Did 12K service and running rough

[2 Wheel Wanderer]

Hey all, I did a 12K service for the 1st time. I bought everything from Desmo times minus a couple of things from the dealer. I have LT's manual as well as the Dealer service manual, VDST and a gastester. I adjusted the valves (all the closers are between .03 and .05, all the openers are at .10), put in new plugs, cleaned air filter, new fuel filter (from Napa # 3032), put on new belts, checked the trim and checked and adjusted the TPS. I adjusted the vacuum on the intakes, I checked the throttle bodies with the air bleeder screws all the way in, they were fine. Everything looks fine.

The last time it was serviced they replaced the valve guides. It ran a but rough before that and ran OK afterwords but was running very rough by the time the service came around. I'm not confident in the tech who did the work last time on the bike. I am probably going to pull the heads later today and bring them down to the dealer tomorrow to look at. 

It is not bad at idle but when riding, the engine is not smooth at all like it has been in the past. I have rechecked everything more that twice. Not really sure where to go from here but deeper into the engine.

Any thoughts? 

[He Man]

you could of missed a timing tooth. that can cause the bike to run really rough and uneven.

i wouldnt pull the heads off. too much work for a little problem, especially since you havent investigated it further. if the guides were replaced, then im not sure they would of worn so quickly. You can double check by wiggling the valve. there shouldnt be that much free play (im not sure what the tolerances are, it should be in your manual)

[Speeddog]

Which bike/engine?

What year?

[2 Wheel Wanderer]

you could of missed a timing tooth. that can cause the bike to run really rough and uneven.

i wouldnt pull the heads off. too much work for a little problem, especially since you havent investigated it further. if the guides were replaced, then im not sure they would of worn so quickly. You can double check by wiggling the valve. there shouldnt be that much free play (im not sure what the tolerances are, it should be in your manual)

I double and triple checked the belts, but will do it again. I am just frustrated, I have gone over everything I have done and all is where it is supposed to be. I figured on pulling the heads to see if a valve was screwed up or something, I do think the guides are fine as their brand new.

[2 Wheel Wanderer]

Which bike/engine?

What year?

Sorry, It's an 05 Monster 620 with 38K's on it. It has Termis with an open airbox and DP ECU.

[Speeddog]

Check to be sure fuel lines aren't kinked.

[2 Wheel Wanderer]

Check to be sure fuel lines aren't kinked.

Ill check, how about the napa filter? Should I just get the oem ducati filter?

[2 Wheel Wanderer]

Fuel lines look fine. Here are some pics of the cams and main drive they all line up. Here's a pic from the top of the throttle body. Question about the injectors, specifically the right one. Should it be turned all the way to the side like that? Is there a specific way they need to sit?

[Dietrich]

How did you adjust the throttle bodies? What kind of gauge did you balance them with and at what RPM?  I usualy close (or evenly crack open) the air bleeds and adjust the balance of the linkage at midrange RPM, then fine tune the balance at idle with the air bleeds.  Also, the TPS adjustment is very touchy.  

[2 Wheel Wanderer]

How did you adjust the throttle bodies? What kind of gauge did you balance them with and at what RPM?  I usualy close (or evenly crack open) the air bleeds and adjust the balance of the linkage at midrange RPM, then fine tune the balance at idle with the air bleeds.  Also, the TPS adjustment is very touchy.  

I am in the middle of adjusting them now. I tried to adjust the vacuum through the air bleeds before but that didn't do me any good. I'm using a fuel pump and vacuum gauge tester. I am adjusting the throttle bodies at idle cause it's gonna piss off my neighbors if I hold the throttle open at 5K rpm. Can I sync them while the bike is at idle?

Thankfully the TPS is a mouse-click with the VDST software.

Here's a pic of the gauge. Should I get something different?

[Dietrich]

I don't know when the TPS changed, but the older ones you have to adjust by measuring the voltage, the later ones you can simply reset with the VDST software (that's what I do also).  TO balance the throttle bodies you really need to se the vacuum of both of them at the same time using hoses hooked up to the ports on the base of the throttle bodies, where the charcoal canister used to be plumbed to.  You can use just about any vacuum gauge that is able to pick up the difference, old murcury tubes, etc, but you need to be able to see both cylinders at the same time, or the difference between the two (search for making your own manometer).  I use a tool the BMW guys like called Twinmax.  I like to have them balanced at the RPMs I will be running the bike at and could care less how it runs at idle. You fine tune with the air bleeds for balance at idle and idle speed, but more accurately you would be measuring the exhaust gasses and adjusting the air bleeds for that.  You'll know when it's right though by how it's running and how much/color of the soot in the tailpipe.  I've adjusted bikes that could not pass the emissions smog test here and with a simple balance/air bleed adjustment they passed with flying colors.

[2 Wheel Wanderer]

Thanks for the advice, that Twinmax looks pretty cool.Looks I may piss off some neighbors tomorrow!!

[2 Wheel Wanderer]

OK so I made my own manometer like this one.



I have to say it did the job pretty good. I synced the throttle bodies @ 5K and it's pretty smooth up there. It gets a little choppy above that and I still have some work to do at idle but pretty happy with the result.

It's not perfect (It will be) but it's a good start to getting this bike as smooth as it can be.

Thanks for the help guys!!!  

[seevtsaab]

The TPS for your bike should be set so the output measures 150mV with TB butterflies shut, (TB stop screw backed out) then Idle is set to ~434mV using TB stop screw.

VDST reset I think is for linear TPS, we have non-linear.


05 M620 17Kmi

[2 Wheel Wanderer]

The TPS for your bike should be set so the output measures 150mV with TB butterflies shut, (TB stop screw backed out) then Idle is set to ~434mV using TB stop screw.

VDST reset I think is for linear TPS, we have non-linear.


05 M620 17Kmi

Shite!! I just confirmed with my local dealer, you are correct, non-linear. I'll have to go back and check it all again.

Thanks seevtsaab