[soccerbuff12002]

So I bought my 848 in April, put the miles on it to do the first service (just the oil change) which I did myself. Seemed pretty standard...drained the oil from the drain plug and oil filter, cleaned the plug and put it back in. Put the new filter on (and put oil around the seal). Now at 2k miles I notice oil around the belly pan on the kickstand side. Also notice oil around the drain plug...oil filter and drain plug are tight.


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[CorseRob]

May be off base, but did you replace the crush washer around the drain plug? I know that is supposed to be replaced when you do the first service...without knowing or seeing it first hand it sounds like you have a bad seal. I work with heavy equipment and the number of leaks from bad o-rings is pretty crazy...just a thought

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[soccerbuff12002]

I re used the crush washer so that may be the culprit if I wasn't supposed to


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[tye1138]

You can re-use the crush washer, I very rarely replace them.

The oil dripping down the case is for sure something else. I would follow the black trail up and see where it comes from. The chain being all black and lubricated is an entirely different thing. I'd pop the cover off the countershaft sprocket and see what it looks like. You may simply have a busted seal on the cases OR some people have issues with the clutch slave cylinder seal. I'd clean all of that area up, pop the countershaft sprocket off and pull the spacer out. Check the o ring on the backside of the spacer and throw some lubrication in there. I use Maxima waterproof grease in that area when building motors and it works good to seal it all up. Then run the bike and see if it keeps leaking and turns wet again. Its kind of a bit of trial and error.

 

[Aussie_Bob]

Also check the connections on the oil cooler lines.

 

[Tchase]

I may be off but it could be exsesive chain lube. I agree with Tye pull the sprocket cover and take a look. I've gotten a lot of build up in those spots. Have you gotten a drip to the ground or just build up?

 

[chickunfut]

I second the chain lube vote...

 

[96300NAZ]

Third the chain lube.

 

[soccerbuff12002]

After a little digging I still am really nowhere. It's pretty difficult to follow the trail of oil because everything is black. I can see oil pooling around the bottom of the drain plug and dripping down onto the belly pan, but finding out where that oil is coming from is like finding a needle in a haystack. The oil filter is tight and no oil is coming from it. I think what may have happened was I put too much oil in and a gasket blew. Going to take it to DucPond Motorsports in VA next week. Its not too much oil so I'm going to limp it down there from NY

 

[plain vanilla]

Or maybe... just maybe... You can get a couple cans of degreaser and clean up that mess (not the chain of course) Clean the excess slop off the chain with WD40 and a nylon brush as it breaks up the grease and wax without the potential for rust, then wipe it dry. Then let the bike idle and warm up, then take the bike for a short ride. You should be able to see where the leak is starting from.

Lube the chain lightly after your very short test ride.

 

[redonred]

My 2 cents is to get it TOTALLY cleaned up (engine degreaser *not on the paint*, paper towels, tooth brush, whatever it takes) then start it up with the side panels off and look everywhere for leaks while it's sitting there, running. It'll show up. It's very hard to find these things without cleaning it up first because the wind flows around the engine and blows oil in all sorts of places that it isn't leaking from.

edit- a little too late. ^What he said. But I would try to find it without riding first, just to reduce the chance of oil blowing around at all.

 

[VJ020]

looks more like dirty chain lube to me from most of those pics and residue oil left from your oil change. My chain looks exactly like that when I spray too much grease.

I'd say not to worry about it. I don't think there is an oil leak as you only changed the oil and I assume you didn't overtighten the filter or bolt.

Like others said, clean it up and see if your problem persists

 

[Se7enxn9ne]

I had a leak in mine at around the same location. If its all over on the inside of you belly pan, it might be the rubber washers on your push rod. Those seals tend to break very easily causing the oil to leak out of where your clutch slave cylinder is as it drips down and it hard to trace. It won't hurt to pull the slave and inspect the push rod washers.

 

[charliebrown266]

you should always replace the crush washer! in fact when i buy my filters for mine they always tape a new one on the box! i have seen people crack the oil pan by not replacing the crush washer! on some drain plugs they have a slight taper just before the thread starts, by not changing the crush washer it get's thinner causing the taper to go up higher causing the oil pan to crack! i changed my drain plug with one from TPO cause the factory drain plug from ducati sucks

 

[soccerbuff12002]

I think it's coming from behind this chain


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[Tchase]

Very normal sludge (left of the sprocket). Clean it all up with WD then warm her up and look for leak.

 

[chickunfut]

Chain lube!

 

[soccerbuff12002]

Will the chain lube melt or something and pool up on the belly pan? Will it look similar to engine oil in liquid form?


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[Tchase]

Will the chain lube melt or something and pool up on the belly pan? Will it look similar to engine oil in liquid form?


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It's oil of some form so I would say yes, that's why everyone is saying clean it up real good then warm it up, if you have an Oil Leak you should be able to find it when starting with a clean environment.

Everything in your picture looks to be lube to me but to make sure it's good idea to clean it up and look for it. On the other hand if your oil level isn't moving down....

 

[tye1138]

Yea, I don't see anything wrong with the sprocket at all. I didn't believe it was chain lube because I put a lot of lube on my chains and it never builds up that much gunk. But it for sure looks like something picked up by the chain and splattered around. Usually if its oil, the sprocket would be covered in it AND oil tends to drip, which isn't the case here.