I ve got 1999 748 bip,over the winter i'm going to do some work on it ie replace belts,stripdown and check cylinder heads(valves,rockers ect),new chain and sprockets,filters, oil,plugs.Most of the consumables are easy to get hold of but others more difficult.Does anybody know where i can get any valve shims i might need and also cam shaft pulley retaining nuts.Are the o rings on the intake funnels a generic size or type specific part.Are there any other things that i should check while i ve got it in bits.This is the first Ducati i ve owned so any advice would great.Cheers ,Paul:smile:
Hi Paul not being obtuse here, but a main dealer is your best bet for most of the typical parts you might need and that sometimes includes 'O' rings. Although many people prefer to source these from motor factors there's a good chance they are just as cheap from a dealer - this certainly goes for the last time I bought 'O' rings for the quick release fuel tank connections.
O rings for the inlet trumpets are dealer part. Bob over to a local dealer with a list, stuff is often cheaper than you think. Where are you based as we will be able to point you towards a good dealer close to you!
I'm in Manchester,the only Ducati dealer i know of is in Sale.I can't find much on the website for a 748
If you're going to get into valve clearances then you need, IMO, plenty of shims otherwise you'll be running backwards/forwards to the dealers all the time. Get a shim kit from Mike at EMS in the USA Ducati 2 Valve and 4 Valve Adjustment Shim Kits not cheap but a good investment and cheaper than from Ducati and you'll get a good quantity to get started with (you may need to get a few extras later) - he also sells some useful valve service tools & MBP retainers (be aware if you get these then you need to get the special opener shims) and is 100% trustworthy and reliable.
Or buy a micrometer and know/learn how to use it. Not sure I would want to keep on swapping the closing shims out to get the correct one, especially if the heads are still on the bike.
Dukedesmo,thanks for the info,probably going to order a shim kit from EMS,is it right that the thickness of the shims can "fine tuned" with an oil stone? Kevski,not sure what you mean mate isn't that how you get the correct valve clearances?
I've been told...........if your clearances are out, replace your 1/2 rings and recheck the clearances again 1st, as worn 1/2 rings can alter the clearances, and are cheaper than shims that may not be required.
I use fine emery paper with WD40 on a flat surface to get the clearances spot-on. If you do your own servicing then buying a shim kit will pay for itself after a couple of services plus I prefer to not have to be running back and forwards to a dealer collecting various shims. I always measure shims but all shims are not equal and don't always give the exact same clearance as another supposedly identical shim, within tolerance yes but I like the clearances to better than just within the wide tolerances.
One last thing,i'm going to remove the heads to do the valve clearances,is there anything that may need a check while they are on the kitchen table?.I've heard about rockers flaking the hard chromed surface,anyting else?The bike has done 23 000 miles
Haven't posted on here for ages,took the front cylinder head off my bike in Jan with the intention of checking valves,rockers ect,looked pretty bad shape so I took the bike to a local independent Ducati shop,the upshot is that it needs 8 opening rockers and a new inlet cam, quoted £2000 for the work. can't afford that in one hit so I'm going to attempt to do the work myself and source the parts off ebay as and when they come up.Is this beyond the scope of a home mechanic,i used to be a fitter and have stripped and rebuilt loads of scooters in the past,completely different I know,but is this job do-able
You can have your worn rockers re_plated at Newman Engineering for around £35 each against £ 125 for genuine Ducati replacements. Or there have been a couple of complete engines for sale on here recently, well worth thinking about then sell what you don't need. Steve
don't think you will beat £20 for a cam pd71 - plus it's from someone you can trust on here. Secondhand openers can be found for around £30 - 50 but it's a dodgy area as sometimes the seller is not accurate at judging the condition. A high-quality close-up picture of both front and back faces could suffice particularly if there aren't the slightest signs of grey-matted areas on the main face yet (but there usually are).
It's been a while since I posted on this thread , my bike is still not on the road but I have managed to get hold of an engine and all but 2 of the rockers are ok.The VA camshaft was no good so I got one off ebay(£30). At the moment I'm waiting for the 2 rockers to come back from Newman cams then I'm going To build the heads up and have the valve clearances set by Italsport in bury. I need to use the alternator cover off the new engine but when I removed it today I noticed some deep scoring inside,I only want to use the actual casing,is this still ok.
Still waiting for the rockers to come back from Newman cams! I've built the vertical cylinder head back up and fitted the replacement cam.When I finally get round to building the bike back up are any of the parts that the Haynes manual states must be renewed actually reuse able specifically rotor nut,wrist pin circlip Cam belt pully retaining nuts,gaskets copper sealing washers on oil feed pipes. Ect
