Hi there, I've recently rebuilt an 900ss ie and I was wanting to know if there's any common quirks with the engine/bike. I'm saying this as recently the bike was running very lumpy on start up and it turned out to be a duff plug. The plugs weren't that old so I've changed them for iridium ones. Are they hard on plugs? Also on a first start it seems to be a wee bit smokey(mostly black). Its running on semi synth 10w40. I've not taken it a full run yet to clear its throat but I was thinking it's to do with it sitting on the paddock stand whilst running or the choke mixture when its cold or do they all do this? Cheers
In my experience they are not hard on plugs if they are used hard and the fuelling is correct. I only change them as a precaution at service, none failed. The start process for bikes with the 1.5 ecu (i.e. turning the ignition on) initiates auto fuel enrichment whether needed or not, so that could explain the sooty exhaust you have seen. Oil passing, though possible, is usually more blue-ish smoke, And you can feel it as oily deposits on the inside of the exhaust tips rather than black dry sooty deposits. Don't just start it for a few minutes, ideally ride it, but at least get it so that the oil is coming up to temp.
Thanks for the reply. I tested the tip of the exhaust with my finger. Seems to be mostly sooty. I'm going to take it a good run this week. I seen from another thread on here that you can get fake NGK spark plugs, I think I've been unlucky and bought fake ones. http://www.ngk-sparkplugs.jp/english/techinfo/fake/index.html
I have had problems with ngk plugs for years in various bikes they give a lovely bright spark when tested but the inbuilt resistor seems to breakdown when running engine in the end I cross reference for bosch plugs (think the plug number is somewhere in my old 750 ssie thread not updated for about 3 years ) also worth getting new plug leads aswell as the resistance builds up over the years and causes a weak spark the leads were about £28 for the 2 from ducati but found that the original items are fiat items from a ciccento not sure I spelt that right cost £14 for a set of 4 the brand I got from local motor factors was cambiare part number VE522107
