[Brass Monkey]

Changed the oil on my 2007 GT1000 for about the 20th time in its life, and this little cotter pin came out with the magnetic drainplug. It's about 3cms long and 32 gauge --shown in the pic beside a British 2p coin and a Canadian quarter (same as a US quarter but for the moose). I've looked through the parts handbook without seeing anything like it. Could someone who's built a DS1000 motor tell me whether it's a Ducati part or a foreign body? The bike has 58,000 trouble-free kms on it, and has never been opened except for valve adjustments.

 

[Monster4Lee]

I can't imagine one of those being inside the engine.

 

[belter]

not sure what that is, but it's not meant to be inside it.

 

[Rex Coil 7]

That pin looks unused.

I guess there's always the odd chance that it got in there during assembly at the factory, and from the good luck of The Fates it never made it's way into anything inside of the engine that it would have destroyed.

.

 

[Monster4Lee]

I'm thinking if it was unused the "legs" would be up against each other.
But, it looks to be in good condition. I dunno. If the bike runs fine, ride on.

 

[belter]

That pin looks unused.

I guess there's always the odd chance that it got in there during assembly at the factory, and from the good luck of The Fates it never made it's way into anything inside of the engine that it would have destroyed.

.

nothing like that has been used in anything i can recall for the last 40 years or so.

 

[Rex Coil 7]

nothing like that has been used in anything i can recall for the last 40 years or so.

.... it's a mystery! ....

Nearly looks home made.

OP, so there is absolutely no chance that it was in your drain pan before you started your oil change? 100% no chance?

.

 

[Sheff928]

Despite what has been said about these not being inside the engine or not used for the last 40 years, I found a slightly mangled version of the same item when conducting an oil change on my 2001 ST4S about a year ago. I too wondered what it was, couldn't find out, reasoned that the bike was running fine before the oil change, so put it back together and carried on riding. It's still fine.
I would like to know where it's from though.
If yours was running fine before you found it I'm fairly sure it will be OK from now on too.

 

[Rex Coil 7]

Stumbled on this quite by accident .....

LINK = https://www.ducati.ms/forums/57-supersport/707586-metal-bit-oil-pan.html

Dropped the oil yesterday in my '93 900SS for the once a year oil change (I only put about 1500 miles per year on the bike) and stuck to the magnet on the drain plug was a small metal bit with a 180 degree bend at one end. After talking with a Ducati owning friend, our best guess is the end of the helper spring off one of the closers in the valve train.

I am hoping one you knowledgeable folk can verify this.

Possibly relevant information, the bike has 13,500 miles on it, valves and belts were done shortly before I got it last year, and the head studs were updated at the same time.
I have noticed no unusual noises or adverse effects to power and performance.
There were no other debris on the drain plug magnet, in fact it was almost perfectly free of even the usual tiny metal shaving dust from normal wear.

*Note, I have not put oil in the crankcase or run the motor since finding this piece.

Here is a photo of the metal bit. Dime for size reference.

 

[belter]

that's the end of the gearshift linkage elbow spring.

 

[Rex Coil 7]

that's the end of the gearshift linkage elbow spring.

Yup.

.

 

[Brass Monkey]

.OP, so there is absolutely no chance that it was in your drain pan before you started your oil change? 100% no chance?

.

No, it came out stuck fast to the drainplug magnet, which was doing its job! Quite a surprise, though.

I'm relieved the consensus is it's not an engine part and may well have been lying low inside the cases since assembly. That's what I was hoping you'd say. Intriguing, Sheff928, that you found the same thing. I'll ride on, fingers crossed. Thank you all.