leaky oil filters anyone ?

[Chris Collins]

Just out of curiosity, has anyone else out there replaced their oil filters with a new Ducati filter from their dealer and had an oil leak result, from the filter itself ?

I can't find any other leak source in that area, and I'm on my second filter, from different dealers. Or am I missing something ? This is on the 848 Streetfighter...

[ute]

Yes 3 last year ( s2r Monster)

I have purchased 1 this year all seems good

On the Monster forums this seems fairly common, I am going to go back to using the Amsoil filters they are far superior to the Duc filters

[The Goochman]

Yup, I have been having the problem for several years now on 2 different bikes. 2002 ST2, 85 Cagiva Alazzurra. (Yes, I have been oiling the seal rubber with USED engine oil before installing the filter.)

They seem to be leaking from the seal on the filter itself. It primarily happens when the engine is cold and the oil pressure is at it highest. I have found that if I really reef down on the filter I can stop the leak. I have had 2 separate batches of filters (separated by a couple of years, so it is not a problem with a particular batch of filters) do this to me.

I may try the K&N filter to see if it is any better.

Has anybody tried contacting Ducati to ask about the issue?

Dave G
aka The Goochman

[robb916998]

Brandons 748 filter pissed its pants last year at calabogie !
we have made the move to k & n.

The belly pan payed for its self that day .

[Mark Lussier]

Me too. My 900ss was spotting last week while warming up. The filter has always been safety wired and was still tight.

[bandito]

When I got my bike it came with the stock Ducati filter which leaked so I changed it with another stock filter. It didn't leak but I dented it lowering the engine and ended up destroying it to get it off. I replaced it with the K&N filter which is supposed to have better filtration capabilities. It does not leak and has a gasket that's more like a flap and the nut on the end is much easier for removal and installation.

I bought mine through Performance Improvements.

[Chris Collins]

Thanks for the response, everyone. So it's not just me then, or me imagining that it's the filter that's leaking. Sounds like a legitimate problem...

Dave, this condition hasn't been reported to the dealer by me yet, don't know about anyone else. I wanted to get a handle on it first before saying anything to Inglis.

If I can get it to stop leaking with some extra tightening, I'll try that first. And if it stops the leak, I probably won't say anything to the dealer about it.

If I can't get it to stop leaking, I'll probably try the K&N, as a couple of you have suggested.

But tighter first, will see how that goes

[bandito]

Be careful how tight you go. You will have a battle on your hands to get it off.

[The Goochman]

No worries there Bandito, same wrench that got used to tighten the filter, get used to take it off again.

What bothers me, is that I shouldn't have to use a wrench at all to install it in the first place.

Dave G
aka The Goochman

[Chris Collins]

Right you are Dave Hand tight should be plenty, there's some kind of design flaw here...

[Bishamon]

Last year the OEM filter installed by the dealer was leaking. When tightening didn't help, I replaced it with a K&N, and the leak stopped. The dealer changed the oil and filter again in the fall, and this far, this filter hasn't leaked, either (though it also isn't a Ducati filter).

[bandito]

I would say it's definitely the OEM filter that's faulty. It's funny how some OEM parts are wonky. Too bad nobody makes an aftermarket fuel level sensor.

[ERIC SUMMERS]

Hello All,
I have always used K&N filters since they first became available .The construction and the nut just looked better to me! After I purchased the Hypermotard at the first oil change it was mentioned to me by dealer personnel that they had experienced some leakage with K&N filters and if I had motor problems that I might have a problem with warranty if I was not using the O.E.M. filter.I dutifully changed to a O.E.M. filter for the warranty period. After the bike was out of warranty I switched back to K&N, the construction still impresses me. In further discussion with other dealer personnel I heard " Yes , a few leaking filters ,as many O.E.M. as K&N's".
I did not have any problems with oil leakage from the filter with either O.E.M. or K&N filters.My method for filter installation is to use the manufacturers torque specification for tightening ,fill the new filter with oil before installation and lubricate the rubber gasket with new oil then install with a toque wrench. My belief is that you cannot tighten a filter by hand accurately to the correct torque any more than you can torque any fastener without a torque wrench.My belief is, if the O.E.M. engine designer/manufacturer thinks it's important to includes a torque spec. for the filter ,then it is important enough to use it!

Dave, surely you mean new oil on the rubber gasket ?
Tnxs Eric.
P.S. will contact sources at Ducati re leaking filters and advise as soon as possible.

[ERIC SUMMERS]

Hello All,
After discussion with Ducati factory engine assembly trainers.
The only correct method of installation of a Ducati O.E.M. filter would be to fill the filter with the recommended grade of new oil ,lubricate the seal/gasket with new oil and tighten to the correct torque as specified in the appropriate O.E.M. manual with an O.E.M. Ducati cup type installation tool.....There it is .......Whatever
Tnxs. Eric.
P.S. no, I do not give out certain phone numbers

[chris fournier]

My experience is by no means exhaustive but we have sold hundreds of Ducati oil filters and installed 90% of them in our shop. We have not a an oil leak complaint stemming from the filter seal yet to my knowledge from either our installations or the customers.

Eric's last quote from the Ducati employee is the proceedure that we use. I have seen o-rings from the used filter stay with the engine case and the new filter applied on top of it. This of course caused a leak. The filter was not a Ducati filter in either instance.