Further to my previous post regarding oil, am I right in thinking your bike is a 750? A 750 has a wet clutch of course and modern car oils have friction modifiers which are likely to cause clutch slip with a wet clutch, so a bike specific oil is likely to be best.
The The point is that Ducati used to recommend any good quality fully synthetic oil for the SS, so a car was considered to be fine but car oils have changed in the car manufacturers pursuit of fuel consumption figures, so the friction modifiers in current car oils will make your clutch slip. Therefore you will need to pay the premium for a bike specific oil that dry clutch 900 owners don't really need to. Bike specific oils are mainly aimed at wet clutch engines, do it's arguable if they are necessary for dry clutch Ducatis. They are supposed to have other benefits though, such as enhanced corrosion protection as bikes tend to get less regular use than cars.
So I've finally got to a workable solution for the blasted exhausts. Needed a good chunk lopping off both ends - in fact as much as was actually feasible before getting into the bend such that the can would no longer fit. Also needed to fab a couple of spacers about 1.5" deep so the cans would line up right. Still not quite as I'd like but they look OK and feel sturdy enough (sorry for the photo - it was cold, dark and I had no room in the garage to get the right angle for the pic). Anyway: Assuming the bike runs and rides OK come spring, then I'll have the cans welded to the link pipes which will allow me to cut a little more out too. All I can say is I wish I hadn't bothered with these pipes. I know many on here speak highly of Steve's stuff but these may as well have been from a Vauxhall or summat. Never again. In other news, the caliper bleed nipples are still weeping - looking like "new" calipers needed. I had a petrol leak from the tank drain bolt (not tight enough) which has lifted some of my new paint around the tank edge. Arse! The tacho doesn't work so need to look at that (fitted a new cable already). Oh, and I touched up the paint on the clutch cover where some Dot4 leaked from the clutch banjo. Next up to fit the carbon bits I have for her - hugger, chain guard, belt covers... And I need a clear screen (black one it came with I no likey). I've posted in the "wanted" forum, but if anyone has one (sell or swap) gimme a shout. Mick..
I have a smoked screen unsued or a transparent black one.... Turn your engine over and look at the tacho drive in the head without the cable fitted....does it turn OK?
Thanks AL, but I'm after a clear one. Pretty sure the tacho was working before the rebuild so we'll see. Might be a while til I get time to take a proper look. Mick..
Mick, First of all, I have at least one clear screen in my collection so can help there, give me your email and I can send pics. As regards the drive, I had the same problem when I was out one day before I took the bike off the road. Riding along and the tacho simply stopped working. On closer investigation I found it was the drive on the head. The cable inner is square and the drive had become worn to the point that the cable was spinning within it. I jammed it in with a matchstick end temporarily and by pure chance shortly after managed to get a brand new drive on evilbay for a fraction of the cost of a dealer! Think I paid about £30. They are about £120 from Ducati! So, I appreciate you have a new cable, but look at both ends where that connects to make sure that its being driven ok....hopefully I makes sense.
Can you remember if there were two Woodruff keys on the tacho drive side of the front camshaft? If there was only one (which holds the pulley in place) make sure the silly pulley nut is done up really tight, because that's all that stops the tacho drive worm gear from slipping on the cam..........and that can result in a buggered worm drive and pinion drive for the tacho.......plus bits of metal in the engine.....
AL, I honestly have no idea mate. I'll start with the easier stuff as Desmo suggests and go from there. The cases are back on so hopefully can avoid taking them back off again.... Mick..
