I used a POR15 kit from Frost auto restorations. It's not cheap, but contains everything you need. My tank wasn't in as bad as some, but prevention is better than cure etc. Don't be tempted to skimp on the 3 stage POR15 process and just coat the tank with sealer, or Petseal or similar, because without the proper keying and degreasing chemicals, the sealant will just flake off. I had this with a car tank I worked on ages ago. My cam pulley tool looks something like this:- DUCATI PANTAH MOTORCYCLE CAMSHAFT PULLEY REMOVAL TOOL | eBay The trouble with using a socket or a filed up nut, is that you are always going to have a little difficulty holding the pulley still while you undo it. Sometimes using an old scrap belt with a pair of mole grips or similar won't be enough, and you will have to drill the pulley nut. This happens if you use locktite or similar on the pulley nut. After screwing around with Ducati engines for about 10 years, I gave in and bought the tool. I think that it's worth it. Two of my mates also have Ducatis, so it gets some use. The camshaft seals behind the pulley need changing every now and again, and this tool comes in handy for that.
Thank you for info, very helpful. If a job worth doing its always worth doing right, or you end up doing it twice.
Here's what i have done today with engine strip and cleaned cases, about four hours work. Just need to polish now, any ideas on kits for this. I'm not going to mirror polish just a decent finish, get the blemishes out.
Can anyone recommend a quality head bolts removing/torquing tool for 600ss. As I bought a pair off ebay (14/15mm) from hardwick tools, came in package laser tools, dont think much to there tool range my self. used 15mm one sloppy fit and it twisted in its self soft metal, not up to the job and feel they are poorly made, i wouldn't recommend them. Used a 15mm spanner to undo rest, wont be any good for torque setting when i come to putting back together. I have found on my project that a lot of nuts and bolts are a poor size as most my spanners sockets are a lose fit, is this a normal thing with ducati's? poor engineering! Tried imperial tools either tool lose or dont fit, not in the habit of using incorrect tools, as many of you no about rounded nuts & bolts crap allen bolts, tools slipping bashed knuckles, blood and lots of bad language and the trying to find the spanner you thrown across the work shop.
Not done a lot since last post, due to work, daughters swimming and rugby and all there other sporting stuff and then came Xmas. got back in the shed two weeks ago got vertical barrel and head off, easy enough but the horizontal barrel and head a completely different story, nuts off head wont budge or barrel have soaked with penetration fluid, heated, knocked with hammer used levers, more fluid and now left to soak more. Anybody got any ideas. Thanks
What sorry site, nobody would be leave what has happen, probably all thinking hamfisted twat, honest im not, barrel and head stuck fast more soaking and heating, cooling more soaking heating etc left it more heating soaking gentle taping with copper hammer, at last a movement with a very loud cracking metal sound, you no the sound which makes you jump, you look thinking the worst and all is ok, not this time. never had this before barrel cracks round all for studs, never seen so much corrosion on an engine round studs, done a fair few engines in my time, solid on all four studs, thick and hard. So if anybody got a 600 horizontal barrel for the right price i would be interested. Thanks
Oh er that's not very good. It also does not inspire much confidence on my part trying to separate the the barrels on my project 750 that's been lying in a hedge for 15 odd years.
Unlucky with the barrel cracking. Stick ad in wanted section. Bound to be someone on here with 600 motor in bits.
I suspect there must be some body on this forum that has some idea, as long as you can get head of first you will have a better fighting chance, which mine would not separate from barrel, until the barrel split and then it took some getting off due to corrosion. You might be able to make a plate type puller, which i saw in piratical sportsbike mag a while back but could not find the issue but the head has to be off. If you are splitting crankcases like i am, you will need a rattle gun to undo 30mm nut on primary gear and if the engine has been apart before a two legged puller will get the gear off, if not the engine will have to go to a work shop ie: bike or engineering shop with a hydraulic puller. Which i have to. Alton Hant's is my nearest ducati dealer I'm only stripping my engine down as i bought it as box of bits, got no history and the engine looks total crap on the outside and peace of mind when i rebuild it.
There was a thread I started in the SS part of the forum which has some pictures of whole bike and the state it was in. To date I have the bulk of the clutch out, but not the basket yet, the majority of the case screws are free'd off, and I have the nuts of the vertical cylinder, but as yet not managed to get the head to separate. The horizontal one scares me, however I think the engine may have some damage as It would not turn over easily by hand and would get "very stiff" at one point. The belts look to have been installed/jumped by one tooth which may mean that the valves may have touched the piston crown. However won't know for certain, if it all gets too much I'll probably head over to Baines Racing and see Geoff.
Because duke's dont have head gasket and have recessed fitment the metal corrodes together making it a bit harder to separate than a head with gasket, the vertical barrel and head came apart on mine easy enough with gentle persuading. I did find even with the special tools for undoing head nuts was a bit of a pain as the nuts are of poor quality, seem to be in between 14/15mm. did buy one set from laser tools which twisted got a set from M&P which where better i think i will be getting a decent set of crow feet sockets. To get the clutch basket off you will need to stop crank rotating, use a rattle gun or breaker bar also depends if engine is in frame or out how you will lock crank. Take your time read up be confident.
Rain off today, oh the life of a bricky. gave me a chance to get in workshop, have another go at getting the primary gear off. The first 10 ton puller i bought was far to big a tool for the job, that was about three weeks ago.Bought another one off ebay copy of Draper/Sealey one's, arrived this weekend, although the different reaches are fine the tool only has a min of 100mm spread, the gear is only 80mm wide, jaws kept popping off the gear to wide a spread you see. Been pissing me off this has just would not budge. So one last go with plenty of heat on gear, bang a puller falls to worktop and gear fly's a cross work bench, I no the manual says its factory pressed and you will need a hydraulic puller if it's not been off before, so if any body is going to do this for the first time just be careful, it could do some damage if it fire's off and hits you. Never known a gear like it, taken apart & rebuilt plenty of engines in my time, every days a school day they say.
