Re those 749/999 starter ratios: I had a vague recollection that the starter motor gearing was altered on later 748/996 models, is that not the case? I'm not sure, and I'm certainly no expert!
Yep, the stator changed from 2 phase to 3 phase and I recall reading somewhere that this caused a change to the flywheel and a change to the starter gear/sprag clutch....but then again I could have dreamt all that
its not the flywheel/stator that i was on about! its the gear that comes off the starter and the next wheel that comes , before you get to the flywheel! i have a 1999 996 3 phase......i swaped out the 996 starter wheels for the 999 ones! the ratio turns the motor over faster and smoother than the stock gear! (its a smaller sprag that fits on the starter and a larger wheel that fits to the flywheel) when i did my rebuild this is the advise that i was given! i was sceptical but......they were right! there are plenty of parts through the engine ranges that can be swapped out! they may be different but the basic form has remained the same through 916 to 1198.
I’m also looking at this swap over the winter whilst stripping my engine down, Quick browse shows a difference between a 999 starter freewheel gear vs the 916 gear. The centre looks considerably different. Did yours look like the 999 one with holes in?
the bits you need to swap are the (cog) on the starter itself! the 999 one is slightly smaller! and the next (cog) the one that connects to the flywheel sprag! its slightly bigger! the change in ratio gives you the better smoother starting on the button instead of that slow chug that we are used to lol the one in the pic is from behind the flywheel! i never changed this because i wanted to maintain a little weight! but it looks like a 999s/r one to me??? where did you get it from? i actually want to put the full weight flywheel back on mine due to the fact i can rev it to 16000rpm the service interval is about 600 miles.....full top end rebuild! (un-cool)
i forgot to add to my rant about what you can do to the engine! when you take the cases apart, watch out for the green oil "O" rings that are in the middle of the cases! if you forget to put them in you will be in big trouble! (terminal engine fail) oh and swap out all the bearings for high profomance high speed ones!
as i said parts are swapped between 916.......1198 (not all) you would have to check if a 1098/1198 gearing works or not! i know the 999/749 dose for sure!! i can ask a few friends of mine from the states if this is a viable swap!!
i would need to know if your thinking of swaping the starter clutch from behind the flywheel? then the guys i know will clear up the other two sprag sizes you need
Had a productive night stripping out the alternator side, lack of tools have stopped play. Need a 22mm long reach socket for the timing gear.. One question I do have, when stripping the stator assembly and fly wheel, there is a washer nearest to the gearbox casing with a split in it, is this correct or is this washer damaged? Washer in pictures
Tonight I decided I would crack on with the clutch side. Glad I had a decent impact gun as the eight bolts that hold the clutch housing in were a nightmare, Come to another halt tonight when I got to the primary gear nut. Now need to order a deep 30mm socket to continue, I'm also hoping my two/three legged pulley is up to the job of removing the primary gear without the need of the expensive Ducati tool...
Do not reuse the 8 bolts that held the clutch basket in place, get new ones and make sure you use loctite on them. They’re actually not torqued up that much, 25nm from memory but I may be mis-remembering, it’s the thread lock used that caused you grief probably. Id say you need a new clutch basket as well. Which of course means a coloured one and a new coloured pressure plate to match, and then new springs and caps for same and then an open clutch cover to show it all off. Oh how the costs mount , we all know.