Own servicing

[norrie]

I have just bought a 1998 600 Monster.
It requires a service including the belts.
Where is the cheapest place to buy belts etc.
How easy is it to change belts,adjust valve clearences etc?
Do you need any special tools to do the valves?

Thanks.

Norrie.

[Pedro]

Hey Norrie

congrats on buying a Monster! They're great.

Servicing:- I do all my own and don't find it too bad but then I have been doing my own cars for years and have a good toolkit.

Belts are pretty straight forward to change but you do need to get the tension right. The Haynes Manual would be a good start. As for shims, unless you're confident, then find someone to do it for you. It's fiddly, time consuming and a bitch if you get it wrong!

If you need to know anything specific PM or email me.

Ped

[DesmoDog]

Norrie, welcome welcome,

I think Dom was selling some Ducati belts - check the for sale listing. You get loads of good advice from the list, peds (who I'm sure lives with his pc) being one of the most consistent.

There is also a web page called www.ducatisuite.com (I think its com) and that has the Ducati service chart and one of his own - well worth a look.

Whatever you decide, you're going to love the Monster.

Dog (Karl)

[Pedro]

You get loads of good advice from the list, peds (who I'm sure lives with his pc) being one of the most consistent.




I dunno what you mean! The whole point of a laptop is portablility, just need a longer modem cable for use when on the bike!

[Keith]

Funnily enough, got the day off to service my 900M. THink I need a week- first thing I did was take a look at the clutch plates before I popped out ot get my oil and belts in case I needed new plates (down to 2.85mm -minimum allowed 2.8!)
....and guess what one of the spring centers sheared off the clutch center when undoing the allen screw and it has taken me from 09.00 till now 14.00 to undo the piggin clutch center nut!

AaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaH!!!!

Keith :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad:

[DesmoDog]

Pedro, go wireless mate :-D

Keith, nightmare - haven't I seen that bike somewhere before?

[NattyBoy]

Hi mate

I can do a pair of new genuine ducati belts and a fuel filter for £27 posted mate...let me know if I can help..also got many other parts (gasket sets, ducati performance dynojet/open filter kits, clutch parts, all sorts really!!!)..all genuine ducati (ex dealer stock).

I found servicing the 600 is a peice of cake..go for it bud..!

Cheers
Nat

[norrie]

Thanks for the offer mate.
I just went to my local dealer today and bought everything.
Just under £40 for belts fuel filter and plugs.
Yeah after talking to the mechanic I dont see it being a problem.

Thanks again.

Norrie.

[DesmoDog]

Hi mate

I can do a pair of new genuine ducati belts and a fuel filter for £27 posted mate...let me know if I can help..also got many other parts (gasket sets, ducati performance dynojet/open filter kits, clutch parts, all sorts really!!!)..all genuine ducati (ex dealer stock).

I found servicing the 600 is a peice of cake..go for it bud..!

Cheers
Nat

Natty boy, not Dom - Damn, I knew I'd get it wrong! :rolleyes:

[norrie]

I serviced the bike yesterday.
Quite easy.
I would say the hardest part was taking the timing belt covers off.
Also the clearances are very tight.
Put it this way the Ducati dealer wanted £400 to do this service and it cost me £60.
So I have saved myself £340.

Norrie.

[Keith]

Had a look at my 900M last week. The Valve shimming needs doing, so i have ordered a shimming kit from sparesshack, the clutch was on the service limit so that needed replacinng and the clutch center had to be replaced due to one of the spring pillars shearing off when I removed the plates!
All the brake pads needed replacing along with cam belts ect.
Forks are like rice pudding, so I still have these to look at, and I still hav'nt had the rear suspention apart to grease.
The center nut on the clutch took about 4 hours to get off- so lord only knows how much this service would have cost me in a dealers. So far I have spent just under £300 in parts on the service plus £159.74 for the shimming kit!

A note on the clutch.- My plates had been in for a little over 10,000 miles and the last 5K of those it had been dragging a sidecar, so I expected the clutch to be a mess, however I had taken some advice and regularly removed the clutch plates, cleaned the dust out and put the plates back turning the fibre plates the opposite way to how they came out.

After 10,000 miles the plates were down to 2.85mm with the service limit being 2.80 (only 5/100ths of mill to go) However the new plates were only 2.9mm, so presumably my old plates had quite a way to go in terms of their thickness, although the gap at the tangs was a loose 0.5mm with the service limit being 0.6mm, and with the new plates in this was reduced conciderably, so better to change the plates now that risk damaging the clutch drum!

Keith

[norrie]

Yeah I think I will order a shim kit as well.
The dealer wanted £160 just to do the valves the once so it makes sense to get a kit as it means I will have them for future services.

Norrie.

[Duncan]

I wouldnt waste money on a shim kit. In 40,000 miles the bike has needed just the one shim, I measured what was in there, calculated what was needed and JHP had it in stock, it was cheap too. About £4 from memory.

The other shims go tight and I have had to take one out and take a few thou off on an oil stone. Thats about all.

[james007]

There is also a web page called www.ducatisuite.com Dog (Karl)

Wow, that is one good site. Highly recommended!!! :twisted: :D