hello all, just joined because i'd like to buy one of these bikes. i have seen one for sale which has an oil leak. here is a transcript of an e mail i have had from the seller. -
the oil leak was made worse when we replaced the starter motor bushes as you have to take the left hand side of the crankcase off.
There has always been a spot of oil from the engine as the previous owner disclosed to me. This was as a result of the chain snapping and cracking the crankcase. This was professionally repaired. Unfortunately I feel I have disturbed this. So now the spot is bigger!!!. Ducati do not supply a gasket for the crankcase, only a sealant is recommended. I dont seem to be able to find the right one. The engine can be heard running.Hope this answers your question, I have been as honest as I can

does this sound true or bull?
if it does sound right, how easy to fix do you think it would be?

thanks in advance.

mw

Hi!

All those "chain broken cases" are unique, so nowbody cant answer, is it good, or bad one, BEFORE take left alternator case away. Then can be seen, is it ok with new gasket silicone. They dont use anymore paper gaskets in those engines, but if new silicon is put there after paper gasket, You have to check pick up clearances(0,8mm)and maybe shim them again.... at least in 907IE engine, what have 2 pick ups.

My friend had just few monts ago same problem with Elephant 900GT and he managed to fix it with new gasket silicon between case and left cover. But have to be careful with taking alternator case away! NO HAMMER, but somebody have made good tool to that from metal plate and 2 screws. :thumbup:

Finnpaso

what are the crankcases like? horizontally split? where does damage occur? ahead of the sprocket? i don't understand where you would put any sealant.

The left side of the engine has a cover/case on it that contains the alternator and some ignition picups. Ducati no longer makes or uses a gaket on this cover BUT you can buy one from Chris Kelley in CA. What is used now is called 3-bond and is an excellent sealant.

If the chain has broken and cracked the case, this happens right in front of the sprocket. The chain gets all jammed up in the gap between the case and sprocket and just breaks thru the aluminim housing. Usually this is a disastrous failure requiring replacement of the crankcase 1/2 NOT the cover that encloses the alternator.

I have heard of this break being fixed before by welding usually. BCM Ducati in NH does it if the break isn't too bad.

It would be best to see a picture of the break and where it's leaking from. I had a leak on my Paso engine from the crankcase split and I used a cleaner and some RTV silicone sealant on the outside of the seam to seal it up. Worked just fine!

that's very interesting Jon. this would tally with why the owner is prepared to sell the bike for a relatively low price [$1100 ish] despite it being a very nice low mileage bike. it looks like since the chain broke, nobody has managed to successfully repair the crack. therefore the only permanent repair is new cases?
i think i may pass on this one...

I dont know, what Pasos coast in U.K. but surely i woud buy bike, if its sold "very cheaply" (and its in very good condition, as U say)....Ill wait till i find "new cases", or better say: broken engine, where i can take that part to my bike.... Its my opinion, but i am "Pasofreak" and i want keep as many Pasos in traffic, as possible.... soon they are very rare as, many know allready!

But if You have only that one bike in Your garrage and U see it very often, I can understand very well, how difficult it is for You to wait new parts Choise is only Yours!

Finnpaso

If it's really low mileage and in good shape it is worth saving from being parted out. I have a set of used engine cases from my engine that had a transmission failure last fall. The bearing on the output shaft failed and did some very slight damage to the housing where the shaft comes thru. The shoulder that holds the seal in place has 2 chips in it. Nothing structural has been affected.

I was able to find a replacement engine bottom end for significantly less than a trans rebuild; $1500.00.

Where is the bike and do you think you would want to save it?

Hi Chaps,

OK Mark, fully appreciate your concerns, I have bitten the bullet and purchased the sickly beast, (unseen), and totally reliant upon the description given, I consider it to be a 'calculated risk' - especially so as I have seen several advertised for, considerably, more than this one!

I am, however, expecting the worst and will be expecting this to become a longer term 'project', (looking for replacement case/cases), but one never knows, (and I am due for some good luck)! Alternatively, a complete strip down and a visit to the local Alloy Welding Shop may be another option.

I agree with Finnpaso's sentiments and will make every effort to keep the beast 'on the road' although I have to admit to having a similar desire to keep Suzuki's GT750 out of the clutches of extinction too!

Still, (like my 999R), if things look grim, I'll just make sure it is A1 cosmetically and have it stand in the Lounge until a suitable case crops up!

Martian: that is some bike line up in your sig. whew.

re: the disappearing water buffalo - I have a friend with those same sentiments. Has he about 8 of them in varying degress of functionality.

Welcome to the site, BTW!

Martian,

I agree with Faster's comments, nice collection.

FSIE - my first bike
KH250 - wanted it to be my second bike but I ended up with a Honda...
GT750 - a mate had one and I wanted one, or an H2 (still do)
916 - got to be the best looking bike ever
999 - I didn't like the look to start with but it grew on me

Any chance of some pics ?

Now where is that Lotto ticket...

Paul

Paul, Fasterdammit,

Many thanks for the warm welcome!

Ducati enthusiasts are a great bunch of people!

