Help a newbie...mechanical issue on recently acquired '99 M750

[motoxmann]

Look on the bright side, at least you didnt experience what I did:

Bought my 00 M750 with it barely running, and got it fairly cheap due to this. I knew it was just a clogged fuel filter and gummed up carbs. New filter and carb cleaning and it was good as new two days after I bought it.
It needed an oil change, so that was next. And with the excitement of just buying and registering it, I didnt want to wait on an oil filter so I tried napa. Sure enough they had a listing, and the filter was chrome, and it fit perfectly, and appeared identical to a ducati filter, and was of good quality and had celophane over the end and everything. Drain old oil, it's blacker than black but perfectly clean. Well, turns out there was metal debris inside the napa filter on the clean side, because over the next 300 miles I started hearing a knocking sound that got louder and louder. Sure enough, at the 300 mile mark I drained the oil and it was extremely light colored still but FILLED with metalflake! Looked like heavy car paint. Engine nearly destroyed. So two weeks after I bought the bike I needed to do a complete engine overhaul.
Upon disassembly I discovered both rod bearings to have 1/8inch grooves in them from large debris getting to them. And the metalflake that was in the oil damaged several other parts.

never again will I buy an oil filter at napa, car or bike

[Saxofoto]

Alas, I fixed the problem. It was the freaking spark plug the whole time. I bought some tools today at Sears and spark plugs from Autozone they had shipped in for me after matching my bike to their database. I went to swap one out and noticed immediately that it was the wrong plug. Armed with my new socket wrench, I swapped the vert and horiz plugs and sure enough the problem swapped cylinders along with them. Called Autozone back, this time with the proper part # for the NGK plugs and they had them in stock! I feel rather foolish, but this was definitely a worthwhile experience. I feel a lot more comfortable getting hands-on with bike mechanics, and with the knowledge bestowed upon me in this thread, I think I'll take a stab at installing dyna coils myself; gotta get my $$ out of these tools! I will start a new thread on that subject as all the search results seem out of date now that CA Cycleworks doesn't sell Dyna.

Thanks again to everyone here for the help!! Such valuable knowledge among you all and so grateful the Internet allows us to share it.

[Howie]

Why not Chris's Exact Fit coils?

[Saxofoto]

Are they as good as the dyna? I just hear about dyna coils a lot; wasn't sure if they were especially good or if Chris' would work just as well.

As you were typing, my bike just crapped out on me and won't even start. I'm waiting for a cab to pick me up and take me home. Perhaps I didn't tighten the spark plugs enough? Neither cylinder will fire now. 

[motoxmann]

which NGK plugs did you get? I can't seem to figure out exactly which are the correct NGK plugs for our m750's.
I previously tried a set that is most commonly suggested and had immediate major issues with them. best I've used yet is still the champion RA6HC plugs. I'm an NGK lover though, so I really want proper NGK plugs in my duc

[Saxofoto]

NGK DCPR8E #4339  I see also #4179 here: http://sparkplugs.com/results_cross.asp?pid=dcpr8e&x=0&y=0
Only difference I can find there is solid vs removable terminal nut. I know the part # is correct as it's on the dealership's maintenance record from 1 year/4000 miles ago. I used their application link and found our bike: http://sparkplugs.com/results_appOther.asp?otherMotiveID=224608&mfid=1 
Seem like the right ones. I'll also get a beam torque wrench tomorrow to makes sure they are fit properly. DAMN! So close...

[Dashzero]

http://www.carpimoto.com/EN/Bike_Ducati_Monster-1100/Specific/1053_DPR8EA9-NGK-DPR8EA9-Spark-Plug.htm

[Saxofoto]

that looks like it's for the 1100. This has the M750 listed as well: http://www.ca-cycleworks.com/products/electrical/ngk-dcpr8e-each

[Dashzero]

You are correct in what NGK says. http://www.ngksparkplugs.com/apps/motorcycles/make4.asp?id=3955&type=reg

[Saxofoto]

Ok, I'm seriously stumped again. I thought it was feasible that I was out of gas. Engine sounded like it was trying to start but just wouldn't turn over. I know I got the bike when it was low on fuel and as a rocked the bike back and forth I didn't hear any swoosh of liquid in the tank. So I put about a half a gallon of premium gasoline in there. As I've been trying to start it up, it sounds weaker and now all I hear is clicking (perhaps my spark plugs clicking). Looking at the Haynes guide indicates it could be many issues, none of which presented themselves until now. I feel like the most obvious thing would be something I just adjusted/fixed myself, a user error. But who knows? Any ideas?

