View Single Post
Old 12-01-2014, 11:56 AM   #155
Dukedesmo
Registered User
 
Dukedesmo's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: Leics
Bike: M900
Posts: 2,842
Winter revision...

So, for anyone still interested:

In my experience a bike build is rarely ever 'finished' and some evolution is always on-going, plus there are a few details that need improving and as such I'm currently undertaking a winter revision.

Although it works OK I'm not too happy with the 2 oil cooler setup so I have now got a single, large cooler that fits under the front cylinder. Hoping this will be a better solution - it's almost the same overall surface area as 2 standard coolers (+70% of a single cooler) and is a much neater looking setup with less pipework that fits with the 'less is more' ethos I'm aiming for.



Also by moving it lower I can open up a better airflow into the engine area, assisting with cooler air flow to the carbs and fit a larger regulator heatsink/mounting plate but, more importantly get a larger airflow to the rear cylinder to help with cooling.

Due to the position of the cooler being right in the firing line of the front wheel I wanted a guard to save it from getting stone-blasted but couldn't find one commercially that would fit so have had to make my own. I used a carbon-fibre/stainless mesh 'sandwich' construction;



Turned out OK, I think.

You may also notice something going on with the exhaust. Despite the bike making good power I feel the exhaust was restricting it somewhat, so with that in mind my most recent addition is a set of 'Spaghetti' header pipes from MADASL racing, I have to say that Mark at MADASL has done a great job on the pipes and is also a thoroughly nice chap who makes lots of interesting parts for Ducatis - highly recommended, so well worth taking a look at his website http://www.madasl.co.uk/.

The design of theses headers plus the fact that they are 45mm rather than 40mm should address any restriction and I look forward to testing them out, meanwhile I just like looking at them but I'll probably get the polishing fetish going again soon!

Next job is to address the oil consumption issue as it is using too much and the compression (whilst high) is not really high enough given the components fitted so I'm thinking there is a piston ring sealing issue, probably down to having not run-in the bike as I really wanted (hard) due to the lean running & 'scattery' ignition timing that I had when I first got it going. And that by the time this was sorted the 'damage' had already been done.

So over the next few weeks it's cylinders off and check the rings, de-glaze the bores etc. to see if I can get it back to where it should be - then a 'proper' run-in before heading back to the dyno to optimise the new exhaust and other minor changes.
__________________
M900, 916, LeMans II.


Last edited by Dukedesmo; 12-01-2014 at 09:38 PM..
Dukedesmo is offline   Reply With Quote