Ducati 996 engine custom build

[buzzer]

well I dye pen tested all the welds on the frame today, all OK apart from the obvious ones...

been stripping the wheels tonight, first I had problems getting the front bearings out as the inner spacer tube is a tight fit and I could not get on edge of the bearing to knock it out, ended up  grinding a piece of flat with a tang on...  this soon had it our.   MUCH harder were the cush rubbers...  I simply could not get to the back of them to get them out.  I made a split collet in the end and pulled them out with a big socket!

[greenmonster]

Yep, those cush rubbers are always a PITA....

[buzzer]

Bit of a departure from bike building just for a change...  thought I would share a couple of other projects I have done recently...  One bike related... a table lamp for my study made from a scrap 1000DS piston and barrel.  Not bike related, a fire pit come BBQ that I made Stainless Steel.  I had the dish spun out of a 750mm diameter blank of 6mm stainless 316.  its an interesting process!  Initially it was going to be just one grill, but my wife said she wanted a separate veggie grill...  hence the two! Bonus brownie points! its been used a lot over the summer, when the BBQ is done, the grills come off, and we throw a few logs on and it becomes a fire pit!

[buzzer]

I did the tappets…  pleased to say they were all in tolerance!  I also took the cams out to check the rockers, they were pretty near perfect, which was a relief!

Took the frame to the powder coaters…  but he called me today to say there were marks on one of the frame and he was not happy to coat over them…  they must have been under the original paint with filler in them!  I took it back home and just touched them with a sharp drill and TIG welded them up and sanded them down. 

I have also Etch primed the engine ready for a coat of 2K silver  tomorrow.  It took a lot of hours to remove the paint.  I was lucky to find 5 LTR of old stock paint stripper which should keep me going a long time.  the modern stuff is next to useless.  I masked the engine off, a tip i picked up when I was an apprentice in a Bentley dealership for making gaskets was to tap around the gasket material with a plastic hammer...  I do the same masking off..  put the tape on and go around the edge with a small plastic hammer.  you get a perfect edge!

[buzzer]

the painting came out rather well!  just got to put it back together now!

[buzzer]

I see a lot of builds spoilt by detail, and have been guilty of it myself in the past,  in particular withe old plated parts... One thing I gave been meaning to do for a long time is have a go at DIY plating. Well I did some today and I have to say I am quite pleased with the results! I have used the blue passivate but there is a yellow gold one in the kit.

[buzzer]

Start of putting the engine back together!  I know its a risk but I have decided to go open belts, I just love the look...  If anyone notices the weld on the engine stand, well I am truly ashamed...  I have no excuse other than i was really down on gas, and had the wrong tip in the MIG welder. A poor workman always blames his tools so they say!

[Mhanis]

Shiny!

I like it!!

Mark

[Duck-Stew]

Looking good!

I’m surprised that Ducati left the two bosses under the alternator cover for the carbureted ignition pickups on even the 996 engine...

[stopintime]

Looking good!

I’m surprised that Ducati left the two bosses under the alternator cover for the carbureted ignition pickups on even the 996 engine...

"They" didn't tell the engineers to delete them?

[Duck-Stew]

I know later engines don’t have them. Just was a bit surprised that a 996 still had the bosses cast, machined down and even drilled/tapped for the M6 studs...

[Speeddog]

That is odd, '996 block' motors never had carbs.

[buzzer]

the frame and wheels are back from the shot blasters...  another superb job by Redditch Shotblasters!  he really is a meticulous guy!  he does a nice Ducati Red, and a matt gold very close to the original!

[stopintime]

I hate to be the one to tell you, but that's neither red or gold...






 

[buzzer]

I hate to be the one to tell you, but that's neither red or gold...






 

it was almost gold...  changed my mind at the last minute