Crankcase breathers....

[markus]

One for Eonan maybe?? (p.s. mate your mailbox is full)....

When you were running pod filters i take it you must have to run another filter as the pipe from the crankcase breather box under the seat goes into the stock airbox - if so what did you use and how did you secure it? and am i right in thinking i can just put a filter on the end of the rubber pipe?
I'd like the filter poking through the frame - any ideas?

Cheers all

P.s. Eonan when we gonna get a full picture of that awesome 900 of yours?

Mkus

[eonan]

One for Eonan maybe?? (p.s. mate your mailbox is full)....

When you were running pod filters i take it you must have to run another filter as the pipe from the crankcase breather box under the seat goes into the stock airbox - if so what did you use and how did you secure it? and am i right in thinking i can just put a filter on the end of the rubber pipe?
I'd like the filter poking through the frame - any ideas?

Cheers all

P.s. Eonan when we gonna get a full picture of that awesome 900 of yours?

Mkus


Hi mate,

Well you have three options:

1. Strip everything right back to the breather itself, and fit a filter directly onto the breather. This is the most extreme option. Not one I'd recommend though...I've read too many posts on the DML about oil misting onto the rear tyre :eyepopping: Some folks swear by it though, saying you can easily avoid it by keeping the oil level right at the minimum recommended level.

2. The option you are suggesting, having a filter on the end of the hose. Some people just cable tie the hose to stop it flapping about, or you can easily make a little bracket if you wanted the filter to neatly poke out of the frame.
This is the solution I keep toying with nearly every single time I look at the bike (I currently have mine as option three below). The chances are you could probably ride your bike forever and never experience oil reaching up as far as that filter. The problem is that if one day for whatever reason it does reach there, there's a very good chance that the mist is going to be sucked back in the direction of the tyre. I guess it just comes down to how lucky you feel. After all Ducati designed it this way for a reason.

3. To retain the black plastic breather box that sits beneath the seat, and just fit a filter (K&N) to the other outlet, the one the hose that used to run to the airbox was attached to.

For me, if taking out the black plastic box actually made a significant visual improvement, I probably would have made the change ages ago. I guess I've held off because it doesn't really (and I'm obsessed with cleaning up as much as possible). I keep threatening to do it just because its something else to do :D

[Kato]

All sound advice from eonan any one of those options makes sence to me, I've also read the posts about oil misting out onto the tyre but as yet have not had a problem with my version...

and yes! I know its filthy.....:D

http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r94/kato--/Untitled-2.jpg

[markus]

Cheers guys - think I'll go for option three as per eonan - could either of you tell me what size filter i need?, i take it I can just use a rubber bung to block up the hole in the airbox whilst i still have it in place? (I can't afford me pod filters just yet)

[Shandy]

In thinking about it now option 2 or 3 is probably the best, i fitted mine like this,

http://i80.photobucket.com/albums/j192/ducatimonsterdog/Monster%20Pics/KN1.jpg

Before rebuilding the engine i had no problems at all with misting but since the rebuild i've had a very small patch of oil a couple of times on the rear hugger. I think this was mainly due to me as i put too much oil on the filter to start with and a bit too much oil in the bike too :dunce:

The last couple of time i rode it everything was ok so fingers crossed.

[markus]

Do the filters come pre oiled? and how often do you need to clean/oil the filter - my plan is now to put it on the end of the rubber hose by the airbox and poke it through the frame rails under the tank..

[eonan]

Cheers guys - think I'll go for option three as per eonan - could either of you tell me what size filter i need?, i take it I can just use a rubber bung to block up the hole in the airbox whilst i still have it in place? (I can't afford me pod filters just yet)


Options 1 and 2 need part number: 62-1360 and option 3 takes a 62-1340

[markus]

Options 1 and 2 need part number: 62-1360 and option 3 takes a 62-1340


You are a wealth of knowledge eonan - cheers

[eonan]

Do the filters come pre oiled? and how often do you need to clean/oil the filter - my plan is now to put it on the end of the rubber hose by the airbox and poke it through the frame rails under the tank..

That'll look really smart mate :thumbsup: I think I just hold back because I don't run a rear hugger. I'm sure the urge to fiddle will win over one day though :D

The K&N's come with a little sachet of oil which you just run down the edge of the fins, dead easy. As for cleaning, the one I had on the 750 was on for 8 months and still looked like it was new.

[eonan]

Hmmm...I've just found this. Now that's enough for me to seriously consider option 1 like Kato and Shandy :thumbsup:

http://i59.photobucket.com/albums/g315/eonan/62-1514.jpg

Edited to add the following:

On second thoughts perhaps not. Have a read of this post from a guy on the DML...

"It seems s little clarification is required.

The device shown in the pic (crankcase breather) attached to the engine contains a one way reed valve and allows flow out of the engine but not into the engine, this action promotes a negative pressure in the crankcase which is desirable.

Now the 'air' that leaves the crankcase can have some oil entrained in it the purpose of the breather tank is to remove this entrained oil, it accomplishes this mainly by inertial separation, the 'de-oiled' 'air' then passes to the airbox where it is ingested by the engine. I have used the term 'air' to simplify things but actually the air is a gaseous mixture of both burnt & unburnt hydrocarbons originating from piston blow by. Introducing this mixture into the engine inlet reduces pollution.

So what happens to the oil that is separated? If the reed valve seals well, it isn’t going to drain back into the engine. I have never dismantled the valve but one way would be to have a small hole in the reed, small enough not to affect the reverse air flow prevention but sufficient to allow oil to drip though when the engine is not running. If no means of draining any separated oil is provided, eventually (after enough builds up) it will be blown into the air box, if this is the case why have the separator?

I don't get the use of a K&N filter on the breather. If the breather flow was two way, I could see a purpose of preventing particulate matter entering the engine, but the flow is one way. The K&N will act as a separator but as it becomes saturated, the oil will begin to bleed to the outer surface of the filter. Maybe the K&N works OK on a 'tight' engine but I fear it would not function so well on one that has some wear."

This makes a lot of sense. I'd still be up for option two though, especially with the filter shown above.

[stef]

no problem with mysting on mine. mounted right on the engine.

[Shandy]

mmmm interesting read eonan. I know my 916 has the reed type valve so one way only but the old monnie had nowt fancy and was all ways wherever the wind wants to blow it goes. Maybe it's different for the various engine sizes.

But he is right on the fact that its not air it's a mix of everything from the engine. I'm convinced the very slight misting i've had is down to just a bit too much oil in the engine. As i run a hugger it's not something i really worry about but keep an eye on, if there was any chance i would run without a hugger then i'd defo be worried, any amount of oil on tyre = bad news :on:

[eonan]

As i run a hugger it's not something i really worry about but keep an eye on, if there was any chance i would run without a hugger then i'd defo be worried, any amount of oil on tyre = bad news :on:

Yeh Andy, that's why I've always held back from doing it. After finding this filter with the guard though, might just give option two a wee go. That's if I ever get the feckin' chance to...for the past couple of months it seems I've been riding shot gun with you on the luck lorry :(

[Shandy]

...for the past couple of months it seems I've been riding shot gun with you on the luck lorry :(

Yeah lets hope the bloody things either run out of diesel or someone's shot the driver or it's taken a good turn towards the good luck :thumbsup: :D

[eonan]

Yeah lets hope the bloody things either run out of diesel or someone's shot the driver or it's taken a good turn towards the good luck :thumbsup: :D

Knowing our luck we'll either be on it, in the middle of nowhere when it runs out of diesel...or standing at the bus stop when it crashes into us after someone shot the driver :chuckle: