So I think I screwed something up.....

[Decreasing Dave]

About 100 miles ago I swapped out my flywheel for a lighter one. I used loctite on all the bolts and torqued the main nut down as far as the professional impact wrench would go (I did it at my buddy's dealership with help from the Techs).

Fast forward to today, I ride home from work and the bike is leaking oil out of the inspection plate on the magneto side and it looks like there is a small crack around it. The bike ran fine and sounded normal, as if you could hear anything over the typical Ducati sounds anyway.

I took off the little inspection plate, not knowing what I was supposed to be seeing behind it anyway and when I tightened it down, I snapped it. So best case is that I have to buy one of them at least. Worst case could be anything.

Any ideas??

I'm gonna tear it down in the next few days and I'll update. I anticipate this much:

A. The engine cover on the magneto side is cracked, I have to replace it.
B. The inspection plate is broken, I have to replace it (This I know for fact).
C. The nut backed off on the flywheel. I'll buy the Nichols nut and replace.
D. Anything goes from here. Hopefully I don't have anything else damaged from this mess, like the crank.

If any of you guys have the engine cover that want to sell it for a reasonable price, let me know.

Thanks,
Dave

[Antigrav]

Originally Posted by Decreasing Dave

About 100 miles ago I swapped out my flywheel for a lighter one. I used loctite on all the bolts and torqued the main nut down as far as the professional impact wrench would go (I did it at my buddy's dealership with help from the Techs).

Fast forward to today, I ride home from work and the bike is leaking oil out of the inspection plate on the magneto side and it looks like there is a small crack around it. The bike ran fine and sounded normal, as if you could hear anything over the typical Ducati sounds anyway.

I took off the little inspection plate, not knowing what I was supposed to be seeing behind it anyway and when I tightened it down, I snapped it. So best case is that I have to buy one of them at least. Worst case could be anything.

Any ideas??

I'm gonna tear it down in the next few days and I'll update. I anticipate this much:

A. The engine cover on the magneto side is cracked, I have to replace it.
B. The inspection plate is broken, I have to replace it (This I know for fact).
C. The nut backed off on the flywheel. I'll buy the Nichols nut and replace.
D. Anything goes from here. Hopefully I don't have anything else damaged from this mess, like the crank.

If any of you guys have the engine cover that want to sell it for a reasonable price, let me know.

Thanks,
Dave

That sounds like the problem Alex 08Hyper had at the track one day... try pming him

[08hyper]

Thats how my engine problems started, I thought the inspection cover was leaking, I kept trying to fix it over & over, with new O ring seals, and sealant goop, finally I resorted to duct tape, (I was at the track) to slow the leak.

At the shop, they pulled the cover off and found that I had a 5in crack in it, which was caused by the main crank bearings that were starting to fail, and put more stress on the outer cover and bearing causing it to crack. I HOPE this is not your case, GOOD LUCK, Aloha Alex

[mangler7]

I wouldn't take a lightened flywheel if it was free. No performance increase. I like the engine braking.not trying to start a fight

[Decreasing Dave]

Originally Posted by mangler7

I wouldn't take a lightened flywheel if it was free. No performance increase. I like the engine braking.not trying to start a fight

The lightened flywheel is actually a pretty cool mod. It really livened up the bike and made it more nimble too.

I just hope that Alex and I aren't in the same club. The only plus to that is if I'm having the same issues, I can learn from him as to the best way to go, basically from his expensive mistakes.

Dave

[NYSport]

Originally Posted by Decreasing Dave

I used loctite on all the bolts and torqued the main nut down as far as the professional impact wrench would go (I did it at my buddy's dealership with help from the Techs).

Dave, Sorry to hear about your problem. When you fix whatever needs replacing, PLEASE, use the recommended torque setting. impact guns are all over the place as far as how much torque they exert.

Good luck, I hope the fix is quick and cheap.

[Decreasing Dave]

Originally Posted by NYSport

Dave, Sorry to hear about your problem. When you fix whatever needs replacing, PLEASE, use the recommended torque setting. impact guns are all over the place as far as how much torque they exert.

Good luck, I hope the fix is quick and cheap.

Thanks.

I had heard so many stories about the nuts backing off and doing damage that it was the theory of "More is better".

Let's hope I wasn't THAT wrong.

Dave

[08hyper]

Originally Posted by mangler7

I wouldn't take a lightened flywheel if it was free. No performance increase. I like the engine braking.not trying to start a fight

It all depends on what you mean in terms of "performance increase" a lightened will not give you extra HP, but it can help your bikes acceleration, as your motor will spin up faster, and can make your bike "turn in" easier, as your fighting less centrifugal force, just like lighter tires & wheels would.
A lighter flywheel will also INCREASE engine breaking, not take it away.

Also there is no way that a properly installed "lightened flywheel" could have caused Daves problem, in fact a lightened one is less likely to contribute to engine damage as a heavier stock one could.

I can only give my opinion on a lightened stock flywheel, as I have one, but I'm sure the aluminum would be about the same. Aloha Alex

[Monstaman]

You may have only damaged the small bearing on the outside, it doesn't take much to wreck that if one needle get dislodged.

Worst case is you crank end thrust has changed and wreck the bearings and that can be very fatal to surrounding components.

It may be coincidental with the flywheel, it is possible Ducati have preloaded the crank causing the bearing to run on the shoulder and fail, my ST4s did this with very bad results.

Hopefully your will be a simple fix, check the small bearing in the end first off.

[Decreasing Dave]

Originally Posted by Monstaman

You may have only damaged the small bearing on the outside, it doesn't take much to wreck that if one needle get dislodged.

Worst case is you crank end thrust has changed and wreck the bearings and that can be very fatal to surrounding components.

It may be coincidental with the flywheel, it is possible Ducati have preloaded the crank causing the bearing to run on the shoulder and fail, my ST4s did this with very bad results.

Hopefully your will be a simple fix, check the small bearing in the end first off.

Thanks Monstaman,

Will the damage to the small end bearing be obvious??

When I took of the inspection plate, I could see the bearing and the end of the crank. But to be honest, I don't really know what I was supposed to see if the bike was in tip-top shape as I have never had that cover off before. Hence why I Gorilla'd the bolts and snapped the cover.

If I take this to the shop and they tear it down, the lightened flywheel will void the warranty, right??

Dave