Ducati Sporting Club UK > Model Specific - Discussion, Technical Problems and Help > 998 / 996 / 916 / 748 > 998R... will it ever run properly???

[chillo]

Thanks for advice shazaam! I will follow up on it. I think the bike had new plugs put in as part of the service i will check to see what has been used.
Hope to try and seek help from jhp on tuesday then! We could be getting somewere??

If anyone wants to add anything to shazaam's post please feel free.
I agree it does make sense!

[DJ Tera]

What more could anyone possibly add to his post?!

[Shazaam!]

Now that you mention it weeksy, it does scare the crap out of me that I may be someone else in disguise!

[Felix]

Doesn't the 998R use the surface discharge plugs, i.e. no adjustable gap? Not to take away from Shazaam, but I'd be amazed if Chillo's problem is down to plugs.

[chillo]

just spoke to Italia and they have used 'ducati' champion plugs.

???

[nelly]

IMO............bad. I can't get on with Champion plugs at all. Never had a good set, car or bike.
NGK or Denso
Might be worth a swap to some different plugs??

[Felix]

There was a thread on the old board (I think) about someone looking for the champion plugs and a discussion ensued about which is best. Might be worth reading. My RS uses the A55V, which are the surface discharge plugs. I couldn't stop them from fouling and switched to Denso Iridium race plugs, which work very well for me. It's certainly worth checking the plugs to make sure the are soiund and have a proper gap, as Shazaam suggests. But, I remain skeptical about that being your problem, Chillo.

My advise, as others, bring it to John Hackett. He is THE expert. If he can't sort, you need to get a replacement bike.

[chillo]

Took the bike down to a local independant bike shop on saturday for a dyno run. This is were i had it dyno'd before. Wanted to see where the pipercross/jhp air filter had any changes to the power curve. Now the bike has been misfiring more since i got it back from last weeks service.
Had a word with the guy and told him it feels quite snatchy low down and that i'm having a problem with a misfire.
Ran it up on the dyno and it wouldn't go past 9k in top on the dyno, whereas it did before?
But if you used less then about 60% throttle it would gradually pull round without a problem?
The bike's fuelling is all over the place, running very rich low down hence it feeling snatchy, then ok through the midrange and running lean up top.
??????
Is it just a fuelling problem? or could i have another duff cpu even though its a new one?

[Edited on 30-6-2003 by chillo]

[ziggi]

... this must be the biggest let down ever. I can't imagine spending all the money on a 998R and it not working properly, and it seems like you've done all you can. Surely you've got to Ducati UK now and get them to personally sort it out. The flagship model (as of 8 months ago) and no joy. It's got to be done under warranty now. I would kick up a stink at the dealer and call Ducati UK get a replacement or a 999R !

[skidlids]

don't know much about the 998R but I was talking to my mate Deano a little while before he crashed his at Darley on Saturday (Broken Collarbone and probably loss of his 3rd place in the SoT Championship) and he said he had a few problems when he first fiited a race ECU, he couldn't even get it to start, it was sent back and another supplied, again the same problem so he phoned Alan at AJ Performance, after Alan had made several phone calls he called Deano back with a routine of swithching the ignition on and off, pressing the start button etc and afterwards all was fine the bike ran properly. Although yours does start I was wondering if it was stuck in a get you home mode or some thing similar. Also wondering if your fuel pressure was OK.