Installed the MWR 1199/1299 Fuel Filter. Stock System Eval

endodoc · Sep 17, 2016

Hey guys. A while back there was a post on the MWR fuel filter and the potential issues with the Panigale fuel filter/pump so I thought I would dig into it a bit. The photo that was generated in Phl's post along with the story showed a badly contaminated fuel filter with what looked like some sort of black goo and it stated that this was the result of one race weekend. I thought this looked a bit odd so I decided to see what these filters really looked like. I have so far purchased 7 pumps (cheap from ebay)not including the one that is in my 1299. These pumps range in milage anywhere from 700 miles to 12000 miles. Here is the breakdown.

1 The pumps are serviceable just not by Ducati. The filters are removable and replaceable from the pump mfg but not through Ducati.
2 With the correct tools,(I had to make them) I can take the pump apart in 5 minutes without any damage or marks on the pump body.
3 With the pump apart, you can snap off the filter, wash it, reinstall it and reassemble the pump assembly.
4 Pump gaskets and O rings are available from Ducati.

1 I disassembled all of the pumps including the one in my 1299.
2 The worst offender was the one in my bike which is understandable. This was an older 1199 pump that has seen 8000 plus miles and multiple fuels from 91 to VP. More problematic was that this pump had been used in 3 different tanks including 2 CDT carbon tanks. These tanks shed decent amount of sealer and it was in the filter.
3 4 of the pumps had virtually no contamination in the pump filter.
4 The remaining three pumps had very small particulates but certainly nothing that would effect FP or flow.

Pics show the pump assembled and disassembled. They show what the filter looked like that came out of my 1299. I popped off the filter, cleaned it and reassembled the pump. I did this with all of the pumps.

MWR. So this leads me to the MWR filter or 'sock". Based on my little investigation, I can only conclude two things.
1 The photo of the filter in the MWR ad was either staged or something really odd got into that fuel tank.
2 You for sure do not need the MWR fuel filter on your street bike or any bike running any type of refined commercially available fuel.
3 I bought two MWR filters for $40.00 each. These are literally a piece of sewn together fuel resistant mesh which you can purchase in yards for a few bucks (see photo)(yes you would have to sew it but you get the point. F*%&ing huge rip off.
4 You need to safety withe the "sock" in place.

I ended up putting one on the 1299 because I could.

Time.

1 My bike is not stock so the time to complete this is going to vary. I pulled the seat, bracket, ignition trim and tank in 5 minutes. Literally.
2 It took me 45 min to pull the pump, snap in a new filter, replace the gaskets (use Parker O ring lube) install the "sock" and put the pump back in the tank and safety tire the six pump bolts.
3 I took me 20 min to put it all back together as I pulled the P16 filter and replaced it with the P08,cleaned the inside of the air box So pretty much an hour and change to do the whole thing.

Side note on the P16. Don't be an ..... like me and try this on a street bike as it passes quite a bit of dirt into the air box. In addition to minimal filtration,the carbon fiber frame does not have a tight seal against the air box.

Hope that helps someone

Gecko · Sep 17, 2016

Outstanding Job and great info! Thank you.
For me an important thing is the thoughts about CF fuel tanks. I completely neglected this issue.

Anyway, I think your "external fuel filter" solution for the Panigale is the best!

endodoc · Sep 17, 2016

I owe you an email my friend. Will get it out today.

Twistedracer · Sep 18, 2016

Thanks for digging into this.

Blue Guy · Oct 3, 2016

endodoc said:
Hey guys. A while back there was a post on the MWR fuel filter and the potential issues with the Panigale fuel filter/pump so I thought I would dig into it a bit. The photo that was generated in Phl's post along with the story showed a badly contaminated fuel filter with what looked like some sort of black goo and it stated that this was the result of one race weekend. I thought this looked a bit odd so I decided to see what these filters really looked like. I have so far purchased 7 pumps (cheap from ebay)not including the one that is in my 1299. These pumps range in milage anywhere from 700 miles to 12000 miles. Here is the breakdown.

1 The pumps are serviceable just not by Ducati. The filters are removable and replaceable from the pump mfg but not through Ducati.
2 With the correct tools,(I had to make them) I can take the pump apart in 5 minutes without any damage or marks on the pump body.
3 With the pump apart, you can snap off the filter, wash it, reinstall it and reassemble the pump assembly.
4 Pump gaskets and O rings are available from Ducati.

