m900 project

Bit of an update,I changed the o rings and base gasket as the leak got worse.Also one of the cylinder oil pipe bolts was cracked and was leaking.Touch wood I'm leak free now

ok so my oil leak is fixed and i have another problem.Yesterday i went ofr a good blast ,the bike started spluttering and then stopped,even though the light wasnt on I thought i had run out of juice so i hopped on the back of my mates bike and we put a jerry can of petrol in.It started fine but 2 miles down the road it was spluttering again,i got it to a petrol station and filled it right up.It was fine on the way home except on almost full throtlle it would die like it was running out of petrol.Could this just be crap in the tank or something else ? The new fuel filter looks clear not sure what else to check

[Darren69]

Problem with the vac/pump maybe?

[utopia]

Or a blocked vent in the tank perhaps.

thanks will check both of these tonight,
forgot to add what fun the old m900 is to ride ,after coming from jap sportsbikes i am really surprised at how well it handles

[utopia]

I guess the vac lines (and vac fuel tap if you have one) could also be suspect, in addition to the pump itself.

The fuel line from the tank seemed very long and restrictive so I cut it short filled it with super and gave it a two hour Italian tune up.No hint of a splutter so maybe dodgy fuel or a kinked hose..Can't wait for some decent weather I keep getting wet

[Mr Gazza]

Originally Posted by perkles

.... filled it with super and gave it a two hour Italian tune up...

That's the spirit....

Originally Posted by Mr Gazza

That's the spirit....

I'm really falling for this bike ,I've only ever owned modern il4s but this twin thing gets under your skin doesn't it

[utopia]

It does....but only really when the cylinders are at 90deg.
My old 750 laverda had the same sort of power characteristics but it would have your fillings out in 50 miles, the vibration was so extreme.
The monster on the other hand, is as smooth as the older inline fours that I'm familiar with.
I think that what I really like is big bangs from big pistons rather than lots of little bangs.
But, for me, only the ducati motor makes that work properly in a twin, and it does so by turning science into magic and design into art.

On the petrol pipe...are you familiar with the rather odd routing which takes the pipe, curving rearward under the frame cross member which supports the tank hinge, and then back forwards again, before heading off sideways to the tap ?
This is to cope with the way the pipe needs to move when the tank is raised and lowered.
Cutting the pipe short may cause issues when you lift the tank, or when you lower it back down again.
The pipe does seem to have a very tight curve in it though....maybe the pipe has weakened with age and collapsed, limiting the flow ?
Or else perhaps been pinched or bent into a restriction as a result of being wrongly routed.....easily done after a tank respray as the position of the fuel filter is a bit vague but quite critical, as I was recently reminded when fitting a new tank myself.
Either way,I'd be inclined to get a new, full length, pukka Ducati replacement pipe.

thanks for the advice utopia,the fuel filter was twisting the pipe as it could move in its bracket so ive cable tied it in place.I will look into changing the shortened pipe

I replaced the gravity fuel filter with a billet inline - held in place with those Ducati Rubber straps
New fuel line (from Auto Factors) and away you go.
Just remember to unlock the rubber straps when lifting the tank.
Of course since I no longer needed the standard bracket that was chopped (waits for M900 chopped outrage!)
Fairly soon I will be moving it to under the tank so out of the way, and considering use of a Quick Release Fuel Line Coupler to make the whole job of removing tank easy

thanks for the advice guys
a quick question how long does a full strip down take if I wanted to powder coat my frame ?

[pooh]

If you take it carefully and make a frame to hold the engine it is possible in a couple of hours.

Ian

Originally Posted by perkles

thanks for the advice guys
a quick question how long does a full strip down take if I wanted to powder coat my frame ?

I took 9 months and then decided not to powder coat!
But then I have just taken 6 hours (over several evenings) to fit a rear sprocket - because everything on that side of the bike from engine sprocket area to swing arm (etc etc) had to be clean!