Are you sober yet ruth?

And i'd like to lodge a protest. Not sure why yet, but i'll think of something :frog:

I should have my answer to Q1 ready at lunch time... i have to go make a couple of references in the company library just to make sure some facts are right. But be ready, cos i think the real cause of this "stutter" will suprise most people, even the very knowledgable shazaam! :o

I'm as sober as I need to be to drive a desk, mate! :P

The Library :o:o:o

If you set the standard this high you'll be very hard to beat, Nick!

However, Shazaam is already streets ahead of you as at 9.30 this morning. Still, day 1 and I'm sure there'll be dozens of toe curlingly technical posts to plough through by 28th February.

Hoping to get a few as yet unexposed nerds playing along too. ;):D:devil:

Well ok ruth, so as not to dissappoint you further, i've put my career on the line and scived off work for 15 mins to complete my answer. What was the question again?? Oh, I remember...

"Why do 996 bips seem to develop a stumble/missfire,when getting back on the gas after they have been cruising on low revs /high gears for a while?"

The scientific answer:

Since I work in the petrochemical engineering design and consultancy business, this isn't too difficult a question, but let's try to explain it in layman's terms...

This problem(?) is such a finely balanced chemical reaction that it only tends to affect the more highly tuned engines which demand nothing short of perfection. So and if your bike is doing it then you've good reason to be proud of your stead!

It's actually not "missing a beat" initially, it's to do with the phenomenon of the suns rays drawing streams of heavy-metal gasses as they pass through the atmosphere of the planet Mercury (have you noticed it doesn't happen at night?).

This metallic rich air, if drawn into the cylinders in large enough quantities (like when opening the throttle quickly), causes a heavier air content in a single combustion which changes the atomic structure of the metalic atoms and acts like a magnet to oxygen drawing most, if not all, of the oxygen from the airbox in one go. When the airbox "recharges" with fresh air then all is fine again and the combustion cylces can return to their rythm of the steady cruise.

Now here's the twist...
It's probably more likely to happen with mav's bike because of the lack of salt in the air where he lives in the midlands; since the salty sea air on the coast, when mixing with the metallic gasses, actually forms a chemical imbalance at several different temperature ranges of the inlet tracts preventing too much oxygen being affected by this magnetic pull - it works in a similar sort of way to reversing the poles on a magnet.

Geographic location obviously depends on the wind direction, but living on the south coast means it happens with my bike very rarely due to the common south-westerly winds bringing in the sea air.

nb
:D


[Edited on 1-2-2005 by NBs996]

Wow, very clear and totally explanatory. Well done Nick.

I'm going to have to keep a running total of who's ahead at the end of each day! :eureka:

You left out the bit about standing on one leg!

:lol:

Actually, my 996 bip had the stutter as well and it is down to the twin injectors. Neil Spalding, as part of his 996 bip racer "Grunter" spec does the single injector mod with the FIM chip. I had Neil's full monty done and the grunter spec at the same time and my bike is fine now.

In fact, it's more than fine. I would suggest it goes harder than most 996's without headwork etc. Check out what Neil does in the Grunter here

Just had U2U from Dickieducati to say he agrees to help judge but was a bit confused by the competition.

In case there are others out there who don't understand, this is how it's supposed to work:

1. Post a question, any question, as easy or difficult to answer as you like but BIKE related. (Ducati, obviously)

2. Wait for replies to be posted.

3. At the end of the month, the prize will go to the person who has displayed the greatest depth of knowledge but who has also made the greatest effort to answer as many of the questions as possible. So to win you really have to be logging on to the board regularly, if not 28 days in a row.

Hope that's a bit clearer now.


:sing::sing::bouncy::bouncy::bouncy:

This is a very good point NBS996, but I think Madmav should check the airbox seal with the tank, I believe a methane buildup behind the tank which is leaking into the airbox causing the rich running when the throttle is opened. If Mav can't fix the seal then a change of diet maybe the best cure. Alternatively you could weaken the fuel mixture & take advantage of the methane.

I particularly like this quote from Neil in the article I listed above on the Grunter spec.


I go back and read that every now and then when I'm thinking of selling mine and getting a 998R. Then I remember how much money I've spent on the 996 ...... then I go and lay down ...

Well, here's an alternative not-quite-by-the rules-that-were-described-but-that-has-never-stopped-me-before answer ...

Actually what you are describing is quite common to many bikes, and it's usually associated with cruising at a throttle opening and rev range that is just 'below' a lean portion of the engine's setup - so - when you open the throttle, the mixture goes lean and the engine stumbles. On a carbed bike you might raise the needle, on an injected bike you need to go see Sigma :burn:

Why when you dial a wrong number is it never engaged?