1 I disassembled all of the pumps including the one in my 1299.
2 The worst offender was the one in my bike which is understandable. This was an older 1199 pump that has seen 8000 plus miles and multiple fuels from 91 to VP. More problematic was that this pump had been used in 3 different tanks including 2 CDT carbon tanks. These tanks shed decent amount of sealer and it was in the filter.
3 4 of the pumps had virtually no contamination in the pump filter.
4 The remaining three pumps had very small particulates but certainly nothing that would effect FP or flow.

Pics show the pump assembled and disassembled. They show what the filter looked like that came out of my 1299. I popped off the filter, cleaned it and reassembled the pump. I did this with all of the pumps.

MWR. So this leads me to the MWR filter or 'sock". Based on my little investigation, I can only conclude two things.
1 The photo of the filter in the MWR ad was either staged or something really odd got into that fuel tank.
2 You for sure do not need the MWR fuel filter on your street bike or any bike running any type of refined commercially available fuel.
3 I bought two MWR filters for $40.00 each. These are literally a piece of sewn together fuel resistant mesh which you can purchase in yards for a few bucks (see photo)(yes you would have to sew it but you get the point. F*%&ing huge rip off.
4 You need to safety withe the "sock" in place.

I ended up putting one on the 1299 because I could.

Time.

1 My bike is not stock so the time to complete this is going to vary. I pulled the seat, bracket, ignition trim and tank in 5 minutes. Literally.
2 It took me 45 min to pull the pump, snap in a new filter, replace the gaskets (use Parker O ring lube) install the "sock" and put the pump back in the tank and safety tire the six pump bolts.
3 I took me 20 min to put it all back together as I pulled the P16 filter and replaced it with the P08,cleaned the inside of the air box So pretty much an hour and change to do the whole thing.

Side note on the P16. Don't be an ..... like me and try this on a street bike as it passes quite a bit of dirt into the air box. In addition to minimal filtration,the carbon fiber frame does not have a tight seal against the air box.

Hope that helps someone

It was several race weekends, no trickery involved, although poor filtering by the team and fuel bowser contamination surely contributed, and the problem has been had by plenty of riders, not JUST us. Again, you likely wouldn't notice the accumulated gunk from pump fuel on the road as it bleeds off top-end WOT power, but on the track even minor clogging of the pre-filter will knock power off. The 24 hour race at Barcelona, and the Bol d'Or 24 hour race went perfectly for us running the MWR filters as far as total lack of fuelling issues with the Panigales was concerned. At Barcelona, all the other teams had pump problems. This is why Kawasaki, Yamaha and Suzuki all run these filters. As this is a progressive issue, too, most people don't notice the drop-off in power, until 600's start going past them.
Also, for the "just a bit of fuel-resistant mesh", yes, yes it is. It filters anything bigger than 6 microns or less, and it takes away a huge headache for race teams or anyone interested in not losing power. You cannot clean the fuel filter in the pump body, only the strainer on the end of the pump, and a replacement pump/filter unit is around 1000 $US (800€ over here)
As for the price of 40 bucks, by the time you've sourced 4-6 micron filter mesh, and the rot-proof and fuel-resistant thread and the specialized machine to sew it all together in just the right size, I can almost guarantee that you'll have spent more.
But hey, whatever. Wilco thinks the product is good, most WSBK teams agree with him, and I know it works and I'm fine with paying 40$ to ensure that I have no more fuelling issues.
Also, pulling the pumps apart is a PITA. The seals alone from Ducati cost the price of the filter, and you need to change them each time...

My two cents worth.

endodoc · Oct 4, 2016

The snap on mesh strainer at the end of the pump is on the suction side.Fuel is pulled from the tank through the outside of that strainer/filter. Thats why the residue is on the outside of the screen. Your reply is implying that the actual sealed pump unit (3B 12v motor) has a filter in it? That pump is downline from the strainer. Why would they put a filter in the pump body right after the strainer? I will cut apart a motor tomorrow and see if there is an additional filter in the motor. Im betting there is not. Aside from that there is no other filtration in that pump assembly so I am not sure what you are referring to when you state that "the filter is not removable"

The pump motor itself is made by ABE model 3B 2CR-A3 00170. You can buy these pumps brand new for 80EU. Bosh also makes a drop in replacement for about the same price.

