Thanks Rider... yeah id very much appreciate experienced eyes... and im well able to lay on the hospitality.
Fresh pair of eyes is no bad thing, unfortunately I’m in Derby so unless the hospitality includes a private jet I’ll count myself out, come on Middlesex Ducatisti there must be one of you that could help out!.
I’m in Devon, Steves in Bakewell but there must be somebody in the Middlesex area that could take a diagnostic look...
I'm wondering, before I face stripping the engine, is this a known symptom of shot main clutch bearings, where at full engagement the output shaft gets whipped enough to cause snagging of the chain? Also, should I consider the primary gear bearings?
It appears to me that you have convinced yourself that the fault lies in the gearbox/drivetrain area. Have you done a compression test? you have mentioned piston slap on one of the cylinders if a valve is damaged or piston/ rings dammaged and the compression is way down then that would explain the riding symptoms not a bike but i have just sorted a car with the same symptoms. it would start and tickover lovely. put it in gear on axle stands it was perfect. i had to rev it and slip the clutch to get it going on its wheels.
Thanks, yes my searches revealed nowt and, I doubt clutch bearing would do this precisely, as it happens, plus would have offered symptoms of sound, I reckon.
Piston slap is apparently an ordinary feature on horizontal cylinder. I have had the head off checked and reconditioned it - new rockers, shimmed, new pin. Valves good. Compression is excellent. I myself, don't feel this 'chain binding' as a result of uneven power.
Have you tried removing the plugs to turn everything over by hand from the back wheel? If it's the correct chain and sprockets, fitted correctly with the chain nicely in line, it's hard to see how you could get any 'chain binding'. I still think it's lkely to be related to your work on the pick ups and the motor is stalling due to lack of power
Even if your chain was binding to stop the bike like you describe there should be some visible damage Everything you describe points to the engine not producing power
[QUOTE="Old rider, post: 1086179, member: 28306].. If it's the correct chain and sprockets, fitted correctly with the chain nicely in line...[/QUOTE] Thanks again Rider. Appreciate your watching over. Yes, ive removed plugs and turned wheel by hand - all good. Also, recall coasting in neutral is fine now. Thing is, stalling due to lack of power, in my experience, has never produced chain bind. Specifically on the Ducati I remember losing a plug twice in one cylinder B4 i installed new pickup coils, and didnt get the the symptom of grinding binding. Anyway, Before I strip down I’m working on the idea of ‘Compound Cause’ - which is so often the case : Definately its improved wheel off ground, with the bush drive replacement and careful alignment, new sprockets and chain. Anyway, today i popped off the alt cover and found the fork selector needed adjustment. Also, I replaced the spark plugs which i noticed had deteriorated fast from new about the time I tested b4 deciding to replace coils. Although it ran on two, it didnt do so so well at idle I noticed. Starting up with rear wheel off the ground and in 2nd gear It seemed rather good now. So i tried in First and again, good ( clutch fully engaged) and giving it revs. Only some slight binding when deaccelerating - probably normal due to whheel spin off the ground. This gave me a big grin. But haven’t had a chance to take her out on the road yet. Tomorrow.
Is it possible that the 2 wires to a pickup have been swapped over during a rewiring operation? A polarity flip would shift the timing slightly as the ign.modules fire on a particular edge of the impulse from the pickup. Just a thought. Not sure it would cause what you're seeing.
If this happens it runs, but rough enough that you know something's off. You can hear it in the pulses
Interesting. Thanks Pretty sure its ok.... firing and running sweetly. Wired right. I took no chances there - understood the new coil wiring diagram - colour coded the new joining wires on assembly, noted their proper attachment to the cdu.
That's why I pointed it out. I've had mine running before with the pickup coils the wrong way so know how it behaves. You would notice
Folk - it's running on the road = problem solved. Running real sweet with the new pickups and, a switch to a 14 tooth front sprocket for town. Many many thanks All, and especially Old Rider and Desmo for your considerate reading and replies... in helping me to stick to the power problem particularly. If you need a place to rest on the Western edge of London, just off A40, don't hesitate - you've got a hotel at my place... pm me. I put it down to compound problems making it so severe at the outset... the cush drive and possibly fork adjustment. The icing in freezing weather. Also, a little bit o f glaze over one pilot jet and a deteriorated pilot screw seal. Finally the suspect plug. Although almost new (a few, 3? short miles), it went down quick at the time of coil change, looked OK, but not a strong spark. Flummoxed at why that plug deterioration behaved so differently this time round. I think I ought to get new uprated HT coils as well - seem OK on tests, and swapped around, but very possibly cantankerous. Marvellous, riding. Looking forward to attending my first ducati meet up this spring or summer. John
John, glad we helped. CA Cycleworks or Dynacoils are options for upgraded coil packs. The CA Cycleworks coils come with upgraded leads. I would recommend
Thanks again. Sorry I took so long, surprised you didn't shout at me. I work on the bike outside in winter too, and I went through so many things more than twice. I lost so many plugs - maybe seven + - in getting a weakly firing cylinder sorted, over time. It is a good bet I see with aged SS, to bite the bullet on day one and replace the whole ignition system, apart form CDUs. Much easier. That, and possibly a separate battery box with better lead routing to the coils - which I aim to do this year.
