Ducati Monster Forum

So I've been rolling around LA on my new-to-me 2003 Monster 620ie Dark for about a week now, and I have noticed a few things:

1) Slight leak (not even what I'd call weeping) from oil filler plug.  De-greased the engine and related areas to help locate other leaks.
2) Smells like gasoline a LOT.  Since I can see no leaks anywhere, could that be unburnt fuel coming out the exhaust?  Is that just new plugs or is there anything else I can do?
3) ECU disconnected and hose end plugged.  Will I suffer too bad for reconnecting it?
4) Possible oil leak at the crankcase "breather" (or whatever the stock return canister thing is called).
5) Some wear in the various (I am guessing) hose lines on the bike.  Does anyone know if there is just a "new rubber" kit I can buy to replace all of the existing lines?
6) High pitched whistle/whine that accompanies the bike at all times when it is on.  What causes this sound?

The valves were done about 1000 miles before I got the bike, and she RUNS like a champ. I am just looking to get ahead of any maintenance than to try and do it after something fails.  This is my daily driver; it cannot be allowed to fail.

You may have a vacuum leak.  Whistling is usually and indicator  :)  It is always good to replace all the hoses once every decade or so ( :

Your new-to-you '03 620, eh? 

I'm always curious to see if anyone ever ended up with mine after the wreck.

get someone who knows what they're doing to look at it.  then you'll get an answer from someone who can actually see and hear what you're talking about.

+1

I had this problem with my '06. My memory's weak, but I believe I pulled it off and looked at the flat area underneath the cap. I found that there was a very small bead left over from manufacturing that hadn't been smoothed off. I took a knife and smoothed it down. The problem was solved.

I had a leak like that. Replaced the plastic cap with a metal one, problem solved. Same thing with the crankcase breather.

Could be over-tight belts, or a tensioner roller dying.

Or could just be a normal Duc noise that sounds odd to you.

Whereabouts in LA are you?

Having Speeddog give that bike a good physical exam is a great idea [thumbsup]

I'm over in Baldwin Park and I work in Burbank.

I'd be grateful for anyone (Speeddog) [thumbsup] local who knows Ducati to give the ride a lookieesee.

I read online about the manufacturing defect in the plastic fill plugs causing the o-ring not to seat properly.  Going to replace the plug and the breather with the metal alloy ones.

Also compiling a list of hoses and belts that can be replaced.  As far as I can tell all the rubber on this thing (not to mention the spark plugs, wires, and coils) are 10 years old, so time for a basic parts overhaul.

Performance wise I have only my former bike (a Yamaha V-Star Custom 650) as a comparison.  I'm educating myself as to sport bikes as fast as I can.  I'm starting to feel somewhat less that I am going to fly into a divider or end up with my body hanging out the back door of a semi truck with my head as the anchor, but any bike treats you like you treat it, so I am going to treat it well.

Oh and thanks everyone for the great ideas!