There are two o ring seals for the two ports in the plastic pump body. They are easily replaceable as are a standard size available from just about anyone for a couple of bucks. The external pump housing gaskets are available as standard Ducati parts.

The pump is very simple to disassemble. 4 feeler gauges will do the trick and you will have the pump apart in 5 minutes without any damage.

I wont go into the nuances of the MWR filter itself except to say that the filter material and the thread are available from many sources and a standard fine pattern Viking sewing machine will have you up and running in no time. Not saying this is a method that one should go but my original statement stands that 40 bucks for this thing is a bit of a stretch.

Lastly from the mechanics that you used to describe the filter, you would have to start with a new pump for this to be effective if as you say there is a non removable filter in the unit. If there is a non removable filter and it has been at all compromised and you cannot clean it the sock only prevents further contamination. It cannot fix a non cleanable pump filter that has already been compromised so I am a bit fuzzy how that logic works. You mechanics dictate that you can only prevent further pressure loss. That does nothing for performance. Regardless, to use this sock at all is going to require that the pump assembly come apart as you are going to have to ensure the integrity of what your externally covering.

Blue Guy · Oct 6, 2016

endodoc said:
The snap on mesh strainer at the end of the pump is on the suction side.Fuel is pulled from the tank through the outside of that strainer/filter. Thats why the residue is on the outside of the screen. Your reply is implying that the actual sealed pump unit (3B 12v motor) has a filter in it? That pump is downline from the strainer. Why would they put a filter in the pump body right after the strainer? I will cut apart a motor tomorrow and see if there is an additional filter in the motor. Im betting there is not. Aside from that there is no other filtration in that pump assembly so I am not sure what you are referring to when you state that "the filter is not removable"

The pump motor itself is made by ABE model 3B 2CR-A3 00170. You can buy these pumps brand new for 80EU. Bosh also makes a drop in replacement for about the same price.

There are two o ring seals for the two ports in the plastic pump body. They are easily replaceable as are a standard size available from just about anyone for a couple of bucks. The external pump housing gaskets are available as standard Ducati parts.

The pump is very simple to disassemble. 4 feeler gauges will do the trick and you will have the pump apart in 5 minutes without any damage.

I wont go into the nuances of the MWR filter itself except to say that the filter material and the thread are available from many sources and a standard fine pattern Viking sewing machine will have you up and running in no time. Not saying this is a method that one should go but my original statement stands that 40 bucks for this thing is a bit of a stretch.

Lastly from the mechanics that you used to describe the filter, you would have to start with a new pump for this to be effective if as you say there is a non removable filter in the unit. If there is a non removable filter and it has been at all compromised and you cannot clean it the sock only prevents further contamination. It cannot fix a non cleanable pump filter that has already been compromised so I am a bit fuzzy how that logic works. You mechanics dictate that you can only prevent further pressure loss. That does nothing for performance. Regardless, to use this sock at all is going to require that the pump assembly come apart as you are going to have to ensure the integrity of what your externally covering.

The whole point of the sock is to prevent any crud getting into the pump in the first place. The filter is downline of the pump, on the outlet side, as it has always been with Ducatis. Is this a dumb idea? Pretty much. Is it changeable? I doubt it. I tried. The pump itself is not expensive, but if the pump needs changing, the filter WILL be clogged (the intake strainer is merely to prevent big, chunky bits going through, but, obviously, won't prevent water or micro particles.)

Again, if you think 40 bucks is expensive, don't spend it. I prefer to pay that, fit the filters to my bikes and have no further fuel issues apart from the occasional pump pressure check prior to a race than piss around sourcing material, then finding someone to sew the thing together for me with rot-proof and fuel-resistant thread, getting it JUST the right shape. That's my choice. I think it's a clever choice, because I looked at the problem from every way I could to solve it and this washable 4-6 micron pre-filter fitted the bill. The fact that since then I haven't had a single issue with performance drop-off due to pumps clogging is awesome. Other teams running Panigales and all the high-end Jap sportsbikes but NOT the MWR filters have problems. This is why I don't think any serious team in WSBK and Superstock isn't running the MWR pre-filter, race gas or not.

