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Hey guys does the oil inspection and timing sight glasses press out of the cases to be reused or do you have to buy new ones. Thinking of getting the clutch and alternator covers powdercoated.

They can be pressed out but apparently they are a helluva job to press back in again. Maybe you should talk with your coater and see if they can be masked off.

They are not to bad to get out , but be real careful , I broke the glass on mine and had to buy a new one , which was easy to fit but again think about how you are applying pressure to it , don't try to tap it in with a punch ... not even round the rubber edge , you need to get the right sized socket and PRESS it in gently . If I had to do it all again I would just cover the thing and paint round it . Powder coating does have a nice finish , but no better that properly applied paint and a lot more work .

I'm not sure if the sight glass would hold up to the baking of the powdercoat even if it were masked off. Certainly I'd be concerned about the seal part.

I have tossed up painting but the powdercoat should be a lot cheaper. To do a good job I think a 2 pak style of paint would be best and I am tossing up doing the outer covers in a similar matt gold to some of the later bikes (whilst retaining the cases, barrels and heads in black). I have 2 pak primer on hand and gloss clear however to do the matt gold I need to buy the colour and a matt clear to protect properly and by the time I buy those I expect powdercoating to be cheaper. We use a powdercoating business through work so I expect a better price again, just waiting on a quote to come back but that is the thinking against painting. Even if I were to take them to a painter I know with my own colour and he would have the correct clear on hand by the time you add his labour I still don't think it will be as cost effective as powdercoating.

Depending on the powder used oven temperatures are in the range of 120-240°C as my powdercoater told me and specially some of the oil inspection windows Ducati used were known not to take heat to well as they could start to leak or become dull.

This is how the thing looks like
http://www.stein-dinse.biz/Komplettange ... tyPhoto/0/

What you should discuss with your powdercoater is what to do with the area where the sight glass is located. Ideally that area would remain untouched to ensure that it still seals properly. Bead blasting could roughen the sealing surface and powdercoat could become too thick giving you problems to get a sight glass back in place. I`m sure your powdercoater will have experience with things like these.

G.

They are very good with threads and bolts on the stuff we get done for work and I have spoken to them and they do a lot of motorbike stuff so I don't think covering the area will be a concern. At any rate I can machine something up to bolt through the hole if it comes to it. I had a couple of clutch covers done a couple of years ago without issue so the side covers should not be different (fingers crossed always).