Please help! Leaking oil filter again...

[metallimonster]

I had this exact thing happening to me.  Once I got over the torque spec and started cranking them with filter wrench the problem went away and never came back.

[zLoki]

Had/have a similar problem with my 696.  Oil change at 600 then at around 2500, after sitting for three weeks, started up and leaked.  Leaked on and off for a few hundred miles.  Then it went away.  Strange.  Check oil levels, down about an 1/8th of a quart.  No leaks in the last 1000 miles (at 5k now).

I imagine it has something to do with the temp changes, expansion of the gasket, etc.

[cgos4r]

Ok, I torqued it to 11 ft lbs. After a 200 mile ride today I checked under the bike and there is oil all over the crank case leading from the filter! WTF? I'm starting to think my case is cracked up there or is warped!! Suggestions before I take it to the dealership?

[DarkStaR]

Crank it down more!!!

Also, what filter are you using?

FWIW: I noticed the gasket on the ducati filters are very hard.  Unlike the O-ring type gasket on my car's filter, the ducati filter seems to need more tq to get the squish to seal properly.

[woppini]

Ok, I torqued it to 11 ft lbs. After a 200 mile ride today I checked under the bike and there is oil all over the crank case leading from the filter! WTF? I'm starting to think my case is cracked up there or is warped!! Suggestions before I take it to the dealership?

You can add dye to the oil, and check it with a UV light. They sell these kits pretty cheaply. Or even automotive repair shops could add the dye for you. Drive it for a bit, then check it with the light. Any chance of it leaking somewhere else and running down the filter? I would try a new filter at this point. Maybe theres a bad crimp on the oil filter- flawed filter.

[clubhousemotorsports]

No worries lets get back to the basics then.
pick up another filter, you do not need to empty the crankcases to swap filters, you will loose a small amount of oil but not much.

pull off the old filter and inspect the filter area very closely, clean this area very well leave no oil residue. make sure there are no gaskets left up in there, oil the new filter gasket and install the new filter. last step will be to check for leaks, swing by the local drug store and pick up  a can of spray foot powder. Make sure it is the white powder type there are some that leave no trace . spray down the area and then run the bike until it comes up to temperature, look for any leaks the white powder will show you where the oil is coming from.

You may want to do this before pulling off your filter now, it would not be the first time a leak elsewhere "looked" like the filter caused it.

[Capo]

Check the flange of your filter to make sure the threaded inner boss is not bottoming out on the threaded nipple preventing the seal ring from compressing

[cgos4r]

Thanks for all the suggestions guys, it is appreciated!

So, I put another filter on (my last Ducati filter, next will be a K&N) and torqued it to 11.5 ft/lbs. Before doing so, I got underneath the bike again and inspected everything using a halogen light this time. Everything looks nice, clean, and in tact. I didn't drain the crank case this time, so I had a small seeping of oil, but it was manageable. I cleaned everything (except for a tiny bit of the seepage) and installed the filter.

As noted above, these o-rings are very hard and thick unlike some I've used on cars and other bikes. Hopefully it works this time. I'll let you know.

[desmodoktor]

Thanks for all the suggestions guys, it is appreciated!

So, I put another filter on (my last Ducati filter, next will be a K&N) and torqued it to 11.5 ft/lbs. Before doing so, I got underneath the bike again and inspected everything using a halogen light this time. Everything looks nice, clean, and in tact. I didn't drain the crank case this time, so I had a small seeping of oil, but it was manageable. I cleaned everything (except for a tiny bit of the seepage) and installed the filter.

As noted above, these o-rings are very hard and thick unlike some I've used on cars and other bikes. Hopefully it works this time. I'll let you know.

noticed the same thing on my 2002 monster 750.
you never replied to let us know what happened? did it leak again after doing what you did?

[Nomad]

Has already been said a bunch of times, but I'll chime in too just for more reinforcement.  Mine leaks like a sieve if I torque it to spec.  I just tighten it until it stops leaking, which is pretty tight.  No problems so far with this method.

[Ddan]

One more vote for just keep tightening it.  I had one filter that I never got to stop leaking, and it was tight.  The next oil and filter change and no more leak.

[sbrguy]

yeap the ducati filters seem to use a harder rubber so you really have to do the whole hand tighten till you feel the filter hit the seating, then like zoom said, approx another 1/2 turn of the filter, it will be tough and you might have to use a filter wrench to do so but the 1/2 turn works.

the k&n that i used i followed the instructions on the box which said something like that, in other words hand tighten then another 1/2 turn or something and it worked out fine.

[jerryz]

A really good wrist and arm crank can easily push it over 8ft llbs  so dont worry ,I always clean the whole inner filter area with a clean rag so no old crud or oil can drop.

[Dirty Duc]

I couldn't get OEM filters to not leak.  And I couldn't get them off.  I switched to K&N after several people extolled the virtues of the nut on the bottom.  Now I just tighten them "snug" and they come off just fine.

[desmodoktor]

I couldn't get OEM filters to not leak.  And I couldn't get them off.  I switched to K&N after several people extolled the virtues of the nut on the bottom.  Now I just tighten them "snug" and they come off just fine.

i tighten mine as hard as i could by hand because the oil filter wrenches cant fit... (my custom exhaust pipes are on the way) its good so far. no leaks.