Obviously, good filtering of fuel from commercial bowsers is something everyone should do before pouring it into their tank. Does everyone do this? No.
I also feel part of the contamination problem we were having, and plenty of others, too, is due to the French and other European countries pump fuel using beetroot sugar as an additive for the bioethanol part they've decided to stick in it. I never used to have this issue, but think it was likely but less noticeable due to the fuel debit and relative HP being less than with the current crop of hypersport machines where even a tiny bit of crud on the strainer will drop the volume of fuel needed for WOT off. The filters were also easily replaceable.
Much of the crap in the strainers I was seeing was a kind of stringy, glutinous gunk, not silicone, but like some sort of biomass. I wish I'd taken photos of GSX-R pumps and plenty of others I've seen, because it was all pretty similar, so poor filtering didn't seem to be a constant issue. Some tanks had Explosafe in them, some didn't. Most of the bikes running pure racegas from Elf or others had few problems, but anyone using pump gas, regardless of where it came from, had issues.

The "O" rings are Viton, and they're a special size. If you have a source, I'm interested. My seal people here tell me they're a specific size they don't have. Close, but not quite the same size. Size IS important in some cases like this.

Ducati sell them (the green and black ones on the locating dowel/pressure outlet side), but as a kit with the pump base gasket, and the internal O-rings aren't available as an item. Price here is 35€, about 40$, hence my initial comment that $40 wasn't that expensive for the hassle it saves. I fit these filters to every Panigale I build, now. Because life is too short to .... around with feeler gauges and wiggling to pull pump assemblies apart. IMHO.

Gunny Fitz · Oct 6, 2016

HOLY CRAP BROTHER!!
Now THAT right there is some SERIOUS R & D work on your part that mustve taken countless hours to configure in your mind, develop the plan of attack, and carry out everything from removing the first tank bolt- to writing this absolutely extensive review and thread!! I am completely shocked and impressed at everything you wrote here my man. To bad someone didn't record all of this to create a killer YouTube video for Ducati fanatics to see!
Bravo Endodoc - Bravo!

As one of the first here to install the MWR filter when it was first released as a Panigale mod, you would not even believe the incredible hardship I went thru attempting to do this, along w a few other fellow members here - busting knuckles in my driveway! (Nothing needs to be said about that admission of ineptitude either please!) I chalk it up as an easy lesson gone very bad that day - and if need be I have witnesses to back up my side of the ridiculous story too!

So thanks again for your disection of this entire thing and keep more in depth mod reviews / data production coming as our technical genius brother!

endodoc · Oct 6, 2016

Procedure is simple. I took a 2x4, 6 2" wood screws and some 1" aluminum spacers and mounted the pump assembly to the 2x4 using the pump/tank mounting holes That gives you a solid platform to work on the pump. I used 4 2mm feeler gauges and slid them into the tab slots creating a ramp for the slot tabs (lube the feelers). Disconnect the pump harness (4 wire white plug).Stand on each end of the 2x4 and pull straight up. The pump separates easily with zero marks on the pump. I have done this 7 times without any effort at all. Seriously takes 5 min to pull the pump. You can then easily disassemble all of the internal components. Mic the O rings if you want to replace them or PM me where to get them ($2.00). I always use Parker O ring lube on everything. Like I said the indications for the MWR sock are install and forget. That is not accurate. You need to take the pump apart and make sure the integrity of your platform is there. I used three bands of safety wire for the sock.

endodoc · Oct 6, 2016

Going to the shop now to find this "down line filter" that is supposed to be in the pump. Again what the hell is the point? If there is a down line filter in the pump body and you cant access it then then I am literally suturing a wound taking a chance there is not an infection in the insult. So again the sock is "a guess" for anyone not running a new pump if you cant access the potentially contaminated filter in the old pump. The sock is not a bad idea. Hell I bought a couple of them but perhaps the analogy of the mechanics should be verbalized to the customer. At the very least he is going to have to disassemble the pump and clean the strainer and if there is a down line filter, test the PSI on the pump. Any racer would have to do this as well. On a compromised pump which could be any pump that has had fuel through it putting the sock on it is like being shot then dawning a flack vest. You wont take another round but you have issues.

