The teenager's Bimota has decided to not hold more than 4 litres of fuel from empty before it pours out over the back wheel. This gives it a range of 60 miles before running out (then another 1/2 mile with me pushing it...) The tank is under the engine and apparently uses an early 916 fuel pump. The seal seems to be an o ring from what I can find, are there any alternatives to a genuine ducati one? Also is it worth changing anything else while the pump is off?
If it is a 916 pump the seals should be available still. Grease it before installation. You may as well change the fuel filter while you have the pump out.
If by 916 fuel pump you mean the whole assembly, the large O-ring is 117.07mm X 3.53mm. I buy mine of Polymax. The fuel filter is a Mahle KL145. I'd also change the fuel hoses as they deteriorate, especially with modern fuel. The fuel pump itself is a Bosch unit but many others are available. At the bottom of the fuel pump is a gauze inlet filter mesh that also suffers with age.
You can get aftermarket pump plate O rings from eBay, however, I do find they are slightly inferior quality and tend to end up being single-use only whereas if the green and original Ducati type of O ring is installed it can be reused if it does not stretch I have done this a few times, even recently, when I had to take my pump out 3 times to rectify a problem. If you need a new pump it is Bosch Part number 0580 453 408 and was used on Alfa Romeo,s and some Fiat's. Don't be tempted to buy the cheaper pumps off eBay as they are not 100% in terms of the ability to take the original fittings and you will find the baffle plate that fits on the end of the pump will not fit properly. It does on the Bosch pump which is about £70 compared to the £172 that I have seen asked for on a Ducati spares site. As mentioned it is essential to replace the tank breather hoses as they rot very badly, this may be your problem if one of the hoses that vents the tank is punctured and allows fuel to escape, which will cause a leak. It's important to use a fully submersible fuel hose as a fuel hose that is not certified for this will rot as only the inside of the hose is treated to resist the ethanol in modern fuels but the outside is not. You may have to also replace the short fuel line from the fuel filter to the hose as they can rot equally. Demon Tweeks sells the correct Mocal hose in 1-metre lengths for about just under £25 delivered. It is 8MM or 5\16" ID. Ducati charges £35 per hose according to one spares site. If you have quick-release tank fittings then you should also replace the two O rings on the fittings. You will no doubt find the filter which fits on the end of the pump will crack and break when you try and remove it and if the tank pump has never been serviced in a long time that is almost a certainty as they become very brittle and discolour and sometimes clog up. Hope this helps.
Definitely ! If the spec says NBR/NBR , it means that it is resistant inside AND outside ..... Nitrile Butadiene Rubber eg. cohline-2190 "resistant" is variable term here - Ethanol-free petrol is best , but hard to find in many areas E5 is OK E10 ..... avoid like the plague , it's a false economy anyway (IMO) Prices vary a lot , for the exact same hose ....... but this firm is keen on price - https://www.glencoeltd.co.uk/cohline-2190-in-tank-high-pressure-fuel-hose-8mm-push-on/ £ 14.54 for one meter lengths ( probably need to add VAT and delivery ) Note - you can put the necessary curves in it with hot water , or hot air
Well, tank off and no idea what this does, it appears to have a hole in the top and the rubber sleeve slides up and down... Any ideas?? (and A2 Bimota, slightly restricted BB1)
I think this has come up before and have to smile. The bottom line is that if in doubt, fit an original equipment pump every time, but just to set the record straight, I have been using eBay equivalent fuel pumps for almost 10 years now, I have two bikes that have them fitted for two years plus now with no problems whatsoever at approximately a third of the price of a Ducati pump. Of course it's a slight gamble but has paid off for me over and over again.
That's what I thought, but no wires out of it. I also took about 10 litres of fuel out of the tank but only put 5 in after it ran out... More investigation required I think
Likewise, though they've upped the price considerably; https://www.polymax.co.uk/o-ring-117-07mm-id-x-3-53mm-cs-fkm-viton-75-sha £5.44 each now, compared to £1.04 three years ago. Still probably less than than Ducati?
Fit a new one at every filter change so, maybe every 2-3 years? I bought 12 (because if over £10 was free shipping) which, realistically is a lifetime's supply at my age...
fair enough, thanks. But at £5 each I was hoping to get one ( or two) just for now. ill keep hunting.
ah no thats ok thanks. Duke has his stash and his plan, great foresight. Ive been promising myself id get my 916 back on the road. It moved last year when I had the garage re roofed. It moved out under its own power nicely, but when I came to move it back in a few days later it would start, run and idle but not increase revs enough to ride it back in. A quick look inside the tank revealed slimy pipes- i.e. outer sheath was sliding off, so my intention has been to drain tank replace pipes, clean tank out and new filter etc, and try to get it running again. If I can do that I have incentive to replace front wheel bearing, replace tyres and get it in for belt change, MOT and then wey hey. I then have a choice of two bikes to ride... I suppose Im being slightly lazy thinking I only need one o ring now, just for this episode, I've got pipe and filter on way. I even used the old school technique of picking the phone up and speaking to the nice lady at polymax and saying is there anyway you can send me/I can buy just two plus some silicone grease, I dont actually need four ( minimum order) at this moment in time at £22 plus postage. I'm sure ill find a supplier or just spend the money on the four idc - just having a garden room re plastered as I type ( in daylight obvs) and bi folds earlier this year so watching the pennies a little is always a good idea.
I could but, once the cheap 'O' ring floodgates open and everyone wants one, I'll be left with none. And now that I've said I have a lifetime's supply, I'm not wishing to to tempt fate by reducing that lifetime... Plus, even at a fiver each I would think that's still a considerable saving over Ducati prices, even the minimum qty of 4 is still less than the price of a tank full of fuel and, given the general cost of Ducati maintenance, a small price to pay I would say.
apologies I never closed this one out . I ended up in the end getting five - the minimum order- from barnwell https://www.barnwell.co.uk/products/o-rings-back-up-rings-2/ for £17 delivered which I thought was a decent deal
