695 Engine Explosion!

[Lieutenant Dan]

So for a long while now with my '07 Monster 695, I have had strange demons in my engine that no shop could seem to exorcise... There was an intermittent backfire through the intake while accelerating and occasional other problems like a low or hunting idle. I took it to a shop multiple times over many, many months and hundreds and hundreds of dollars, but it was all to no avail. I had the 15k mile service done early at 12k miles, had the valves done and re-done, TB's synced and re-synced, but alas, the demon remained. A shop even told me I had worn valve guides and I then had them replaced (free parts from Ducati) but lo and behold, the problems persisted!

I searched, I read, I posted (you can find my previous threads). I tried everything. No one could figure it out. So guess what, I decided to ignore it and ride on until there was a serious and definite problem. Well... that day has arrived.

I was riding down the highway steady at around 65 mph (with a passenger, no less!) when I heard a metal clang/bang and then loud buzzing/clattering. My instrument lights lit up like a Christmas tree and the bike died. I was focused on maintaining vehicle control and safely guiding the bike from the left hand lane around a left hand turn across three lanes and into the shoulder, but my passenger reported smoke from the exhaust as well.

Sick of shops and inspired by brave souls on this and other forums, I ordered my shop manuals and decided I was going to take matters into my own hands. (Actually this was a few months ago, but I finally now have the balls and the money saved up to take on this project.)

I started tinkering and removing things yesterday and quickly remembered the severe case of the mod bug I had right before the bike died. So while I'm at it, I will probably take this opportunity with practically everything on the bike apart to do a few mods I had in mind to begin with. (I debated starting this thread in the Tech section, but hopefully this will involve lots of modding, too...)



Anyway, here's Day 1:


And here's a list of everything I hope to accomplish:

In the Definitely Category:

• Either replace the engine altogether or simply rebuild it and get it to run again.

In the Probably Category:

• Add oil cooler
• Pod filters
• Crank case breather
• Tail chop
• Replace my crappy bar-end mirrors
• Clutch/Brake levers
• Obtain seat cowl (PO never included one when I bought the bike)

In the Maybe Category:

• Rear sets
• Rebuild shock...?

After getting the exhaust pipes off of the headers, I was disconcerted to discover pieces of metal falling out of the exhaust pipes. Completely off, I emptied them out into my hand:


Then, looking up into the horizontal cylinder exhaust manifold from underneath, I was horrified by the carnage that lay within. The exhaust valve had broken completely off and was floating around inside the horizontal cylinder. If you look very closely you can see it in this picture:


Again, here are all the pieces I have discovered just in the exhaust pipes so far. The largest piece looks like aluminum and is about 3/4 inches in diameter.

Half (the dark pieces) are magnetic and half are not, which is interesting because the shop manual states that the intake valve guides are cast iron, I believe, while the exhaust valve guides are brass. Taking a peek into the intake manifold of the same cylinder, I could see that somehow half of the valve guide had broken off there, too.

There was also fine metal powder in the oil. Not sure how normal, if at all, this is.

A shame it was practically new oil! 

Anyway, I'm hoping to have the engine out tomorrow. I'll keep you posted.



Allow me to ask my first question. Would this be a good opportunity to send my rear shock in for a rebuild while everything is apart? It's a 2007 and I have about 15k miles on the bike. I have no idea when this type of thing should be done or what it entails for that matter. If this is about the time I might want to get it rebuilt, where do people send them? Thanks for your input.

I knew practically nothing about motorcycles or engines when I bought the bike but I have learned a lot from the fine folks on this forum in just 2 years of ownership. I am sure I'll be learning a ton more on this project as I go, but I also thought it would be a dire shame not to document my progress so that others who are in my shoes can learn as well... I haven't found any really fantastic rebuild threads, let's see where this one goes...

Dan

[Raux]

unless you know how to replace valve guides, which aren't easy from what I've seen, you'll have to send the head out for repair.

I have a friend that has tons of horror stories about the stock Ducati exhaust valve guides. they're too soft.

he hand crafts special guides from a special material, won't divulge to me the material, and rebuilds heads.

http://www.italo-teilemarkt.de/
http://www.italo-teilemarkt.de/main_fuehrungen.html  if you read German is about the guides

[ducpainter]

This thread is about an engine failure.

It should really be in tech.

You can start a new one about your mods in the appropriate section.

[Slide Panda]

Good luck, you've got a bit of work ahead of you.

You'll probably need a new piston.
Possibly need a new head.
Intake valve needs a good looking over for damage from being bashed
Jug might need to honed and plated or replaced.

Basically to top end of that cylinder is likely buggered up, but good.

And FWIW, your shock is way over due for a rebuild if it's not been done before - forks too. But leave that for after the engine and any mods after that..

[Dellikose]

Has there been any funny business with the belts condition/tension before your engine grenaded? I wonder if she jumped timing and beat herself to death.

Also, good on you for looking to tackle this yourself. You'll be surprised how much can be done in your own garage.

[Lieutenant Dan]

Has there been any funny business with the belts condition/tension before your engine grenaded? I wonder if she jumped timing and beat herself to death.

