sludge traps

mizike77 · Post by **mizike77** » Mon Mar 09, 2009 4:57 pm

Since I have my top end off I have some access to the sludge traps on the crank. Should I attempt to take the plugs out and try to clean them ? Or is this something that should only be done when the crank is out? What is the best way to clean the goo out if I do it now?

Post by **BevHevSteve** » Mon Mar 09, 2009 5:38 pm

i have been told to left well enough alone unless you are planning on complete teardown then of course it is a good thing to do.

I would not do this if it were my bike

DesmoDog · Post by **DesmoDog** » Tue Mar 10, 2009 8:30 am

BevHevSteve wrote:i have been told to left well enough alone unless you are planning on complete teardown then of course it is a good thing to do.

I would not do this if it were my bike

yeah, what he said...

Crashfangio · Post by **Crashfangio** » Sun May 17, 2009 6:13 am

It's true that with the front head and barrel removed you can see and remove the sludge trap plugs from the crank.

In my opinion, to actually do this would be pure crazy stuff. There is every chance that one (or both) caps may fall into the crank case while being removed, and while this alone would not be the end of the world, the sludge itself which forms inside the crank counterweight needs to be carefully washed out. I just couldn't imagine being able to do this while the crank is in-situ.

If anyone does know a method of doing this I'd be keen to hear.

Per Garbos · Post by **Per Garbos** » Mon May 18, 2009 2:01 am

I will not recommand it on a ducati, but some english motorcycles were designed for it, and infact You could remove the plug and clean the slugde trap still with the engine in the frame.
By removing the sumpplate in buttom of engine, there vere full acces to plug / slugde trap.

I think it vas Ariel motorcycle.

Best regards Per

ducat · Post by **ducat** » Mon Aug 31, 2009 5:22 pm

With the cylinders off, I found this to be easy. Just to make sure I would not tear up the plugs, I applied a little heat and hit the plugs with a hammer impact (not too hard). They came right out. I'm glad I cleaned them as there was a significant amount of crap in there. It was easy to make sure the plugs did not fall into the motor. I sprayed carb clean in from the left crank end as well as in each plug hole. All was well cleaned. I applied red loctite upon reassembly.

Lumpy · Post by **Lumpy** » Mon Aug 31, 2009 6:39 pm

I`m not too clued up on round cases never having owned one but I can`t see the crank to crank-case relationship being all that different and if you`ve managed to get these plugs out through the cylinder openings you`ve done very well indeed ducat. I guess where there`s a will there`s a way, my hats off to you. I`m not missing the point am I? There`s not a secret opening on the side is there?
Perhaps I`m being clouded by my own limited experience with these plugs on my square case being very %#@%*$@ tight indeed. They had centre punch marks at the ends of the screw slots to ensure they did`nt come undone and needed a huge square shanked screw driver with an adjustable spanner on the shank with the crank in a vice and lots of swearing and grazed knuckles before they came out.

ducat · Post by **ducat** » Tue Sep 01, 2009 2:36 am

The traps and plugs I'm refering to are not on the side of the crank webs, but rather on the edges. Rotating the crank makes them easily accessable through one of the cylinder openings. Mine did not have any punch marks to hold them in place.