[motoxmann]

the battery is now dead from trying to start it so much. the clicking is the starter relay operating, but without enough juice for the starter to turn. get a motorcycle battery charger on that battery asap

sounds like the ngk plugs did exactly what happened when I tried ngk plugs. this is why I always suggest people get a set of oem plugs for testing purposes: champion RA6HC, autozone stocks them. this is the exact reason why I still use champions in my bike.

or, you left something unplugged, or you have the spark plug wires switched

[Saxofoto]

That's what I concluded so I just got a small charger that fits the specs for this battery. Do I charge the battery with the cell caps in or out?

Do you think the spark plugs had something to do with the battery dying? These are exactly the plugs that were installed a year ago during the bike's 6500 mile check by a Ducati dealership. I got them from Autozone and their system didn't find Champion plugs for it, but then again it suggested the wrong plugs anyway. I could go back in there with the exact part number and maybe they'll find them. Could it simply be because I hadn't ridden the bike for a couple weeks? Or perhaps just a coincidence and the battery was already dying causing all my problems to begin with? The electrolyte level was low until I just topped it off. Hopefully this fixes it, but I gotta figure out if the cell caps should stay on or not.

[Howie]

If you crank the bike long enough you will run down the battery.  On anything.  Crank long enough without allowing the starter to rest and you will need a starter too.  If you want to determine if the battery is good, charge it up and get it load tested.  If you use a trickle charger you can leave the caps on.

Yes, you can have many issues.  The possibility is good it is something you did.  Go back and check your work.  Also check for spark after you solve the battery issue.  Pull the spark plugs. Are they fouled? What color are they?  Not sure?  Post good photos.

NGK plugs of the proper heat range and design are just fine.  At some point the NGKs or Champions got the OK from Ducati.  From the owner's manual:

2006 M620
Spark plugs
Make:
CHAMPION
Type:
RA 4 HC
Make:
NGK
Type:
DCPR8E

2003 M1000
Spark plugs
Make:
CHAMPION / NGK
Type:
RA 6 HC / DCPR8E

Not only that, as you can see from the above, the same NGK covers a wider heat range.  Most of us have been running NGKs for years without problem.  And yes, many Ducati dealerships were using them for years before getting Ducati's blessings

[Saxofoto]

Battery charged last night, tested at Autozone this morning and looked good. Bought the Champion spark plugs just in case since they're only $2 a piece. Reinstalled the battery and swapped the NGK's for the Champions. Got back to the engine trying to start but it still won't turn. Haven't been able to find a torque wrench that'll give me a proper reading that isn't $80+, so maybe they aren't set right? Seems like it should still start and problems would arise later. I'm puzzled since it went from half the engine starting consistently and reliably, to the full engine starting with a new plug, and finally to dead battery and no starting at all after less than 2 miles of riding. I forgot to bring my phone with me this morning so I didn't record anything, but I think I will so you can at least see/hear what I'm hearing.

[motoxmann]

Haven't been able to find a torque wrench that'll give me a proper reading that isn't $80+, so maybe they aren't set right?

the torque should not affect the bike running or not. too much will break the spark plug, not enough will allow it to rattle loose.

you can however make a makeshift torque wrench if necessary, I've done it before. the torque setting is measure by force at a specific distance. ie: ft/lbs is a specific amount of force in weight in pounds, measure 1 foot away from the axis of rotation.
meaning you can: use a wratchet handle 1 foot or longer, and buy a spring scale with pound increments, with a useable range in what you are looking for. our plugs should be torqued to roughly 18ft/lbs, so you'd want a scale with a useable range of 0-30lbs or 0-40lbs. then hook the spring scale to the wratchet handle exactly 1 foot from the center of where the socket attaches, and tape it in place so it doesnt slide. pull on the spring scale to turn the wratchet handle to tighten the sparkplug. watch the scale, and the weight will increase when it starts tightening, and pull slowly and smoothly until the scale reads 18 pounds.
as you do this, put your thumb of the hand not pulling on the scale against the socket extension near the wratchet handle so it doesnt allow any sideways force on the socket trying to bend the sparkplug over, if you know what I mean