If you get Baines to fix the problem for at least a grand then you will still have an engine with a good mileage on it - but over a grand spent in it. My opinion would be to either stump up and pay for a full rebuild but that will cost more than the bike is worth. I would still look at buying a used engine and getting a little back on selling the knakered engine. This all assumes that the rest of the bike is in reasonable nick. It's a risk buying a used engine that you don't know the history of but you may find one of a write off from a bike with lots of frame damage but the owner will know the engine status.
Dan, give Rich Llewellyn a call at Louigi Moto, he may have an idea on the fault and is likely to have useable spares, maybe even a useable motor. He is west of Bath but could save you lots with his expertise and available resources.
My only concern with a replacement engine, is I could spend all the spare cash I've got on an engine, and then a few weeks down the line, something go wrong and it need more money spending on it. I know that buying an engine with history should be safe, but this bike had a folder full of history with it and it's gone wrong. I know mine has got mileage on it, but my thoughts are that if I get it repaired, at least I know what's been done to it, and in theory it should be reliable going forward. I'm going to have to borrow the money to get it fixed either way, so need to limit any further spending on it afterwards! Of course the other option I've got, is try and sell the bike as it is and hopefully raise £1000-1200, and put that to the money I'd have used to fix it, and then buy another bike.
But you will still have an engine with over 50k on it AND during the stripsown it is highly likely that other issues will present themselves. I don't know but I would think that it would be highly unlikely to do a stripdown on an engine of that mileage to find that there is nothin to do but fix the gearbox. Of course, I may be wrong but it is a risk. I had a quick look on ebay just now and found this:
I did see that for sale, but it's an ST4 rather than st4s, I'm guessing Id need to change other things like ECU to get it to work?
That was just for illustration and there is a video available of the engine running. I haven't checked but are the engines different between the ST4 and ST4s? Isn't it just the suspension?
Just checked Wiki and the engines are different. The ST4 has got the 916 engine whereas the 's' has the 996 engine.
Swap over the throttle bodies and crank sensor and an ST4 engine should work OK in an ST4s although the fueling could be a little out as the ECU is mapped for the bigger engine.
Dan, Initial questions - soul searching yourself and ignoring all of the above: How much do you love the bike? How much do you want to keep the bike? How much is your break even point in your own mind before deciding if you want to call it a day on the bike and look for another? What bike would you get if you got ride of this one and how much would you be prepared to pay?
You sound as though you are trying to bring logic and common sense into this tread I would always treat any Ducati matter as purely emotional!
I've decided to advertise it for sale as is, or if I get enough interest I'll consider breaking it. If I've still got it in a few minthm when I've managed to raise some cash, then Ill look further at getting it sorted. I do love the bike, however it is a high mileage bike, and there are others out there in better condition or with less miles on. I can't afford to fix it or replace the engine at the minute, and won't be able to for the foreseeable future. So on that basis it makes more sense to move it on to someone that can make use of it, rather than it sit and rust. I like the bike enough that if I ciyco fix it I definitely would, and it'd be a keeper, but in the bigger scheme of things, that's not going to happen. If I can raise 1000-1500 from this, it'll either give me enough to get a cheap bike that'll last for a few months, or I'll put it away and hopefully by the spring I'll have saved up enough to put towards getting something a little better. The problem is, now I've experienced a Ducati, I think I'm going to want another one, and decent ones aren't cheap!
I had the same dilemma. Went for a 900 SS IE. I know they haven’t got many admirers - which helps keep the price down. Mine was about £2K and in good nick 23k on the clock.
I have a set of ST2 gearbox internals complete for £90 plus post. I am in Hertfordshire. It sounds like layshaft gears damage. If so you were lucky to get home. It normally causes a transmission seisure which locks up the back wheel and will not dissengage by dipping the clutch. Good luck otherwise. I am in the process of selling the complete bike.
I have a 916 ST4 engine with a damaged LH casing due to chain failure. Casing has been repaired with metal putty of some sort. Its done circa 20K miles. I bought it to strip for spares and the gearbox is good. I don't need the box so if it helps its yours if you want to collect it.
Thanks for the offer! Unfortunately I'm still stuck in having nowhere to do the repairs, otherwise I'd definitely have a go myself. Just out of interest where abouts are you?
I believe that's probably what has happened, as when pushing it around, it occasionally locks up completely even in neutral or with the clutch in. I'd love to try and fix it, but it's not the sort of job I fancy doing in the garden out in the open!
If I thought I'd have even the slightest chance of my Mrs letting me take over the kitchen while I did it, I would, but I seriously don't think that's going to happen!
