Inane ramblings to avoid thread jacking

[scott_araujo]

I made it in dry to downtown, probably get wet on the way home.

Scott

[INFIDEL]

Southern girl accents . . . hummuna hummuna! 

[scott_araujo]

Made it home mostly dry while running errands.  I now know my messenger bag is bag is big enough to fit a bottle or wine, a bottle of rum, a small bottle of brandy, and half a gallon of ice cream.

Scott

[Bendy]

@ Victor. Thanks, mang.

[krolik]

@ Victor. Thanks, mang.

With great power comes great responsibility, use them wisely. 

[duc_fan]

So hey, instead of jacking Mudder's maintenance thread, figured I'd post here...

The SS needs a few maintenance items.

Oil change is a couple hundred miles overdue.  Silly me, I've been busy riding to work and paying attention to my hot wife, not working on vehicles. 

The chain has too much slack in it and needs adjusted (I think it skipped a tooth or two on the way home last night, so I drove the truck today, hopefully I can get to the chain tonight).

I still haven't done the 12k valve adjustment.  I think that's gonna wind up waiting until 18k, or this winter, whichever comes first.

The engine runs a little rough (it vibes under power like one cyl is hitting harder than the other), and I've heard about needing to balance the throttle bodies... anyone on here done that?  Do you use a manometer like this one, or this one, or something else entirely?

Also on the rough engine front... can the ignition timing be adjusted?  Is this a regular maintenance item on fuel-injected bikes?  What about cam/valve timing?

[scott_araujo]

Even if you don't adjust the valves check them.  A little plastic to take off for you but then it's dead simple.  Mybe you'll need a few valve cover gaskets, maybe you can reuse.  If one is hammered closed you won't want to put off the adjusment.

Yes, TB balance often brings a very rough runner right into stride IF the valves are within spec.  I use the second type of manometer.  Very simple operation.  The only difficult parts are deciding what RPM to do the synch at (opinions vary) and sometimes you need to remove lots of air cleaner bits just to get the to the adjustment screw.  I'm really lucky, on my 800 I can just unbolt the oil cooler and reach right in with a long screwdriver.  Not the most convenient operation but better than having to yank the airbox like some bikes need.

I would be happy to help but as a new dad my time is limited.  If our scheduled synch and I can find some time I'm yours.

Scott

[duc_fan]

Thanks for the info, Scott.  I'm going by the auto-parts store this evening to pick up a gas can and some two-smoke oil for the weedwacker, so I can pick up some tubing while I'm there.  What size tubing did you use?

I have a yardstick and I'm pretty sure I have a board I can rig it up on, so no problems there.

Let's hope I don't have to remove the airbox... it's a little more integrated on the SS than it is on the Monster.

I've been putting off the valve check because the rear cyl looks like a bizatch with the way the shock is mounted on the SS.  I may also have to remove the airbox, because the battery compartment is molded into it, and I think that's in the way too.  *sigh*... you're right tho, I need to pick a weekend and make checking them a priority.  I have a spare set of gaskets that the previous owner provided with the bike, so even if I can't reuse them I'm covered in the gasket department.

Ya know, I like working on my vehicles, but finding the time has become a problem.  Working overtime, maintaining cars, maintaining the yard, driving all over hither and yon every weekend...

[ryandalling]

If ya skipped a tooth.. you may need new chain and sprockets more than just tightening the thing. Just my two cents.

[scott_araujo]

Dan, I'd recommend you get a few feet of rubber or neoprene line that fits the vacuum taps and then some connectors to hook it to the clear center section.  The manifolds get hot and just direct connecting the vinyl may melt it.  Use water, then if it gets sucked into the engine nothing bad happens.  A drop of food coloring makes it very easy to see.

One of the verticals on the Monster is a beast to get to also, under the battery tray.  Better to check 6 and skip 2 that are hard to get to than check none at all

Scott

[duc_fan]

If ya skipped a tooth.. you may need new chain and sprockets more than just tightening the thing. Just my two cents.

Crap, I really hope that's not the case.  Maybe the motor just missed and it felt like a tooth skipped...

I dunno.  It's like, the chain looked nicely adjusted until just recently, and then in a short period of time it started to look a little slack.

How many miles does a chain typically last?  The bike only has 15k miles on it.

Oh, ya know what I just realised... I had been riding solo previously, but this season most of my riding has been 2-up.  If the chain was just adequate, the added load could be speeding up the wear rate.

Dan, I'd recommend you get a few feet of rubber or neoprene line that fits the vacuum taps and then some connectors to hook it to the clear center section.  The manifolds get hot and just direct connecting the vinyl may melt it.  Use water, then if it gets sucked into the engine nothing bad happens.  A drop of food coloring makes it very easy to see.

One of the verticals on the Monster is a beast to get to also, under the battery tray.  Better to check 6 and skip 2 that are hard to get to than check none at all

Scott

Yeah, I'll be using water.  Good tip on the heat-resistant rubber line and linking that to the clear vinyl.

[INFIDEL]

Don't know if you remember the pics of when I took Lili apart to check my valves but . . .

Yah . . . seat, battery "box", air box, the mounting harware for the battery box, the side panel thingies . . . all had to come off before I could get to all of the valves.  You gotta go deep for that.

I just replaced my chain after ~20K.  I read, or maybe was told by Brad or Daric that they typically last 12K on a sport bike . . .

Mine started stretching a lot quickly when it needed to be replaced.

I got the new chain and both sprockets as a package deal from a site online for very reasonable prices.  Can't remember the place now but if you need the inf. I can figure it out for you.

[scott_araujo]

\
Mine started stretching a lot quickly when it needed to be replaced.

I got the new chain and both sprockets as a package deal from a site online for very reasonable prices.  Can't remember the place now but if you need the inf. I can figure it out for you.

Exactly, when they go they go fast.  12-20k seems standard for a Ducati, most people toward the lower end.  I did mine at 12k, DID chain and both sprockets from CA Cycleworks at a good price.

Scott

[ryandalling]

they tend to go faster when racing.... lol ...

oh... the one on the 620 was changed pretty early... but he did the tooth changes on the sprockets so did it all at once.

[Plumbers Crack]

Im looking for a clutch master cylinder to fit on my s2r. I put on some new cycle cat clip on's  and my coffin's are not clearing.. So i figured I would try to ask my old home-land if anyone has one before I go to ebay.

Let me know guys and have a great forth..

Matt aka the old sv guy aka Mothers old room-mate..