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sidtheparrot
05-09-2004, 12:37 AM
Hello All,

I've had my S4 for all of a week now and put 800 miles on it :D
I hope that someone will set me straight about the strange noise I get from the clutch when I try a brisk take off in 1st gear (I don't mean a super fast get away either). The noise is only when setting off and not when going through the box.
The noise sounds like a kind of horn, or groan. In fact it sounds like a donkey type noise :rolleyes:
I've also noticed dirt in the clutch fluid. Is this just a Ducati thing or could it be a problem.
When setting off I have to be very gentle with the clutch, otherwise its rather embarasing having that donkey noise making me look very uncool at the lights :o

Cheers

Chris

Dave Pearson
05-09-2004, 07:07 AM
Chris, the black clutch fluid is a standard feature. Spareshack have a billet slave cylinder on offer for £80 which should hide this feature quite nicely :lol:
As for the donkey noise from the clutch, my S4 clutch 'moans' a bit when I show 'racer boys' in their tin boxes what real accelaration is away from the lights, but that's just a feature of the dry Ducati clutch.
If you are getting more than this then your plates may be worn.
I've never changed my clutch yet, but it is a item to be checked/replaced at service time. How many miles has your S4 done?

Dave

NattyBoy
05-09-2004, 09:05 AM
Chris..dont worry..its sounds to me like your clutch needs a good clean out Remember my old 916 doing the same thing and (as I couldnt be arsed!) my local bikeshop cleaned it all up for £20...cant see from the avatar wether your running a standard enclosed clutch cover, but over time you get an build up of dust/.crap etc which can make your clutch groan or squeak as you pull away.

If your not running an open cover..space it out a few mm with washers which helps the clutch breathe a little and the dust etc escape.

Worst case scenario it may need plates..but even thats not the end of the world..

Cheers
Nat

sidtheparrot
05-09-2004, 10:02 AM
Thanks Dave & Nat,

You've put my mind at rest :) I'll get myself a manual and give the clutch a clean out. I guess I'm trying to be too mechanically sympathetic, 'cos of the noise I tend to trickle off and then nail it :burnout: .
The S4 has done 5600 miles now, but has been stood for a good 12 months.
I feel I've made the right move trading the blade in for the S4 though, the S4 is much more fun to ride and very comfy too. My first ride was a 300 mile ride home from CMW Motorcycles (very nice people here too), I went the long way home - no motorways = more fun :D
Can anyone recommend any tyres that suit the S4, I've got Dragon Evo's on at the moment, but they are squared off :( I think the previous owner must of done a lot of motorway miles.

Cheers

Chris

PaulS
05-09-2004, 10:17 AM
Can only back up what Dave and Nat said. Clutch fluid on my bike was changed about 500 miles ago and its black again already. Had a similar noise on my clutch - only did it occasionally though. The usual advice is to take the cover off and blow the dust out with an airline (don't breath in the dust). I don't have an airline and the petrol station ones I tried seemed to have a safety device on them that doesn't let any air out unless they're attached to a tyre valve. I just rode around for a couple of hundred miles with the cover off and it seems to have done the trick.

You don't need a manual to take the cover off! Just undo a few allen screws and it'll come off. If you look carefully you will see a couple of the screws that appear to hold the cover on don't actually touch the cover, don't bother undoing them.

As an aside - are you aware of the cam belt change business with these bikes? It needs doing every 12k miles OR two years so Ducati say. Even if (perhaps particularly if) the bike has been standing they supposedly deteriorate. Apparently they don't like being left in the same position for long periods of time and can adopt a "set" leading to early failure.

I have Dragon Evos on my bike and have been very happy with them. If yours have gone square (mine did too due to too much time on the M25) then don't judge them by the feel you will be getting at the moment. Mine felt a bit strange after the rear had squared off but I guess most tyres will. Next time I will change both tyres and will probably go for Diablos as they seem to have had good reviews and are basically the replacement for the Dragon Evo. Tyres seem to be a fairly personal thing (although I've not seen many on this forum praise Michelins!). I don't recall a lot of feedback specific to the S4 but a lot of people on here seem to like the Bridgestone BT010, often with a BT020 on the rear if you do a lot of motorway miles. I've also seen people praise/denounce various Dunlops.