Blue Guy · Oct 6, 2016

endodoc said:
Going to the shop now to find this "down line filter" that is supposed to be in the pump. Again what the hell is the point? If there is a down line filter in the pump body and you cant access it then then I am literally suturing a wound taking a chance there is not an infection in the insult. So again the sock is "a guess" for anyone not running a new pump if you cant access the potentially contaminated filter in the old pump. The sock is not a bad idea. Hell I bought a couple of them but perhaps the analogy of the mechanics should be verbalized to the customer. At the very least he is going to have to disassemble the pump and clean the strainer and if there is a down line filter, test the PSI on the pump. Any racer would have to do this as well. On a compromised pump which could be any pump that has had fuel through it putting the sock on it is like being shot then dawning a flack vest. You wont take another round but you have issues.

Absolutely. The trend of non-servicable filters is beyond me. Most of the Jap bikes and the BMW's have the same thing. You can change, sometimes with a bit of hassle, the pump, but if the pump is cooked, that filter will be full of crud. As will, probably, the injectors.
I know a few race teams who have a box full of new pumps, and they go through them like a fire through a forest. The MWR filter prevents this, or at least reduces the impact of fuel contamination. It won't save you from water contamination, but it will prevent the clogging of the strainer and forcing of the pump.
If you have a reference for the O-rings, I'm a taker. Good idea with the board to hold the pump and give leverage. Thank you. I trim down the tabs, too, once the pump is apart to make it easier to open in the future.

Blasting brake cleaner in the hole that feeds the fuel around the base of the pump to loosen any crud attached to the strainer, then blowing compressed air in there and through the jointing halves of the pump seems to work if people don't want to strip the body apart. Try and do it over a clean tray to see what gunk comes out, if any, and, of course, wear eye protection. Then fit the sock and concentrate on riding.

endodoc · Oct 6, 2016

Ok i stand corrected. I cut apart a pump housing and sure enough there is a filter in the plastic body. Im not sure why i doubted there would be knowing OEM mfg. I surmise the logic is that the strainer screen would catch anything that would be an issue for the filter. Apparently according to Blue Guy, this is an issue so lets address it. First off I "socked" a new pump that went in my bike. The second pump I "socked" had 10 miles on it and its a back up pump. So here is what I will do to the rest of the pumps. 3 options.

I stuck a pump body in the mill and cut an access hole above the filter. I removed the filter and using appropriate materials will fashion a plug to cover the filter cavity. This leaves the filter cavity empty. Or you could elect to source a filter and replace it and cover the hole. If you chose to leave the filter out, you could do a serviceable inline solution before the injector plumbing.

Blue Guy · Oct 11, 2016

endodoc said:
Ok i stand corrected. I cut apart a pump housing and sure enough there is a filter in the plastic body. Im not sure why i doubted there would be knowing OEM mfg. I surmise the logic is that the strainer screen would catch anything that would be an issue for the filter. Apparently according to Blue Guy, this is an issue so lets address it. First off I "socked" a new pump that went in my bike. The second pump I "socked" had 10 miles on it and its a back up pump. So here is what I will do to the rest of the pumps. 3 options.

I stuck a pump body in the mill and cut an access hole above the filter. I removed the filter and using appropriate materials will fashion a plug to cover the filter cavity. This leaves the filter cavity empty. Or you could elect to source a filter and replace it and cover the hole. If you chose to leave the filter out, you could do a serviceable inline solution before the injector plumbing.

I was looking at milling up a base-plate that corresponded to the fuel routing of the Panigale, but used the 1198 pump and replaceable filter, but to be honest, that would be a huge job, and the problem of fuel contamination would still be present, albeit easier to repair and regular filter changing would be a breeze. Kind of...

The sock solves pretty much all the issues, apart, obviously, from water pollution of the fuel. Better to reverse-flush the filter in the OEM housing, clean the pump by reverse flushing if it's got a few clicks on it, make sure the O-rings are new, lubed, and refit everything, then pop a sock on it and check fuel pressure every service.

The pump screwed into the block of wood to help pull it apart works great. I used panel washers to spread the load and avoid damage to the pump housing, and it popped apart with a LOT less struggle than how I'd been opening them before.

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Installed the MWR 1199/1299 Fuel Filter. Stock System Eval

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