Changing timingbelts

[AdamX]

I'm about to change the timingbelts, and thought id ask if there is anything i should be aware of before i go ahead.
I have watched the CA-Cyclework video and it seems like a pretty straightforward thing, done it before on cars.

its a 2001 Monster 900S ie

[ducpainter]

The only tricky part is installing the vertical belt.

The closer spring will want to rotate the cam wheel because that cylinder is not at TDC and the valve wants to close.

Otherwise it's easy.

[AdamX]

Thank you!

[Airborne]

You can mark the vertical pulleys in a spot when the bike is not at TDC thus it will not be tight on the spring. You might not understand this fully now but after you do it, you'll realize what I'm talking about like others told me.

Since I didnt do this I used a pair of small size vice grips to hold tension on the pulley while I slipped the belt on.

[CairnsDuc]

It's pretty straight forward, I did my S2R 800 just recently, As Ducpainter said the Cam wheel will want to move, I got out a
White out/correction fluid pen and marked all the dots in the on the Camwheels, Drive wheel and the Case's.

I then rotated the engine by hand (I bought a Hand crank from CA Cycleworks) just to get a feel of what the engine felt like
before changing the belts, this was then a reference for after the belt change to make sure it should feel and sound the same.

Rotated the engine by hand until the Horz cylinder was lined up with it's dots (TDC) made a note of where the Vertical cylinder
dot had stopped, made a small mark for that and then carefully removed the belts.
I held the Vertical Cam wheel in position by hand while I did the change, slipped on the new belts, set the belt tension like
Chris talks about in the Video, Double checked all the dots were in the correct positions.

Then, And I think this is the most important part (And Chris also suggests it in his Video) Rotate the Engine by hand
a number of times, this will ensure nothing is binding.

Put it all back together, Smiles and Sunshine (Or Tits and Champagne) and ride off down the street while the Crowd goes wild!
[moto]

[AdamX]

Excellent info there CairnsDuc:)

Will take your advice and mark all dots with some white

Got no tool to turn over the engine, figured i turn it over spinning the backwheel. Guess it wont be as exact but it should work.

Airborne: Belive i understand what you say  

[ducpainter]

Excellent info there CairnsDuc:)

Will take your advice and mark all dots with some white

Got no tool to turn over the engine, figured i turn it over spinning the backwheel. Guess it wont be as exact but it should work.

Airborne: Belive i understand what you say  

One caution when turning the engine with the rear wheel.

It works, but remember you have so much leverage it might be difficult to 'feel' if a valve touches a piston.

Have fun.

[AdamX]

Thank you ducpainter!

The tool for turning the engine doesn't seem all that difficult to machine, someone out there got some spare time to measure it and post the measures?

Thought id do something simple like this http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Ducati-Engine-Turning-Tool-Monster-748-996-999-SS_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQhashZitem5639b7a76fQQitemZ370335524719QQptZMotorcyclesQ5fPartsQ5fAccessories

[AdamX]

The only tricky part is installing the vertical belt.

The closer spring will want to rotate the cam wheel because that cylinder is not at TDC and the valve wants to close.

Otherwise it's easy.

Just changed the belts and it was real easy

My son managed to pinch the thumb trying to get the vertical cam wheel in place  

Used my homemade engine turning tool and it worked like a charm.

Rewarding ourselvs with a few 

[ducpainter]

Just changed the belts and it was real easy

My son managed to pinch the thumb trying to get the vertical cam wheel in place  

Used my homemade engine turning tool and it worked like a charm.

Rewarding ourselvs with a few 

I bet he won't put his thumb there again.

nice work

[coarsegoldkid]

Having not changed a belt on a Ducati a mechanic told me that a sound meter is used to check and adjust tension.  So you do you do it with a sound meter?

[ducpainter]

Having not changed a belt on a Ducati a mechanic told me that a sound meter is used to check and adjust tension.  So you do you do it with a sound meter?

Back in the day...

before sound meters...

Ducs had belts and mere mortals

changed them without sound meters.

That and you don't need one for a 900.

[AdamX]

I used the 5mm slide through, 6mm stop, allen key trick 

[AdamX]

Having not changed a belt on a Ducati a mechanic told me that a sound meter is used to check and adjust tension.  So you do you do it with a sound meter?

Got me a bit curious so i downloaded a tuner app to the iphone and tested my belt tension, it gave me a 114Hz vertical 111Hz horizontal. Don't know how those figures match the ducati specs. Would be interesting if somebody knew, i found a post on here about the 695 belt tension and that it should be 110Hz.

[scott_araujo]

Thank you ducpainter!

The tool for turning the engine doesn't seem all that difficult to machine, someone out there got some spare time to measure it and post the measures?

Thought id do something simple like this http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Ducati-Engine-Turning-Tool-Monster-748-996-999-SS_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQhashZitem5639b7a76fQQitemZ370335524719QQptZMotorcyclesQ5fPartsQ5fAccessories

I've got one of those and it works just fine.  For that price I can't see it being worth machining one yourself unless you've already got the tools and materials and want a project.

Scott