Ducati Sporting Club UK > Model Specific - Discussion, Technical Problems and Help > 998 / 996 / 916 / 748 > 996 Rockers

[Lloydy]

This sounds a little more promising.

So, will Ducati pay for the new rockers then as they will be fitted by Performance Techniques? Or do I have to get them fitted by an authorised dealer?

Mark

Lloydy,

You have a u2u mate ...

Just been through this, religous service schedule, 4 rockers replaced last year, Nelly identified another 3 this time round, ALL previous work undertaken by official dealers and a fully stamped book to prove it .... now out of warrant and more or less told to sling my hook, even though my bikes rocker issues are well documented at Ducati UK.

Very short sighted and I've promised to send my rockers in so they can have them as a souvenir of their crap customer service, as I still have the 1st 4 from last year which they only paid for after an almight row even though their own dealer said they should sort it ....

Almost enough to stop me buying another when the time comes ...

[Lloydy]

Phoned Ducati UK today.

Urm, well, to put it bluntly.. No f*&%ing hope!!

The only way is for me to put it in for a service (which it has just had), and hope they find the dodgy rockers. Dont fancy paying for another service aswell...

Told him that new rockers have been ordered from Ducati and will be fitted by Performance Techniques, so could I take the old ones to the local dealer etc.. Nope..

SO, looks like I right it off and try to forget all about it

[Lloydy]

Phoned Ducati again as I wasnt satisfied with their answer.

They know who Simon Watson is and agree that he is very well recognised. But in order to replace the rockers they have to be done by an authorised dealer.

So they suggested getting Simon finish the service and replace the old rockers. Then have me give my bike to Ducati, to have them pull it apart and replace the rockers with knew ones.

Thought about it for a while and then decided that this is probably not the best idea, as Simon will do a superb job on my bike, better than the dealer, so why pay for a great job to be done, to have it undone by a dealer.. who would probably notice my Blue Flame cans and the new Eprom chip and say that the warranty has been voided anyway!! there is logic in thier somewhere.

So, the good news it that Ducati would replace the parts no worries, even if it has been serviced by an un-authorised dealer. But they wont let anyone else carry out the work.

I just cant understand why they dont have on the shelf replacements parts in this instance. Would make things soooo much easier.

Many thanks for all of your replies on this matter.

Mark

[Shazaam!]

Interesting.

First, read this letter. Then save it, you'll probably need it.



Ducati has already faced-up to the problem and say they will replace failed rockers, even on bikes beyond the warranty period. (But not if the repair is made by a non-Ducati shop.)

The lesson to be learned here is that you should assume that either your rockers have flaked already, or will in the future. So to avoid this hassle, if you have a bike under warranty, you should have Ducati do the valve adjustments and instruct them to pull the camshafts at the first 6,000 mile service, and particularly, at the last service before the bike goes out of warranty. You'll have to pay for the extra labor cost yourself, but it's worth the investment.

The only real way to know if your rocker's chrome have flaked and damaged the camshafts is by removing the cams from the heads for inspection access.



However, you can't withdraw the cams without sliding the opening rockers back and down out of the way first. So, you have to pull out the opening rocker shafts about a half-inch to slide the rockers back and out of the way, and then rotate the cam as you withdraw it along with the bearing housing.

Removing the rocker shafts is not difficult once you once you have removed the drive belts and rocker shaft cover, etc. It is the only way to really get a good look at rockers. Just don't pull rocker shafts out more than a half-inch. If you pull rocker shafts out too far you'll unseat the closing springs making it difficult to reposition them. A half inch is all that is needed.

I'd like to point out also that there are alternatives to replacing your rockers with equally defective Ducati OEM replacements. Megacycle will re-face your rockers for around $70 per rocker. BCM has a similar offering, as does Guy Martin of MBP for $45 per rocker.

http://www.mbpducati.ca/

http://www.bcmducati.com/

http://www.megacyclecams.com/

[pj748r]

had the same problem last year on my 2k 748r.3 rockers and vertical exhaust camshaft.Spoke to DUK,guy called Andy Joynson/Johnson(Warranties dept) i think,after he sent their top tech guy to look at cam and rockers,they replaced the cam for free and went halves on the rockers,mine was not covered under warranty but had full Ducati service history(6k miles).It was in Ducati Manchester at the time.Keep pestering DUK but don't get snotty as it will get u nowhere!!ps i had 2 wait 2months for another camshaft batch to be made!and to think i px a perfectly reliable Marlboro R6 for the privilege!but it dont sound like me duke!!!

[bradders]

push it as hard as you can, with the change in European law from October 2003, manufacturers are on dodgy ground. The onus of proof is now on THEM, previously on the consumer, and as such they have to PROVE you have done something to contribute/make the fault. If it is a known fault, they are less likely to be able to prove it!

Some vehicle manufacturers are more twitchy to the Eu change than others, but your local trading standards should be able to advise and help more.

In short, providing you can prove any servicing work was carried out at the scheduled time and with OE parts, you will not automatically invalidate your warranty.
Paul