You can catch some pictures, (old and new), at: -

http:\\www.myduke.co.uk

But please excuse the site as it is still 'under construction' and my Web Server provider doesn't seem to work well with MS Frontpage!

But, alas, all of my earlier bikes have now long gone and I only have the 999R and the PASO!

I collected the PASO last night and I am very impressed, (not wishing to tempt fate), as she is in very good condition and she started first time and sounds great!

The oil leak is just a weep, (as far as I could tell in the dark), but I am still expecting the worst until I begin to strip her at the weekend! I will keep you all informed and, perhaps, begin a diary of woe!

I have a sincere love of the 'Water Buffalo' and used to ride one in Pretoria, (whilst I was working in the 'bush' for a geo-physics exploration company), as well as a 'borrowed' Z1R that I used around Pretoria when I was 'home'!!

I have already contributed several articles, (to another major Ducati group), during the days of my 916 ownership, relating to the notorious voltage regulators and 'how to get home with a blown regulator', etc, etc, and I am sure future articles will follow.

Take care, y'all, and ride safely.

Thank you for saving it from the breaker!!!

I have a used set of cases (as previously posted) and come to the UK 5-6 times a year. Birmingham area.

Best of luck with the Paso.

Jon,

Many thanks for your support!

I have now began to strip the beast, (as I have only just got home after spending the latter part of the week at the Norfolk coast for a quick break)!

I have already taken quite a few pictures and I hope to post these on my web site in a kind of 'PASO Rebuild Diary' over the next few weeks/months, (but I am having problems with the Server that hosts the site as it is refusing to speak to my, (newly installed), MS Frontpage at the moment but I will get them posted as I am sure it may serve to encourage others to begin wielding their spanners too!

My initial thoughts are that the entire bike is in excellent condition, (for the year), the plastics, (although scratched and with an odd cm missing here and there), are exceptional too and I may be tempted to opt for a set of genuine Ducati Racing decals just to liven up her appearance a tad. I do believe that the entire cosmetics will polish up very well indeed!

The frame appears, as new, with no blemishes and, (more importantly), no defects and/or new welds! Although I have not examined every last inch as of yet! Even the mudguards are exceptionally clean and all of the remaining alloy, (including the Swingarm), is just crying out for the Solvel Autosol!!

I can't wait to strip, clean and, finally, polish the carb, (what a shame that it can't be seen once the bodywork is in place), as it will look like brand new once I have finished, (although it may never function properly again)!

The airbox will need new spring fasteners, (anybody know if they are stilll available), as the two halves were held together with ducktape!

The only concern, (other than the known problem), is that of the condition of the front cylinder, (which gets all of the road crud sprayed on it from the front wheel), as it is a little discoloured and I am dreading the next step, (removing the exhaust mounting bolts), in order to remove the engine, as I suspect they may be seized and, (in the worse case scenario they may snap)! Still I have already soaked them all with lubricant and I will heat them up before I attempt to undo them.

That short summary brings me right onto the main subject matter that you will all, (no doubt), be waiting for - the oil leak! I can now see that a large part of the casing wall, (1cm x 3cm), is missing completely, (unless it is in the sump)! But the whole area is covered in a type of clear silicon goo which, (even in my humble opinion), would never have supported the missing fragment, (even when discounting any oil pressure)!

I have yet to discern whether the damage is on the outer casing or whether it is on the crankcase half itself - I will keep you all posted! Other than that I have started the beast several times now and she sounds better than my 999R!

The wheels may require some specialist sandblasting and re-chroming as they are not too bad but pitted in several places. I have a spare set of wheels and, (if the restoration is not too costly), I may have all four done at the same time and the spare set can probably help others members of this site.

Jon, I may well take up your offer of the case(s), but I will try and get a more detailed look at the damage before I commit as it may still be repairable by a specialist welding shop. But may I offer you my sincere thanks for the offer at this early stage in the proceedings and, (if the worse comes to the worse), we will have to discuss prices!

Many thanks to the group, (once again), for the great support I have received to date.

You may be able to get a piece of casing from a damaged part and get it welded into place to repair the hole most resonable aluminium welders can do it, but be sure to get them a sample to practice on as some of the alloys have varying amounts of magnesium in them and are hard to weld successfully. Try some wreckers for a piece of casing from a damaged paso.

Good luck with it

Rodney

In the past I had the same incident, as you can clearly see from the picture...



The cause was a bad chain aligment that broked the bolts holding the crown....

I had it weldered with alluminium by a professionist and mounted the cover with silicon gasket (Motorsil by Arexons), but I still found oil leakage. Then I covered all the damaged area with a film of the same silicon gasket and the oil leakage from this source was fixed... BUT unfortunately I discovered that there were another oil leakage from the gearbox lay shaft! I changed the gearbox lay shaft gasket twice, but never fixed the problem.

So I suggest you:
1) to check accurately if this is the only source of oil leakage, to avoid bad surprises in the future
2) to check what is the REAL cause of the damage: the chain won't broke by itself! Check if it is original (or a correct strong replacement), if it was mounted correctly, if the rear wheel has eccessive play, if the tyre has correct size and so on..

Good luck!

LC