Changing Oil for Ducati 999 - Cooler Question?

[jamesguschi]

One thing I would like to ask everyone is, when the Oil has drained out through the Sump and the filter and Mesh Screen has been removed. There must be Oil in the bottom of the Cooler as the Oil pipes are at the top of it.

Someone once said that there is 0.7 of a litre in the cooler still when the Sump is empty. Has anyone heard of this. It seems a pain in the neck that if you want to take All .......the Oil out of the system ( when replacing it with Syn. instead of Mineral Oil ) you have to take the Cooler off.

I am changing my Oil very shortly as I want to get rid of this small white Frothyness ( if there is such a word ) in the glass. When I put the Bike into the garage there for to get the cooler changed I do not know what OIl they put in her. I did my RX with the pure Fully Synthetic and there has never been any frothyness in the sight glass. I just hope there is no other problem with the Duke. It has done 2750 miles so it should be safe to put in Fukky Syn. Oil in her.

I checked the water level in the coolant, so I am not losing water into the sump. The Oil level in the sump has not risen either. So hopefully all is well.

[V90]

Jim, I've changed my oil twice in my bike and removed the cooler on both occasions to drain it. It's not much work and I wanted as much of the old oil out although I didn't measure the volume.
I'm not saying this is necessary and no dealer would do it as the workshop manual doesn't tell them to. It just seems a good idea to me and isn't a lot of work. After draining, I filled the cooler with new oil using a small funnel. I think this is important as, (on my bike anyway)the oil is pumped through the oil cooler, then through the filter-can before reaching the bearings so a lot of air being pumped doesn't seem a good idea.
Regarding your comment about there being no condensation showing in your RX after filling with fully synthetic, this isn't a property of synthetic oil. In fact the opposite may happen becasue the fully synthetic oil can remove heat faster from the engine (and also dissipate that heat from the engine faster) so the sump oil temp can be lower than when using mineral oil. Therefore condensation may be more likely in cold weather.
You say you've done 2750 miles so it should be ok to fill with fully synthetic, but Ducati fill the bikes with fully synthetic oil from new (as do many manufacturers). The idea that you need to run-in on mineral is not true.
Finally, you said recently that you were going to use Mobil 1 but didn't specify which one. I do recommend that you use a specific bike oil rather than Mobil 1 car oil. Amongst other differences, our engines share the engine oil with the transmission and have a different additive package to car oils.
The only oil I can see that Mobil make that is a 10W-40 is MX4T. They make their V-Twin oil which is a 20W-50 and used to make Racing 4T but I'm not sure if that is still available other than packaged specially for Triumph, although that is a 15W-50. Having said that I'm assuming that you do want a 10W-40?

[jamesguschi]

Good Lad V90, I knew you would'nt let me down.

My Bike in total has done 2730miles. I have only done 350 miles since the service. I am hoping that there is Shell ultra F. S. 10w 40 when it was serviced. I thought I was correct about the Oil cooler and I always do a proper job, no corners cut. About the Oil, what would you recommend? I got a gallon of the Shell Advanced Ultra fully Synthetic 10w 40 from Alvins, I put that in my RX at the week end. I take it from your Post you recommend a 10w 40 for dukes?

I am buying one of those filter removers tomoz, I was told that Halfords sell them. I hope that there is a connector on the bottom of it to Torque it at 7NM's as the book says.
Do you know what is the best filter remover is that I can do this with?

[V90]

Jim, I only mentioned 10W-40 oil because that is the grade Ducati recommend for my bike, and I thought for all the bikes for UK climate. I always use what the manufacturer recommends.
I use a fabric strap wrench for the filter can. It was about £3 from a car accessory shop but works ok. I've never tightened a filter can with a torque wrench; just hand tighten. I thought it was only the K&N filter that had a nut on the base of the can so you could use a socket?

[jamesguschi]

I have been looking at different Brands of Oil lately. I went to my Kawasaki Dealer ( just curiosity ) They sell Valvoline 5w 50. The girl ( not being sexist ) seems to know her stuff between Semi and Fully Syn. Oil. She even spoke about port glazing with the Fully Syn. Oil and said that you should not use it until your Bike has done 10,000 miles. Mmmmmh..... I said to her, "I read that it should be 2,000 miles, and some said not to put it in until the Bike has done 5,000 miles" I told her that my RX is as good as new ( I hope ) and is on 51,000+ miles and does not burn a drop of Oil. I will have to read up on what the Grades of Oil means, not sure now that I come to think of it.