Also, good on you for looking to tackle this yourself. You'll be surprised how much can be done in your own garage.

Why thank you! I'm sure I will be leaning on you all here at the forum a lot for this project. Cheers!  

As for the belts, the only thing other than the normal service, was about a month or two before the faliure, I adjusted the tension using the 5mm hex key method...  The belts look good as far as I can tell but I need to learn how to do timing to be able to tell for sure.

[ducpainter]

The metalflake oil might warrant digging deeper than just the top end.

A more cost efficient option would be a replacement engine.

[Lieutenant Dan]

The metalflake oil might warrant digging deeper than just the top end.

A more cost efficient option would be a replacement engine.

Thanks DP,

I've been doing some searching on ebay (though I would much prefer an engine from a forum where I would imagine I can trust fellow Ducati people a bit more), and I have come across a few options:

This one is by far the cheapest and looks beat up on the outside, but I talked to the guy on the phone and he said it ran well before he took it out of the bike.

• Ebay 695 Option 1

The others all seem to be much more expensive and are typically from wrecks and have road rash.
Example:

• Ebay 695 Option 2

This one seems like potentially a good option (does not include side covers) but I do not know what "one of the rings is bent" means...

• Ebay 695 Option 3

I figured an option would be to drop a new engine altogether into my bike so that I at least have something to ride while I am able to work on my current engine at my leisure (mostly for fun / to learn). I do only have one bike (money is a factor - I am but a wee Lieutenant at the moment.) However, the hesitation I have with this is that I do not really know what I am getting with a used ebay engine. Like I said, I had problems and aggravation with this engine for a long time before everything exploded and I do not want to buy one that has only the same (or worse) problems.

Any advice/suggestions greatly appreciated.

[ducpainter]

I wouldn't be afraid of that first link. It looks good.

The 695 is the same engine, basically, as an 800. I believe the cranks are the main difference. I also think the 695 has bigger valves...I might have misunderstood that part.

I'd also consider picking up an 800 bottom end/engine and redo your heads...voila...hopped up 800.

You would probably have to have your ecu reflashed for an 800 map.

Another option would be to get a 1K engine and scrap the 695. There are a half dozen of them on ebay ranging from $1K to $2.5K.

I just think that by the time you're done with a possible complete o/haul, or at least a disassembly and clean you'll have more than you anticipate into repairs.

Redoing the heads could cost you that depending on how much you can do yourself and pricing in your area for machine shop work.

It all really depends on how much you can/want to spend.

[He Man]

id replace the motor way sooner than replacing any parts.

also check out CL depending where you live for a spare motor.

I would be cautious about a 1K motor just because of the valve guide issue. Worn guides were quite common on a DS1000

if you really want to hop it up, look for the new EVO1100 motor.

I swapped my motor out for one and the total cost was about $1300 not including motor (reflash, random parts and dyno tune), however, i already had the TB, Harness etc.

[Lieutenant Dan]

That's another thing, I wouldn't mind going up in size, but how do I know exactly what engines will fit in my 695 frame? It seems that this type of information is painfully difficult to piece together across the far reaches of the internet.  What do dealers have so that they are able to tell me quickly what will fit and what wont? Whatever that is, I want that.

Also here's my first bit of trouble with which I could use some help.  I'm trying to get the front sprocket off, which I understand is normally a fairly simple task with the bike in gear.  However, my bike is in neutral and 1) I have already removed the gear change lever and rear set, and 2) I do not want to put it in gear and use the engine's compression (if one cylinder has enough anyway) to try and do the job in its current state of affairs inside my cylinder(s).

Is there any way to remove the front sprocket with the bike in neutral? Thanks!

[He Man]

Use a rattle gun. but you are better off using the transmission...it transmits considerable power, its not going to cry about a breaker bar on it.

Someone can calirfy this better than i can, but there is a certain year where tehy changed the size of the motor mounts, if you stay above that year ( i think its 2002) then any 2v motor will physically fit in your frame. the only isse is the swingarm, any DSS will fit your DSS. The only tricky one is the DS1000, DS1100 and EVO1100 motors.

[ducpainter]

Even if you get a motor with smaller bolt holes a drill will fix that in short order.

I think HeMan is correct though. All the later motors use the 12mm bolt.

[grumpyman]

another issue on your rebuild would be to make sure you use the older style crank bearings that fit in a metal sleeve rather than the new bearings that are bigger and don't use the sleeve
the new bearings have less bearings and are more prone to failure
this is what bit me in the ass on my wifes 696
the shop that is doing my rebuild uses the older bearings when they do crank bearings

[Speeddog]

~~~SNIP~~~

The 695 is the same engine, basically, as an 800. I believe the cranks are the main difference. I also think the 695 has bigger valves...I might have misunderstood that part.

~~~SNIP~~~

Difference between 800 and 695, is 800 has longer stroke crank and shorter deck height pistons.

Front sprocket is only held on by the plate, which is held by 2 5mm bolts.
You can hold the sprocket with a pair of pliers.
Or just put it in gear, they're not very tight.