695 mods and revamp

[JohnEE]

Looks Great. Ditch the plastic seat tray and make one out of Al.

[joshuajcrouch]

Fantastic job.  Should have come from the factory this way.

BTW you should consider vinyl wrapping your front forks black like this: http://www.ducatimonsterforum.org/index.php?topic=24603.0

[Speeddog]

Top drawer job!

I've seen the self-vulcanising tape used in situations like where you've got the insulation tape.

[SpikeC]

 Really nice! Now you need some red zip ties! And the position of the coils should work well as the electricity can run down hill into the wires!

[DarkMonster620]

Starter contactor buffer circuit:



And in context to show how teeny tiny it is:



This little board replaces the back emf diode that normally lives in a monster's loom. Basically I came to the conclusion after pulling an ECU apart that the driver transistor for the starter contactor wasn't really big enough to handle the current reliably. My contactor is a tad sticky, and occasionally doesn't engage. I found that the unreliable starting went away if I bypassed the ECU and simply put 12V on the contactor.

So this board does that, but using the ECU driver line as the input. It's good for much more current than is needed, so the voltage drop will be negligible - I expect it to completely cure my starting problems.

Oh, and I can connect my battery backwards with impunity - all that will happen is I'll blow the 30A fuse. 

Edit: For reference, the coil on my starter contactor measures 4.7 ohms. When energised, the coil draws 2.8A. That's a pretty hefty load, either for a starter button (on older monsters) or the ECU.

I am nowhere near your knowledge in electronics, but, if you were to make this part as a "plug 'n' play" part with connectors so that I just unplug the connector and plug this I would purchase at least 3 of these . . . unless, you would assemble it as shown, with wires, and send "dummy proof instructions" . . .

[suzyj]

It's not a straightforward plug-in swap. Note there are 2 wires going to the contactor and three to the loom. The loom has a two pin connector for the starter solenoid, with one pin being +12V and the other signal (active low). My buffer needs a gnd connection in addition. Easy for me as I was rebuilding the loom anyway.

If you want to replicate this simply, just use a relay (same as the one that enables your headlight or fuel pump). Run the coil off the existing wiring, and connect the starter contactor to 12v with the relay contacts.

[DarkMonster620]

<snip>

If you want to replicate this simply, just use a relay (same as the one that enables your headlight or fuel pump). Run the coil off the existing wiring, and connect the starter contactor to 12v with the relay contacts.

but wouldn't this render the solenoid "useless"? Just want to eliminate the 'damm' diode

[suzyj]

I've decided my bike has been off the road too long, so I'm getting off my arse to get it back together.

I' no longer have easy access to a really well equipped workshop, with lathes, mills, hydraulic presses, liquid nitrogen etc. This has made me re-evaluate the work I'm doing with my heads. I still need to ream the heads to take my oversized valve guides, then press the guides in (liquid nitrogen would have come in really handy for that), then ream the inside of the guides, cut the seats, add the valves and cams, etc.

Without a lathe, mill, and press, this is kinda hard. I'll likely get access to such tools in the future (part of my new job is equipping an electronics lab, and one of my new colleagues is similarly equipping the mechanical workshop), but this all takes time.

In the meantime, I found a pair of low-mileage 695 heads on ebay, so I bought them. I've justified this by saying it'll be back together faster, plus I'll have a pair of stock heads to make comparisons to, not to mention having spares. While I was on ebay, I also found an S2R1K oil cooler in nice nick, and lines for same. I got onto the Commonwealth Motorcycles website (what with them being board sponsors and all) and ordered all the gaskets and seals I need to rebuild the top ends, plus a pile of "tucker fittings" for my loom, an S2R800 horizontal intake cover with associated rubber mounts for my oil cooler, and an oil bypass spring to go under my oil filter, plus the rest of the fittings I need to connect my oil lines.

It's all due to arrive over the next week or two, so I figured I'd get things ready. I started by stripping the tank, airbox, battery, then throttle bodies and (empty) heads. I had a bit of oil seepage from the horizontal cylinder to crankcase gasket, so (having ordered a replacement gasket) I figured I'd pull the cylinder forward, press the little end out of the piston, and pull the piston and cylinder off. Alas it didn't work quite as I intended. I pulled the cylinder forward, and pop, out came the piston. Aargh. This is what it looks like. Thankfully I don't appear to have damaged any of the rings, so I should be able to pop it back on.



I went to the local auto parts place, and the only "ring compressor" they had was simply enormous. I can't see how I'd get it on there without pulling the piston and dropping it in from the other end. Is this how it's done? I had a go with an ice cream stick and managed to get the first ring back in the way it came out, but the second one stymied me. I suspect there's a smaller ring compressor available somewhere...

Anyway, here's my (not to be used until further down the track) horizontal head sitting on the now rather free cylinder. I sprayed the head with VHT "universal aluminium" engine enamel, and the valve covers with "GM satin black". I think it's a little on the light/white side compared to the OEM finish of the cylinder, but it should be okay.

[ducpainter]

This type works best IMO...

http://www.amazon.com/Alltrade-940387-Piston-Ring-Compressor/dp/B0028QGTP4/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1369565030&sr=8-2&keywords=Motorcycle+Ring+Compressor

[JohnEE]

Nice 5S tool box 

[Speeddog]

This type works best IMO...

http://www.amazon.com/Alltrade-940387-Piston-Ring-Compressor/dp/B0028QGTP4/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1369565030&sr=8-2&keywords=Motorcycle+Ring+Compressor

That's the one to get.

You may need to fold the ear flap a bit more to allow you to get it off.

Be nice to the oil ring, it's *very* delicate.

The bands are a bit asymmetrical due to the placement of the sockets for the plier, so they taper slightly

[SpikeC]

 Last time I did this I used a beer can and a hose clamp!

[Buckethead]

Last time I did this I used a beer can and a hose clamp!

That's make the beast with two backsing brilliant.

<idea stolen>

[BK_856er]

No FHE, but here's another if you like billet tools:

http://nicholssportbikes.com/products/N_GRN_COMP.html

BK

[suzyj]

This type works best IMO...

http://www.amazon.com/Alltrade-940387-Piston-Ring-Compressor/dp/B0028QGTP4/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1369565030&sr=8-2&keywords=Motorcycle+Ring+Compressor

Fanks DP!