The oil filter Wrench that I bought from Halfords is a three prond lever that attaches to a 1/2 inch drive at the bottom. I believe for the 999 2003 the Torque setting is 7Nm's. I do not know if the prongs that work on a gear lever will fit in between the engine casing. Will find out on Sunday as I am baby sitting my Grandson tomorrow. I will post a Photo of it later

[V90]

Jim, I’ve just checked what oil Ducati recommend for a 2003 999 and it’s a 10W-40 for UK climate. If you use the Valvoline 5W-50 you will not have optimum lubrication for your engine. Having said that, I’ve looked at the product information on the Valvoline site and it does look like they produce real synthetic oil rather than modified Group 3 mineral oil, which is what Shell Ultra 4 is - even though Ducati recommend that we use it.
I wonder if that recommendation has anything to do with the millions that Shell sponsor the Ducati racing team with? :wink:
The Shell is still good oil but ‘it ain’t what it says on the tin’ – it isn’t a real Group 4 synthetic oil.
We’ve discussed this before on the synthetic oil thread and Shell can legally call their Ultra 4 a fully synthetic oil.
It’s what I’ve got in my bike at the moment although I’m thinking of changing to either Silkolene Pro 4 Plus or Mobil MX4T if I can get it locally, as they are real synthetic oils. The biggest benefit with synthetic from an engine wear point is on cold start-up particularly in the winter when ambient is about 5°C.
Oh, and that girl that fluttered her sexy eyelashes at you 8) was talking bollocks about not using fully synthetic oil in a new engine. Engines just don’t need running in like they used to and many vehicles leave the factory with synthetic oil.
Let us know if that 3-pronged tool was any good.

[jamesguschi]

I put in my RX last week end the Oil I was keeping for my Duke. It states on the Gallon container 'Shell Ultra Advanced Fully Synthetic Oil'
Are you saying Bud that this is not a Fully Syn. Oil but a high grade 3 or 4 Mineral Oil?

As for the Three prong Oil Filter remover/installer I got from Halfords £16.99.... I think! Have a look at the Photo. I do not know if there is enough clearance between the casings on the engine and the filter to get the prongs between them.

I will be getting the Bike up on the stand tomorrow as I am doing the Front end again on the Bike, putting her too three lines. Changing the Oil and giving her a good once over. Checking that Clutch as it makes a real High Pitch chinking noise. If you listen to the video in the Video clips section you will hear it.

I have been baby sitting the Grandson today and trying to watch the MotoGP at the same time. If I stuck a brush up a certain part of my Anatomy I could have swept the Livingroom.....
ALL AT THE SAME TIME :wink: :wink: :wink:
Jim

[jamesguschi]

I have always used the Mobile Oil Fully Syn. in my RX. As you said there is a lot of different makes of the Oil. I am going to look for the MX4T as you have said it is totally Fully Syn.

Here is what I put in the RX last week end. Surely they cannot say that it is a high grade mineral Oil after what is on the container. I am not doubting you Bud, advertising and what a company can get away with is worst than politics.

[V90]

Jim, if you read All about Motor Oil ,particularly the bit where Mobil took Castrol to court for calling Castrol 'Syntec' fully synthetic (and lost the case ), you will see that the term ‘fully synthetic’ is misleading.
Shell Ultra 4 is in the same group of oils as Castrol Syntec i.e. Group III. (still good stuff though) and they can legally call it fully synthetic.
For summer use I think the Shell Ultra is a good oil to use particularly in the water-cooled engine. I think the real fully synthetic is better for winter use or in my air cooled engine all year round which runs hotter.
When you’ve read all that, you’ll know as much as me about oil.

[jamesguschi]

Forget it Lads, about the remover with a 1/2 socket on it. There is not enough space between the casing and the filter to take it off.
Looks like a refund.

[999nero]

Have had the same problem with a CBR600RR race bike with a different exhaust system on it. If you hunt around, have seen one Halfords with them in donkeys ago, you get an oversized jam jar lid remover! Plastic handle with a rubber strap, works really well.

Will put a photo on tomorrow. I know you wont have a torque measurement when tightening, so there's another problem to bend your head around! Just jubilee clip and lockwire them up on the race bike. Unless your happy with hand tightening as hard as you can, have always done this myself on fours, not so sure on a vibey twin though.

More probs I know but maybe a bit of help also!

[jamesguschi]

Here is a photo of the Filter. As you can see from the Photo there is enough space at the front, but at the side and rear there is nothing for the three prong to grab.
I will get one of those strap filter removers.

[999nero]

Can't take a pic for you at the moment mate, it's at Pembrey. However it's called a Mini Boa, £10.99 or so from Halfords.

[jamesguschi]

I exchanged that three prong Filter extractor at Halfords today, no good for the 999. The only other one they had was a metal belt one. I tried it on the filter and ....Christ it rips into the flaming filter. On inspection it has small metal dents in it to grip when releasing or tightening up it rips chunks out of the thing.
I will see if I can get one of those strap ones that does'nt damage the filter putting it on.

[BaggaZee]

You don't need it to put it on and taking it off it doesn't matter if you stuff the filter. Hence the old method of just ramming a screwdriver through it and using it as a handle to turn it.