Belt Timing Gone Wrong?

agree with this bit if you are re-fitting a healthy couple of belts for the first time, as anything to help is worthwhile, and so aligning the marks on the belts is a confirmation that everything is "back as it was" and a bonus in the confidence building stakes.

as long as it's done accurately, if owners decide to transfer marks onto new belts to help confirm they are fitted correctly, then can't see the harm in it, and it helps to confirm what's going on with the typical tooth-slip that can happen on the vertical head due to inlet valve "helper" spring tension.

 

Exactly this.

 

After 44 revolutions of the crankshaft, timing belts are back
at the starting point, MTS 1200 MY 2010-2014

 

I was t too far out, knew it was somewhere around that mark.

 

I've been fitting belts now for 20 years
On the 748/916 was easy as there were timing marks to line up
The 1098 was more difficult as there were no timing marks.
What i did find out though, was on the 1098 when the timing was correct the slots in the end of the camshaft form an inverted "T"
at TDC. The first time I did it I left the vertical belt loose I then fitted the Horizontal belt then wound it on 270° and fitted the vertical belt. I've marked the pulleys up now. I believe this is true for the 999 and 848. But for some reason not the 1198

 

And on other engines, can’t recall which without checking, the inverted T is angled between 10 & 4.

 

That's the way forward, simply mark the pulleys as per the older bikes, job done.

I don't understand why they stopped marking them and then supplying a fancy cam setting/holding kit to make the job more complicated?

Of course, you have to do it before removing the belts...

 

With the 1198 and all subsequent engines both the horizontal and vertical cylinders have the inverted "T" pointing upwards when the horizontal engine is at TDC. Makes timing the belts a whole lot easier although I always mark the cam pulleys and put corresponding marks on the head before removing the old belts.

 

if the belts have previously been incorrectly installed then possibly you could end up duplicating the error if relying on marked belts

 

Of course you are right, but slim chance of it happening and the best approach would be to align the manufacturer's marks in the first instance, the marking of the belts being a secondary method to help confirm this, and nothing more.

 

My head hurts now.
K
I
S
S

Count the teeth on top of the five marks (or inverted T’s etc) if you want to be doubly sure.

Im going for a little lie down now.

 

Who knew it could be so complicated ?

 

From 1098 on only the bottom timing pulley mark is relevant. The marks on the cam pulleys line up with nothing. You are meant to use a cam locking tool to hild6them while you change the belts

 

yes, i was generalising , and i knew somebody might decide to bite me. I have done 1098/1198 - well aware thanks and can vaguely remember there was a change related to the "T" alignment that makes things even more complex than what you've just included, hence my generalising..

either way, it's still of some help to mark the belts to help confirm positions so i don't get your point Derek. I've never marked any belts just for reference, but all of the belts i've ever done on Ducatis are simple compared to many cars.

 

Isn’t the « T » thing linked to the Testastretta engines, even before the 1198?

It certainly was how I changed my belts on my Matrix. All explained in the 2002 998 workshop manual.

Edit: Found my old pics.

 

Started with the first testastretta engines so 996R onwards.

 

I've never marked any belts either Chris. The point I'm trying to make is that the dots on the cam pulleys have no relevance to cam timing. They seem to be a legacy thing from previous Testastretta days when the dots lined up with marks on the heads. The 2v engines are a bit different with most requiring the cams to be locked but some still have marks that can be lined up.

 

Meant "previous" to Testastretta

 

I'm mulling over having a 'first time' go at belts & valve clearances on my 2018 1260 PP. Mainly due to being so far away from the few places I'd trust to do work. There's loads of great advice and step-by-step guides online and I've ordered a workshop manual to hopefully get every detail covered.

One question I have that doesn't seem to be discussed in any videos or guides is the need for reviewing live camshaft and crankshaft position data after the work, and with the engine running. Basically, is seeing the live diagnostic data needed or is simply ensuring everything is lined up and no interference enough to have the engine running exactly as before?

 

If it's OK now and you remove the belts/refit new ones in the same position then what has changed with regards to the timing, what needs 'reviewing'?

Sounds like over complication for the sake of it to me, just mark the pulleys (before removing the belts!) and ensure they go back in the same place with the new belts - that's what I'd do anyway...