Ducati Monster Forum

I've been told via a mate that the oil filter is prone for damage on the Monsters !!!!

Having only just started riding the Duci i'm chasing info on whether this is true or not.
I've seen a "Belly Fairing" of cf that can be fitted but if the filter could be damaged so can the fairing  ???

Any help would be appreciated.

What kind of damage?  [popcorn]

Stone damage.

Apparently it was holed by a stone and lost oil. Not good for man or machine.

first i've heard of this happening. 

maybe if you're planning on banging around on a set of double-whups at the super moto track... then it might be.

But I've never heard tell of an oil filter on a duc failing do to damage that wasn't of a catastrophic level - aka the bike dun crashed bad. Of course there's always a 1 in a million shot that the front wheel could kick up something sufficient to puncture the filter, but the odds are probably even smaller that million to one.

And all ducs since got know's when have held their oil filter in the same general position.

Those belly pans and chin fairings are mostly cosmetic. If something came with enough force to pierce the steel of a filter, it'd chew though a couple mm of fiber glass like paper.
There is a sort of pan for Monsters that was required to track the bike at some places to minimize oil on the track in the event of a blow out - but they were to catch oil, not really protect the filter.

Sweet as  [thumbsup]


Thanks for that I'll sleep better now....

I haven't seen any damage to oil filters caused by stone's etc, but I've seen quite afew bikes brought into the dealers with the oil filter butchered by owners who have tried to remove the filter without the right tools... [bang]

 [coffee]

You mean I shouldn't use channel locks?

usually its because the right tools arent working right, so you turn to unconventional tools...like screw drivers and sawzalls.... paging theo..

If you manage to damage your oil filter without totaling your bike then kudos.

damaging the oil filter by riding around just doesn't happen.

NO  He Man if the filter is installed correctly in the first place using the right tool to remove it should be easy.. [thumbsup]

I know that we've probably all resorted to a screw driver at some time or other but some of the carnage that I occassionally witness brought into the store on a trailer or in the back of a van is by the sheer incompetence of the MUPPET who tried to work on a bike that should have been left to a qualified mechanic..

btw... whats a sawzall???


 [coffee]

Well, they are better than pounding a screwdriver through the filter housing.

They probably go by another name on your side of the pond. I'd post a picture but I gotta head out the door.  It's a handheld reciprocating electric saw that holds a rigid metal cutting hacksaw blade or a serious woodcutting blade at one end.  Used for demolition, cutting into house walls for re-modeling purposes and other usually destructive purposes.  Sawzall is actually the trade name of a US manufacturer (Milwaukee) but it's become sort of a generic term for all "Sawzalls" from all manufacturers here in the states.  Google will probably find a picture.

(http://www.curbly.com/uploads/photos/0000/0001/1440/sawzall_large.jpg)

So as idiodic as it sounds i managed to do just that yesterday....
I feel so embarassed.  I was going from one parking lot to the next and didnt realize the curb i was going off of was NEARLY that tall.  Needless to say i messed up the filter pretty bad.  Luckily i had a friend that could tow me home.  She bled all the oil in about 30 seconds.  I think i was stuck in the "Supermoto hooligan" mindset yesterday so i kinda deserved it.  Havent pulled the filter yet.  I plan on doing that on lunch today.  I feel like such a moron!  At least it was about time for an oil change, i just wish she told me in a more sublte manner.  UGH!

WHAT?

In Australia, we call these Sabre saws!

The proper name I believe is a reciprocating saw.

In any case, they are a handy bit of kit.

GK

here are a couple pics of the filter

(http://a8.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/s480x480/251857_10150947713737109_2066877728_n.jpg)

(http://a4.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/251802_10150947714632109_311446744_n.jpg)

(http://a1.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/547954_10150947715552109_1433845889_n.jpg)

On pre-696 model Monsters, your header would have saved you [thumbsup]

Not unless you can't get a grip on the filter. But that might not apply to a Monster. I had to resort to the screwdriver method on a 1098 that I was working on. The factory oil filter tool would just spin on the outside of the filter housing. The drain plug was barely tight.   [roll]  Once I got the filter turning it came off easily and no damage to the threads. That was a relief.   Coming in after some of the amateur DIY guys always cracks me up.

I'm kinda glad it wasn't that way... Luckily I didn't cause any other damage than just the filter

I had an old Superhawk that I took off a sidewalk and thought I'd clear it....it scuffed up the bottom of the header, but that was it.  I'd rather have a scratched header or busted oil filter then broken engine case.  Just sayin [thumbsup]

Yikes! Curb definitely did a number on your oil filter. The early 696 had more of the engine casing wrapping around the filter than the current 696-796-1100 which adds some protection against debris but a curb wouldve probably done more damage to the casing in your case.

First I've heard of it two.  I have logged a TON o miles on gravel roads too.

JM

does the header on the newer bikes not go under the oil filter like the older monsters?

No, it goes up and over on the side.  It looks great and gives great clearance.  That must have been a decent sized curb.

it's interesting that the the 796/1100 has a more exposed filter than the older 696 from the pictures I've seen.  Not that it'd be more or less likely to be damaged, but for the 1-in-a-million (un)lucky rock...

2011(?) 796:
(http://www.ridergroups.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/06/NEW-DUCATI-MONSTER-796-2011-.jpg)

2009(?) 696:
(http://images.motorcycle-usa.com/PhotoGallerys/2009-Ducati-Monster-696-5.jpg)


It seems to have changed in 2010 because the newer 696 seems to have the same as the 796/1100 now.  Cheaper to cast or ease of maint?

New castings. lighter
all the models benefited

My M750 is more like the bottom 696 picture, if my filter was as exposed as the upper 796 pic, I might be a little concerned about riding the amount of gravel I do.

JM

In all the years I've had Ducatis with a filter on the underside (Bevels had it on top) I've never had a problem.

My Elefant has a skid plate and gobs of underside clearance.

The metal in that filter (at least the ones I've cut open, see my sig below) are pretty damn thick. No rock is going to do too much even at speed.