PARTS,VALVE CHECK,BELT TENSION,VALVE HOLDING TOOL

Ok, got the blog back up after trying to upload pics, still have no idea what happened but it's working now!!

I don't have time to move the pics in the right locations, so I'll just do a quick random photo show with info.

Some may know by now that Wix/Napa fuel filters can be used in place of the Ducati ones that are crazy money. The number is Wix 33032 and NAPA 3032. BTW all NAPA filters are Wix just rebranded and they drop the first number.

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Part Number: 3032 UPC Number: 765809149922 Principal Application: ABG Construction Equipment, Ford Festiva (88-91), Various Early Model Import and Domestic (Universal 5/16 in. In-Line w/Hoses and Clamps) All Applications Style: Fuel (Complete In-Line) Filter Service: Fuel Height: 3.862 Outer Diameter Top: 1.936 Outer Diameter Bottom: Closed Ends: Metal Burst Pressure-PSI: 60 Nominal Micron Rating: 20 Gasket Diameters Number O.D. I.D. Thk. None

The plastic strap can be modified to work with the Wix filter (it's slightly smaller in diameter) or you can remove it and do as I did below.

If you heat the plastic fuel hose slightly it will swell helping to slide over the filter ends.

 Cleaning my brake parts and slipper clutch using my homemade parts cleaning station.

 Below: MotoWheels drop in slipper clutch. Notice the Moly Paste being applied to the specific areas of the spider spring (which I also polished the rust off of) and the nut. The lack of lube on the spring may be the reason they are breaking in some bikes. I'll keep an eye on it and get a backup in the meantime.

The Corse team uses Honda Moly Paste 60, which contains 60% molybdenum so after a little research I found the Loctite brand which is 65% moly.

Below are all the parts of the slipper clutch minus the plates. Any damage showing on the hub is from running the clutch one track session with the plate orientation wrong!!
For proper assembly see my post with the video of Jay installing a slipper.

 Clean the threads of the basket bolts throughly and reapply red Loctite, as these bolts thread  into the oil side of the engine.

Below: I used a DA sander with 600 grit to clean off the steel plates, the frictions were cleaned with brake cleaner and left to dry.

The Dremel tool attachment I used to clean the threads.

In an attempt to finally get a hard pedal on the rear brake, I thoroughly cleaned the bleeder nipple, inspected the threads and seat area, applied Teflon tape to the threads and went as far as coating the seat area with Moly.

Valve check:

Recently (actually, I see it around winter as people are attempting valve checks) people on the forums have questions about where the cams/pulleys should be set for belt adjustment/valve clearance checking, etc.
As a public service I've taken some clear pictures of this.  Above: Testa engine, Horizontal Cylinder (HC) set to TDC Compression. Of note: Yellow dots aligned with valve cover mating surface, point of "T" on pulley nut (marked in white for clarity) at 3 o'clock. Also not the purple marks on the pulleys, these are the factory markings which seem to make no sense to anyone other than the factory guys- that's why you have to mark the pulleys yourself for sanity.

Please note also the position of the cams. (ABOVE)  The opening lobes are at  2 and 10 o'clock positions.

 Above: Here's the layshaft pulley set to TDCC, note the yellow mark on the case lined up with the yellow dot (at factory dimple) on the pulley. You'll notice that I mark the crap out of the pulleys and belts with yellow paint for HC and white paint for VC, just my way of keeping track of everything.

 Above: an example of all the marks on the pulley. Numbers and arrow (in black) on the inside is my cam timing specs and original position. Purple- factory marks, notice dimple (factory) on pulley, on earlier models this was the timing mark. Yellow- my mark on this pulley (VC, intake cam) when HC is at TDCC. White mark is when this pulley (VC) is at TDCC.
Remember that my system uses White for Vertical cylinder--Yellow for Horizontal Cylinder--you get use to it!!

Now the VC. Below: Layshaft position with white dot aligned with mark on case.

White dots aligned with valve cover surface (head) 3 o'clock. "T" slot in pulley nut set to 12 o'clock (marked in white)

 Also look carefully (click on the pic to enlarge) at the positions of the opening cam lobes (approximately 2 and 10 o'clock) pointing away from the rocker arm, hence shim is completely "unloaded". This is the best place to check valve clearances.

Hope that supplies a good understanding of the positions of all the related parts. Remember, each cylinder must be at it's TDCC location when checking valve clearances and checking belt tension (tutorial on that to follow)!

Little preview on belt tension......
Mark the belts if you plan on reusing them, below.
By now you've probably figured out my paint system.

