Ducati Monster Forum

What a wonderful feeling to have confidence in my bike once again.  I have to admit that my 620 saw some neglect while I was living in Maryland.  Falling off, having it sit outside during the rain and snow, long periods of non-use, and a daunting 12,000 mile service that kept getting pushed out into the future, all added to a somewhat disconnected feeling between me and my bike and in my confidence in its mechanical integrity. 

Getting re-integrated with my best riding buddies really has been a bright spot in my return to Arizona.  The first tech day Dietrich's yielded timing belt replacements, a much needed oil change, (What came out of the drain plug could loosely be classified as lubricant.) and a chain adjustment (it was even more kinky than I am).  Doing the valves was just around the corner.

A few weeks later, another tech day at Dietrich’s,  We've got the heads open and we're in there with a pair of customized hemostats and too many hands than there was actually room for; removing, replacing and sanding collets to get everything right within spec for my first DIY valve job.  What a sense of accomplishment to button everything up, press the starter, and hear the engine come to life.  But there was a catch…

A week or two later, RyanRacer and I began prototyping an oil cooler.  We mocked it up, ran some lines, installed the diverter valve, and got me on the road with a functioning model.  Lower oil temps, fresh valve job, new timing belts, buddies to ride with, perfect weather, and... SMOKE.

Yep, smoke.  Not a lot, just enough to throw a cloud until the oil temp registered about 200 degrees.  With that behavior, could it be a ring allowing oil to pass until it warmed up and got seated.  CRAP!  Try to imagine how it feels to be embarrassed each time you turn your bike on because of a smoke screen it creates until it warms up, and then frightened of the harm you may be causing each time you twist the throttle thereafter.  I can assure you it is not “confidence-inspiring” to say the least.  And to top it off, I think my clutch is slipping.

Upon further research and inspection, the CATCH to the whole valve job was that the guide seal on the vertical cylinder exhaust valve got nicked.  This was allowing just enough oil by to create some smoke until everything began expanding as the engine got up to operating temp.  Thank goodness it wasn’t a ring!  Ducati Superstore had some valve guide seals available during their Street-Fighter premiere.  I picked up two of them.  Good thing I did.  The first one managed to get pretty mangled while trying to install it.  What a pain in the ass.  An entire thread could be written about different techniques to get those little rascals situated properly.  New valve seal installed.  Change the oil out for some nice thick semi-synth 20W-50 Castrol Act-evo. 

No more smoke.  Bike is purring.  And what’s more… the clutch action seems to have been restored a bit.  Even though the full-synth Castrol 10W-40 I used last time was moto-specific, I think it was just too slippery for the 620’s soft springed APTC wet clutch.  This thicker part-dino stuff… FTW. 

I just took a “spirited” ride up and down South Mountain.  Second gear all the way;  9000 rpms at some points (yes, the 620 will rev that high before hitting the limiter);  pegs under the balls of my feet but still scraped toes both right and left;  what a blast!

All sorted out… how nice it is to have confidence once again.  Thanks AZDRA!


<new chain coming soon>

Good to hear you guys got it going again. It is amazing that a tiny $3 part can make or break an engine. Remember to get a gold chain.

Dietrich is NOT a shade-tree hack.   :-*

Thanks Ryan.  It's OK. Just seeing you in love with your bike again is worth any name calling or reputation smearing anyone could dish out.  ;)

Stumble at idle...
Replaced Battery...   :(
Replaced Voltage Regulator/Rectifier...   :-[
Replaced Horizontal Spark Plug Coil...    :-\
Replaced Spark Plug Wires...    :'(

Finally read enough to feel comfortable with resetting the TPS.  The specified reading at idle should be 434 mV.  Mine was reading 325 mV.   Loosened the set screws, rotated it a little, dialed it in at 434 mV running and warmed up at 200 degrees.  (The entire TPS reset process is a bit more complicated, so I opted for the abridged version.)  I did not close the butterflies entirely and set the base level at at 0 degrees open to 150 mV.  The LH throttle-body stop was too hard to get to and the factory yellow paint was way to thick to get out of the little 2.5 allen hole.  I just took for granted that the butterflies were at the correct degree of opening as it was set, and then adjusted the mV on the TPS to 434 mV. 

Maiden voyage is this evening.  Wish me luck.

Update...

I think we have a winner.  Definitely could use a TB synch, but the bike doesn't seem to want to cut out when I'm waiting at a light.  Idles a bit higher now ~ 1150 rpm or so.  Hopefully that'll be it.  I was so intimidated to mess with the electronics. 

Ryan, sometimes I think that you intentionally let the Gremlins mess with your Monster.  [cheeky]

Well... I have to admit that I do like to tear it apart.

Ducatis are like Erector sets or Legos to me. :)

For the both of you:

(http://gerkens.org/blog/wp-content/uploads/2009/02/8420_1.jpg)

And you can buy it here:

http://www.amazon.com/LEGO-4243706-Technic-Street-Bike/dp/B0007PHOTS/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&s=toys-and-games&qid=1247085557&sr=8-3 (http://www.amazon.com/LEGO-4243706-Technic-Street-Bike/dp/B0007PHOTS/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&s=toys-and-games&qid=1247085557&sr=8-3)

No way man!  That's a v-four with gear driven cams!!  Not to mention the countershaft driven "stunta" extended swingarm.  [bang]



 [laugh]
 [cheeky]
 ;D

 [beer]

Uhhh, I'd check your chain tension while you're at it...

[laugh]