Ducati Sporting Club UK > Model Specific - Discussion, Technical Problems and Help > 998 / 996 / 916 / 748 > Beauty and the Beast.... A seasonal rant on the cleaning of a 916...

[weeksy2]

Day 1:
Well had a check over of the bike last night and apart from being covered in shite, it's pretty decent.... Chain is looking fairly suspect and may need swapping, will know more after a good clean.

Bought a bolt kit, so everything that's holding something in will be getting swapped out for a nice new bolt.

Wheels and disks are coming off tonight and they are the first to be cleaned and prepped. Bodywork tomorrow for cleaning, and then most of the stickers removed and a good polish.

thurs will be draining the fuel system, removing the battery and changing the coolant....

Then back after Xmas to crack on with swingarm/exhaust/frame/engine cleaning and getting ready.

Given a couple of weeks the old thing should be transformed before going up to Cornerspeed to have the bling thrown on and will then be ready for play time

day 2:
i found nothing particularly bad when strippping it... Spindle was stuck on front a bit.... all the bolts in the calipers will need replacing along with the others i'm swapping. But all came apart pretty sweetly.

Not removed the battery yet due to not having read alarm booklet for the Spyball and left the fuel tank on because of lack of space in the car

day 2 pm:
Well we're getting there... bodywork was cleaned, stripped, then cleaned inside and out then polished.... looks 100% better already.... Discs came up lovely as did the wheels.... so they're all ready to go back on.

Task today is to give the swingarm, chain and sprockets a clean over lunchtime and then the front end of bike this evening. Re-fit all the bits.... and forget about it till after Xmas

day 3:
Well **** me that was a bad plan......

I can actually see the swingarm, the forks and the rear caliper now
Took off the front sprocket cover and it's just ridiculous in there... Sooooo much crap in the area you wouldn't believe it... i'm beginning towonder if Dave used a spade to put chain lube on. My bolt kit arrived but there's no chance of getting that done yet. Sidestand is off to get better access to the area around front sprocket.

Rear shock is a disgrace so that's getting whipped off, but i have a much nicer one already waiting to go on, thanks to the previous owner . I'm actually disgusted anyone could let a bike get this covered in dirt though.

I was believe it or not hoping to get the bodywork back on it tonight... but there's no chance of that... i've got to clean the radiator and oil cooler first, the front calipers and the clutch side of the engine...

Damn it's tough.

[Edited on 21-12-2005 by weeksy2]

[keefer]

keep going it will all be worth it in the end

[JPM]

Originally posted by keefer
keep going it will all be worth it in the end

Exactly and at least you'll know in your own mind everything is sorted, sounds like a nice little winter project

[Chaz]

Steve i'm doing the very same to a 916 that I have just bought must be in obout the same condition from the sound of it, were did you you get your bolt kit from & dose it do all the bolts or just the engine.

Chass.

[weeksy2]

Originally posted by JPM

Exactly and at least you'll know in your own mind everything is sorted, sounds like a nice little winter project

In some ways yeah it's a great little project, but patience isn't a strong point of mine..

I'm a bit upset that really i could do with dropping the engine and getting it sprayed, but that's outside of my techincal remit, (and the fact i'm doing it in works underground carpark LOL).

Need to work out what to use on the calipers on Friday before attacking them with Autosyl to get them hopfully lovely and shiney.

Will be looking out for a Rad and Oil Cooler as they are not as nice as i'd ideally like.

[weeksy2]

Originally posted by chass
Steve i'm doing the very same to a 916 that I have just bought must be in obout the same condition from the sound of it, were did you you get your bolt kit from & dose it do all the bolts or just the engine.

Chass.

Stainlesss set of 250 with some bolts, washers and nuts in sizes M6 M8 M10 and various lengths. Ebay. £11.99 including postage.

I wouldn't like to say what it does at this stage mate i'm afraid, i only managed to get 1 bolt swapped today and that was the one for the hub end of the chain guard

i wasn't even going to change the engine ones until i discusssed with Crust last night, was just going to do the mounts for everything, but sod it, i might as well do the lot

[psychlist]

How easy is it to replace all the engine bolts then Steve? Must admit the bolts all over my Multi look as if they've spent 25 years on the beach by a toxic waste outlet so would like to change them to something that's not gonna show the effects of riding through winter? Presumably Stainless steel fasteners will do the job?

[weeksy2]

Ain't got a clue at this stage... .will just be doing 1 by 1 swapping like for like but with nice Stainless ones instead....

[antonye]

I do the same - each time something comes apart I just swap the crap bolts our for a stainless one.

It's a good idea to buy a whole load of assorted size bolts if you don't have them already, and eBay seems to be the easiest/cheapest place to get them from in mixed packs.

[Chaz]

were the bolts buy it now from ebay shop. I also need oil cooler managed to buy a good rad of ebay complete with twin fans from an "R" for £112....