Duncan
05-09-2004, 10:26 AM
Easiest way is to remove the cover, take the springs and screw retainers out and remove the plates laying them out in the exact order and way round on a sheet of clean paper.
Get some clutch / brake cleaner spray which is just a powerful solvent and clean the plates with it. At the same time check all the plates are flat and within wear tolerances and reassemble making sure you put it back tight. The loose dust if not removed acts like a grinding powder and increases clutch wear.
I do this every 6000 miles and it lasts a while and then goes back to graunching again. Being a very slow and careful rider, who doesnt do towns, my 900 clutch has lasted 43,000 miles this way and though its on bottom end of tolerances now, its still fine.

sidtheparrot
05-09-2004, 11:00 AM
Thanks Paul & Duncan,

I'll give the plates a clean ASAP, as for the belts CMW in Chichester did them for me a couple of days before I picked the bike up, so all should be fine for a while.
I think I'll give the Evo's a chance and put a new rear on as the front tyre has loads of life left in it.
Thanks for all the advice chaps :)

Chris

spacemonkey
05-09-2004, 11:57 AM
I just take off the cover then run the engine on tickover, whilst holding the clutch lever in (getting a grown up to help here is an idea) and spray the plates with brake cleaner. Don't go too mad, and let it run for a little while with the lever in to let it dry. Then clean the cover too. Doesn't take long at all. IF you strip the plates off, then take GREAT care not to overtighten the 6 bolts that hold the springs on as they are made of a cheese alloy and break very easily with expensive consequences. I use threadlock and a tweek to tighten them now... Re-arranging the friction plates is a good idea as it evens out the wear. I have found whenever I changed the plates, it was only the outers that had worn badly.

Dave Pearson
05-09-2004, 05:55 PM
Can anyone recommend any tyres that suit the S4, I've got Dragon Evo's on at the moment, but they are squared off :( I think the previous owner must of done a lot of motorway miles.


I'm getting a set of Pirelli Diablo's fitted on Thursday. Did the search around and they seem to have good reviews. Ok for occasional track day use as well. For more than occasional track day use then the Pirelli Diablo Corsa seem to be the kiddies.
If your not desperate to get tyres fitted, send me a PM in a couple of weeks and I'll let you know what I think of the Pirellis in action........

The S4 is a cracking bike, I've umed and arred about getting an S4R, but I've decided that the S4 does everything for me.........

Dave

JR
05-09-2004, 09:09 PM
Being a very slow and careful rider, who doesnt do towns, my 900 clutch has lasted 43,000 miles this way and though its on bottom end of tolerances now, its still fine..

Dunc,

Careful you are mate - slow you are not!


JR

sidtheparrot
05-09-2004, 10:34 PM
Thanks for all the info chaps, I think I'm going to risk a rear Evo on the S4 as I can get one fitted for about £80, so its worth the risk. If they both wear out at the same time I'd put BT 010's on, as I had these on the blade and really rated them.
As for the clutch I'll take it around to my mates tyre bay and get him to blow the crap out of it for me with the air line and then use some brake cleaner on it.
Anybody on here got a 900 monster with the reg ending SAS been to Rivi Barn today?

Cheers
Chris :burnout:

DesmoDog
06-09-2004, 09:16 AM
I have diablo's on the rear and corse on the front. Works well. Or was that the other way round?

MrsJel
11-04-2005, 07:52 PM
I've just been looking through the site and found this - I've been wondering what that awful groaning sound was when pulling away quickly. I've not worried 'cos it happened on another Duc.

I'm riding a M1000Sie with 4000 miles on it. The manual says its a wet clutch (the sales bits say its dry so its anyones guess) so would this be the same thing?

NattyBoy
11-04-2005, 08:31 PM
Your clutch just needs a good clean up I would guess. Yoru bike is a dry clutch (which is why you get the problem). Tip; space out the clutch cover by a few mm using the spacers from the rubber gasket that youll take off..the gap will help expel all the dust and muck from inside..

Cheers
Nat

Pedro
11-04-2005, 10:10 PM
It may be the plates are glazed - a few enthusiastic starts with plenty of clutch slip wil sort it. Worth cleaning the dust out though - I have been know to use an old hoover!! Clutch cover off, start the bike, pull the lever in and then hold the vacuum nozzle near.

Ped

MrsJel
12-04-2005, 08:39 PM
Thanks for the info - I feel alot happier now (well apart from the prospect of undoing something on the bike and sticking the Dyson over it!)