Checking timing belt tension on a Ducati might just be the most discussed, debated maintenance task ever! Why? Maybe because the procedures for doing it and the different specs have changed over the years and models- plus, in order to do it "correctly" according to the shop manual you'll need Ducati's expensive equipment. So it's only natural that amateur mechanics, like myself, will try to save some money by using other techniques.
Over the years I've used a few of these techniques to check and adjust the belts on my bikes because I too haven't invested in the official tools. But now that the proper way to check the tension on the newer Testastretta engines require checking the harmonic frequency of the vibrating belts (even though many have come up with other ways of testing, to varying degrees of success), I've decided to spend some time experimenting myself to find what really works, and why.
I plan on checking the tension on the used belts with a frequency tester and comparing the tension to the other "mechanical" procedures others have used.
So get ready....here we go....
First, here's the device I used to tension the new belts when I installed them at the beginning of last season.

I worked OK, but I was never really happy about its accuracy or ease of use. I also used a couple of iPhone apps that either checked pitch (notes) and/or frequency (in Hz), again with varying success.

So today, I decided to search around again for another app and found this... that TE Tuner thing- I think it was free.

NOTE: I also found a couple of other apps work well,  a Gates belt tension app for bicycle belts called Carbon Drive and N-Track Tuner, both are very easy to use and seem to give accurate readings. I used both apps to compare readings when reinstalling the belts.  I was able to strum the belt midway between the layshaft pulley and either fixed or adjustable pulley and get a reliable reading in Hz (110) or note A.

For the app to get a good reading from the belt the microphone on the phone needs to be positioned at the mid run nice and close to the belt. ABOVE. Because I wanted to strum the belt and make adjustments to the pulley at the same time I needed to free up both hands.

So I quickly made this rig for my phone, it uses the adjustable fixture of my dial indicator, the tripod mount attachment for my phone and a 1/4" threaded rod.

   

A little interesting note about iPhones, at least the 4S, looking at the bottom of the phone you'll see what looks like two speakers, stereo right? No, only the right one is a speaker, the left one is the microphone (marked with white paint below) so that's the side you'll want to hold to your ear in a noisy environment and you'll want to get that close to the belt (above)

With this setup I was able to strum the belt while moving the pulley and check the difference in Hz on the phone. I find that it's a great way to get a feel for the correct tension needed by playing around with this. The info I have for Hz is from the 4V non Testa engines but since the readings for the tension gauge is the same, I'll assume the Hz would be the same.
Here's those numbers

OK, let's examine how this tension stacks up against the other various methods we've been taught that would work without using tools.
First, the TWIST method. Here you grab the belt midway between the rollers and try to twist it to a 45 degree angle.
Right: grab here.

Below: and twist. More or less than 45 degrees? Who knows? Hard to tell! I've never been a fan of this technique because it's almost impossible to tell where 45 degrees is. It's kind of a feel type of thing really, and all I can say here is that knowing the belts were tensioned properly made me think it felt like 45!!  Again, who knows?

 It's even mentioned in the Haynes manual as an approved procedure if you don't have the proper tools.

 Above Right:  The fancy-dancy Ducati belt tensioning gauge.  BTW: Desmoquattro's are set to 2.5 on that tool.

Next up, the PUSH and/or PUSH-PULL method.
Here we're told to push down, and or, up on the belt between the top cam pulleys and you should have approx. 5mm, but some say 6mm of play. If you push pull, then about 10mm total. OK then, but push how hard? One finger, two fingers, whole hand? Again, who knows...
Let's see what I got.
I set a dial indicator on the top of the belt to measure the downward movement as I applied pressure with one finger as close to the center run as I could....and....I got around 4.5mm give or take a few tenths.

Then I measured the total movement (push up, pull down) of the belt in the same spot. Here I used digital calipers....the readings shown below, about 10mm.

 OK, now for shits and giggles, I present something I was told many years ago by the Ducati Guru himself, Bruce Meyers of BCM fame. I'd call Bruce on occasion to ask technical questions as I felt my way through the Desmotinkering process and he was always willing to give me guidance. But he would always end the conversation with this nugget of wisdom- "Don't worry 'bout it, just ride the snot outta it!" Still makes me laugh..
Anyway, once I called to ask about setting the belts on the 748 using this push technique and here's what he said- "Just push down between the pulleys until it moves 4mm." So being who I am, I just had to ask, "Hey Bruce what finger should I use?" and he replied matter-of-factly, but laughing, "Your pinky.......oh yeah, ride the snot outta it!!"
You know what, I've used the pinky technique for years during belt checks on the, run- hard- at- the -track, 748 and never had a problem with them. So what does that say about the various techniques described here?  I don't know, I'll leave that up to the reader to decide, I just wanted to do a little experimenting to see how they all compare, and I think the manual checks that I've heard about are pretty damn good at matching the "frequency" check that Ducati recommends.  Should you take the chance using them when tweaking the belts on "your" baby? Again, that's up to you. But if you've got a smart phone or laptop and the app, why not do it the right way, then you can always recheck using the other methods just to see how they "feel"!!
Good luck, and let me know if I'm off base with this stuff...

Below is the note I made in the Haynes manual.

Just slightly off topic, but something I just came across.
Here's a copy of an email I got in reply to an inquiry by me about valve clearance specs for the 748..

