Well it's here and it's was very grubby the chain and back wheel caked in black grease so cleaning was first order and it's still ongoing. Need proper degreaser but could not get any locally so have used nealry two spray tins of brake cleaner then used neat petrol with a couple of brushes one paint brush and an old tooth brush. Once I got a lot of the oil and grease off I reconnected the side stand switch, had to do this twice as it seems that rotating the thing wiht the little peg effects how it works, at first putting the stand up stopped the engine but it's not cutting it off with teh stand is deployed. When doing this noticed that the stand was coming loose, a common issue it seems, so tightened it up. You can see the "plug" not connected and the grime and grease around the stand mounting this was taken when I viewed it. Anyway there is a list of things that need sorting out:- 1) Get it clean wheel weights will not stick to chain grease and tar. 2) Get some proper engine degreaser. 3) Get new rear tyre and get it fitted. Get the adaptors for the universal front stand bought along with the rears. Brought the adaptors that fit under the swing are for the rear was not sure what types I needed for the forks. 4) Get new plugs, oil filter, engine oil, fork oil. Find grease nipples on rear suspension get chain lube. Find grease gun if lost get new one. Order cam belts. 5) Do service .. change oils and brake/clutch fluid. 6) Remove US carbon cannister and find a fuse box cover as it's missing. .
OK am trying to get to the bottom of this really hard to start issue and I mean it's a real bitch to start took over 45 minutes to get it going Monday morning and then had to use engine start spray which is just not on. Then when it does start it struggles to keep going and if you try to open the throttle even the smallest amount it stalls. Allowing the pump to prime several times seems to help a bit and seeing how the petrol is a nasty orange colour have been thinking that this combined with the rust inside the tank could be causing a lack of flow of fuel. So started to removed the tank filler and first problem is the sealing ring is broken so new one needed . Undid all the bolts and filler part came off easily and it went down hill from there looks like it has some seal around it and was stuck fast eventually got is out but the hole where it fits needs to remedial care and the tank inside is just plain ole NASTY! Lots of rust and perished rubber hoses that cannot be helping it's running and although the seller said he fitted a new fuel filter it does not look very new so a trip into town to the motor factors to see what we can procure to fix the problem. Now this is a look down towards the fuel pump:- And this is the pump as it came out:- Plain ole nasty I beleive a new pump might not be a bad idea along with new noses for inside the tank. Plezier
I would really recommend cleaning the rust out of that tank before reusing it. There are several methods but the most effective / longest lasting / least invasive / least expensive method I have found is electrolysis. The flat area you can see most clearly is likely to be the least rusted area, the real horrors usually lie in the lower corners and seams. I don’t like or advise epoxy coating the internals but others have had good results with that approach. It is possible that any rust remedy work finds a fully rusted out area that needs welding, but better to find it then than when fuel starts running down onto a very hot engine !
