ago after it was dropped thought some may have come out somewhere, but now its low again bike was new and has done 3500 now.

It is just below the min mark and when I topped it up before the level never rose as you were pouring must go somewhere else, how do I know how much to put in?

Do they burn oil much?

[desmojen]

If the bike is new it's quite natural for it to use some oil, as it is settling in. Good oil will change colour quite quickly as it does indeed collect all the smut so as to keep your engines internal parts clean.
Mine has about ten thou of hard use now and doesn't use any oil at all to speak of, as for filling, you just put in a bit at a time and wait a few seconds for the level to sort itself out, easy!

[rockhopper]

Really stupid question but you are putting the oil into the round hole to the right of the clutch cover? If your pouring it in and the level isnt rising then its either leaking out as quickly as your pouring it in or your pouring it into the wrong place.

Bikes that are run in too gently can burn oil as well. The fully synth in my bike tends to stay fairly clean for 2000 miles or so.

[topper]

My 996S was using around 0.5 litres / 1000 miles at around 4500 miles - to cut a long story short, it was rebuilt under warranty. New barrels/pistons/rings.

Cheers, Chris.

[Lee1980]

Thanks guys,

I'm pouring it into the hole next to the clutch with the cap you undo by hand, maybe that I'm not pouring in enough to make the level rise enough.

If it is below the min mark would I have to say pour in a 1/4 or 1/2 a litre?

There are no leaks anywhere I can see and no oil on the floor.

Will go to dealer on the weekend.

[topper]

Distance between the high / low markers on the crankcase next to the window is 10mm - this is worth 0.5 litres of oil. Check oil level with bike on paddock stand on level ground.

[Lee1980]

Thanks Topper,

I use an Abba stand that lifts the back end really high, so always need someone to sit on it to check the oil.

Will check again tonight and top it up if needed. Put more in this time but don't want to overfill

Thanks again

[rockhopper]

Yep, a good half litre i would have thought. Pour a bit in, give it 30 seconds to level off (the oil doesnt have far to go, not like a car) then repeat till its up to the max line. Start her up and run it for a few mins then turn off and wait five mins for the level to settle. Dont run the motor with the cap off either, you get oil everywhere!

[Lee1980]

You were right rockhopper, nearly half a litre to get it between min And max.

My dealer said to do this when the engine is warm, but the manual says to check cold first then says something else contradicating itself maybe the bad translation

I did it warm and the level seems fine now, not checked it when fully cold but will do soon.

They only had rock oil as well I thought if it was a main dealer they would use shell?

[Chris ST4]

Lee,
If you let me know (on a u2u) which dealer you are using, I'll ask our Shell Advance sales & marketing guys to visit and see about getting them to stock the right grades...I know we supply the vast majority of dealers, but there's always one or two we need to work on.