 FYI.

Next up.....valve adjustments using this neat tool........

This tool holds the valve from dropping while removing the closing shims. It's incredibly machined and welded. I will report on it when I get into the valves.

GOOD BYE FORCEPS!!
This tool is the shit for holding the valve and rocker arm while removing the keepers and shims on the closers!!

 Fits nicely.

Holds the valve up against it's seat.

Plus holds the rocker arm down and locks it there while working on the shim. 

Plenty of room to lower the shim and remove the half rings.

Here the shim's been removed and the tool holds the valve from dropping- and holds the rocker arm down against the helper spring.
 Very nice! No more taping up the ends of bent forceps and worrying about them slipping off the valve stem. And if you have more than one you'll be able to remove shims for other valves (even on the other head) for swapping shims.
Get a couple! Call Mike. I've talked to him today about how well it works, so I think he'll put them into production.

BTW- I'm not affiliated with his company in any way, just like tools that work!
Here's some valve info:
Those are 7mm shims for sure. As I mentioned in another thread, 03 749s- 7mm shims. 04 749s- can be the 7mm or the 6mm shims, 05-06 749s - 6mm shims. Standard 749 (all years) uses the 7mm shims. The 999r is similar to the 749s in that the early models used the 7 mm shims and the later models (05-06) use the 6mm shims. 04- 999r can be either 6mm or 7mm.
Mike


Thanks Mike.
Here's a couple of sheets I've made up to help keep track of things when checking shims. I've laminated them so that I can write on them and clean and reuse, I also plan on using double faced tape to hold the shims on the sheet in the coresponding location. I'll let you know how it works out.

Notice how the sheets are printed vertically for the vertical head and horizontally for the horizontal head? Yes, I know.......I'm anal!!

Double faced tape with shim and half rings stuck in place, with math done for correct clearance. Works well. Oh yeah, the sheet is laminated so that I can wipe the marking off and reuse it.

The pics above and below is a shot of what .006" clearance looks like on a closing rocker/cam. I'll be attempting to get the clearance closer to .002". Stay tuned...

And a video of what it looks and sounds like. If you can hear a "click" then the clearance is more than about .002".

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M3m6Ry3VGPY

OK, I got the shims I needed from Mike at EMS and put them in, snugged the camshaft supports back in and rechecked all the clearances. As you can see by the temp sheet above (I can record the numbers on a permanent sheet and wipe this away) I got the above Exh. Right, closer to .002". Note the size of the EMS tool noted lower of sheet, I use it to check the closers and openers using a digital vernier caliper.

Again, here's the position of the wheels and cam lobes to check.

Horizontal cylinder readings. Note the circled readings were the ones I had to adjust. Check mark means they are OK. So you can see that I've got the openers between .005"-.006" and the closers from .002"-.004". I've been gradually bringing the clearances down over the years and I feel happy with these numbers.

Above: the position of the cams for the Horizontal cylinder.

REINSTALLING THE BELTS

The quick and easy way to reinstall the belts is to start with the Vert Cylinder because it's the inside or first belt to go on. Make sure all cams on both heads are in their valve check positions (pics above), turn the crank until the layshaft pulley is in the VC TDCC position.

Next, with the cam pulleys set to the TDCC position and the tensioner pulley moved to the loosest position slide the belt on making sure to use the same belt that was marked V and that the arrow is going the right way CCW. You may have to slide the belt on and off a couple of times to get the marks on the pulleys in the correct locations. This is much easier than trying to get the belt on with the cams in the position of TDC for the Horizontal Cylinder as the intake cam would be under load and tend to move out of position. It's also a good idea to double check that there are 10 teeth of the belt between the   top of the pulleys. Put some tension on the belt with the tensioner.

Next slowly turn the crank 270 degrees until the layshaft is at TDCC HC. Below:

Set the cam pulleys to TDCC- Below

PLEASE NOTE: THE CAM AND PULLEY POSITIONS SHOWN HERE ARE FOR THE 999 WITH THE TESTA HEADS- NEWER MODELS, EX: 1198 ARE  DIFFERENT!! (I'm not familiar with the newer models, so when in doubt---check the manual!!)

It's always a good idea to put a long screwdriver into the spark plug hole to determine that the piston is at TDC before moving the cams so that both aren't compressing the valves!!

And slide the belt on lining everything up as before. It's not critical that the marks on the belts are exactly where they were before removing (if you took the time to mark them like I showed) but it is important that the timing marks on the pulleys are correct. Again snug up the belt.

If everything went well you should be able to turn the crank (slowly at first making sure nothing is hitting!!) and watch that all the pulleys and marks end up where they should.

Now, using the methods and apps I've described above, tension the belts to 110Hz. Make sure you do each belt at TDCC!  Don't forget to torque the nuts on the tensioner pulleys when done.

Time to button it up and get on to other things......