Am giving the electrolysis a go using a car battery that is also hooked up to a charger so we do not drop in current. The get a good connection for th negative I filed off some paint from the tanks hinge point can alos give it a squirt of primer then colour after we are done it's out of sight under the front of the seat when mounted. Mean while got a new pump and filter but am stumped on where to get submersible fuel hose they look at you as if you have two heads when you ask. Might have to bite the bullet and contact the sharks at Ducati in Sofia as cannot do anyhting without hose to connect wverything up. The new pump is not a Bosch but from acompany called :- "Meat & Doria" Special parts since 1945 Torino Italy .......... seems suitable for a Ducati then it even comes with a new filter screen which Bosch apparantly do not. The Bosch pump is 122.80 leva this one was 33.00 leva got ti from the motor factor that we use in town the Mahle fuel filter was 23.00 leva and that to me makes no sense.Oh and my tyre came in so went and collected it tried three places asking for the fuel hose and the looks had to be seen to be believed. Plezier
The motor factors here are not like I was used to in the Uk that's for sure the standards of vehicle maintenance are much lower than we are used to as well. For the fuel hose have a couple of choices :- 1) Try the shark Ducati agent/dealer in Sofia. 2) Order from the UK maybe from ebay.uk 3) Try one of the larger moe commercial motor factorlike AutoDoc or Insta Parts. Problem is that Insta Part seem very trade orientated and AutoDoc well their web site is a bloody nightmare to find things the on. The bike dealer can try to order hoses but they are not sure how long they will take and their suppliers are pretty pricey for some things. Enquired for the price of cam belts and they want over 50 euro EACH! Just sent a message to a Ducati dealer in UK and see if they can help wiht the hoses. Plezier
Part 2 The motor factors actually had some engine cleaner/degreaser so bought a bottle they also got me a new fuel pump not a Bosch one but from an Italian company "Meat & Doria" of Torino box says they have been going since 1945 but I had never heard of them but the pump even came with a new filter gauze which Bosch do not do it was also a lot cheaper than the Bosch at only 33 leva also got a new fuel filter a Mahle that was 23 leva:- I then got a message that my tyre had arrived so after an fruitless search for the fuel hose while awaiting deliver on the fuel pump I drove into the city to collect and pay for the tyre :- Just got to take it into "Point S" to get it fitted and balanced it now. Also decided to give electrolysis a try in dealing with the rust have a car battery hooked up with jump leads to the tank and am using a piece of 10mm threaded bar just using plain water at the moment will try to get some Soda crystals tomorrow to speed things up will also see about getting some white vinegar but will see how this does. Plezier
Don’t expect too much with plain water as, depending on it’s purity, water alone is a very weak electrolyte. Most importantly, make sure you have the polarity the right way.
Thank you am not expecting too much but it is working:- As you can see am off down the town to see if can get some soda crystals to help it along. Plezier
Just got back from town and purchase 4 litres of bleach and a bag of Sodium Bicarbonate ....... not quite what I wanted but it's better than nothing and didn't see any White Vinegar. Anyway got home and emptied out the water from the tank and it's already showing a huge improvement:- Now let us see how much better it works with the Sodium Bicarbonate added. Plezier
wow.. apart from the tank. Which is 'orrible. the bike looks pretty clean I think... Just be careful with sripping it all back with brake cleaner, despite the name it's crap on calipers and can knacker rubber seals etc... Good luck. Will be really nice bike when complete.
Have now got some spray on (pump Bottle) engine cleaner degreaser so once I get the wheel back in and chain tensioned can lube that up can move the bike out of where it is now and give the engine frame another cleaning and see where we are with that so far have spent what is getting on for half or what paid for the bike and there is still the cam belts and those elusive fuel hoses to get and that's without refinishing the tank. Plezier
This afternoon after refitting the rear wheel moved the bike onto the yard and got to work with the proper engine cleaner spray and it works much better than the brake cleaner. Also cleaned then lubed the chain:- Yes need to replace that gear lever at some point. Still see caked grease and suff below the chain. Not sure what has caused that discoluration to the top/rear cyclinder head Hmmm did not notice those little cracks in the cam belt housing until posted this have to keep an eye on that. Wondr if it's possible to clean up the exhaust down pipe a bit as it really lets to bike down am used to chromed exhausts on bikes. The whole left side of the rear/top cyclinder head has this sort of bronze colouring am wondering if that horrid fuel had been leaking onto it? Anyway it looks a lot better and if we can get it starting properly and running correctly with it cleaned up and registered again it would probably be worth a lot moe especially with such low mileage and being almost standard trim. Plezier
Its cleaning up very well! I reckon the pipes will come up like new with some rust remover and brass buffing wheel, followed by polishing wheels...
Hmmm actually I have no idea what they looked like when new will have to get some de-rust stuff and try it thank you for the kind word and the suggestion, Plezier
Honestly, not sure what you were expecting... but for a second hand bike.. (apart from the tank) that is mint... it's very very clean. Looks like it's never seen any salt at all. and the grease and grime has "protected" what is underneath I think you've got a good one, assuming the inside is as squeaky as the outside.