This question of course only relates to ringing Ducati dealers so as to qualify for Ruths guidelines.:D

But if the line's engaged, how d'you now it's not the wrong number??

next mind blowing Question!!!!!!!!!!

why is most people take their bike in to have suspension/ride height ajustment sorted, only to then re-tension their chain a week later and throw the whole settings out again:smug::smug::smug::smug::smug::smug::smug:

Hmmm, velly intellesting :cool:
Zerre are two pozzibilities here, eizer you're bike has developed a metaphysical disturbance in ze logic circuits causing a temporal distortion to your olfactory communication interface manifesting itself as a vocal stutter or "cough" when you twist your right wrist
or
Zer is a conditional response trigger reacting in your digestive processing whilst undergoing lower frequency mastication rates causing an abnormally hypotensive reflux towards your upper cardio-pulmonary void resulting in a high rate of turn in your right upper body extending to the fingers. Hence you're opening the throttle too quickly for the fuel injection to respond fast enough to match the increased air flowing to the cylinders. and causing a misfire.

Hope this helps resolve all your problems.

Next!

next mind blowing Question!!!!!!!!!!

why is most people take their bike in to have suspension/ride height ajustment sorted, only to then re-tension their chain a week later and throw the whole settings out again


waiting ,,,,,, mav

It proves to your mates you're riding the bike to it's limits.

Because they haven't got a scotoiler!

Its a very rarely known fact that the fitting of a scotoiler automatically sets the suspension correctly regardless of which bike, your weight, riding style or road conditions! Scotoiler themselves have been aware of this fact for many years but dare not publicise the fact for fear of reprisals from suspension tuners the world over. Last year, when a famous scandinavian gentleman discovered the secret to Scotoilers success, there ensued a tremendous cloak and dagger legal battle surpassed in it's ferocity only by the invasion of Iraq. Only now has the dust begun to settle on this best forgotten episode in motorcycle technological breakthroughs!

:cool:

Mart sensible answers please !!!!!!
or i'm not gonna get both of my Brain cells to coincide again and think up these realy hard Questions for you to answer:lol::lol::lol:

Although it's very questionable, I am attempting to prove I am not a nerd. Oh Ok I am a nerd so will answer sensibly in future.

A question which is still unanswered even by Ducati dealer (including Ducati UK)
error 2.1 - Pressure Sensor short circuit to power supply

Exactly what the xxxx does that mean?

('spose you could ask the same question of quite a few other Ducati error descriptions)

Oh alright then...
 

... as long as you do abide by the rules and expect me to provide my judge input on the basis of 'it sounds plausible' rather than 'right answer'.

Oh, and Michael isn't what I'd call a nerd. Doesn't do much fiddling himself these days (I reckon the project bike that's not moved from the back of the garage for some years will have to wait for him to retire). Neil at Sigma's only a mile away after all....

Thanks Lizzie. I think anyone posting a wrong answer on here's gonna get shot down in flames anyway, so I don't think we need to worry about that aspect of it :lol:

So, that's my 3 fellow judges sorted. There's a fourth person I'm thinking of asking as a 'guest' judge but we'll see about that nearer judgment day. :devil:

Here's a question

For the shorter rider that wants to lower the rear ride height. Is it better to compensate by changing to the quicker steering head angle, or to also lower the front by changing the position of the forks in the triple clamps ?

how about just getting some moon boots.
thus rectifying your height inadequacies :smug:

there is a cheaper option - I shall call it number '3' option:

One can purchase boots with deeper soles & heels to make oneself taller, therefore not needing to adjust the goemetry of the bike.
A diet may also possibly help in your case Mr Sheep:D :devil:

However - should one like to make the bike turn in quicker, one could drop the forks through the yokes to lower the front a little.

One could however, take up riding pillion instead:P

- or even worse, buy an import hon..hon.... unmentionable word, which is lower to start with!:lol:

Is this a correct answer???:puzzled:

C

Short
 

My answer is to always park/stop at the kerb:rolleye:

Which kerb was that .... at Mallory..... Banshee:puzzled:

C

well ES, the short answer(pardon the pun) is Be afraid be very afraid!

messing about with the Rake , can seriously damage your health;)

I'm no expert in chassis geometry but i can tell you of the efects that it will bring on!

on the track i can see a distinct advantage to gettting the bike to (Turn in quicker)
but on the road it can realy have an adverse effect like make ing the bike very very twitchy on certain roads!!!!!

(be carefull) !!!!!!!!!!!!!

changing the ride height (by Lowering it for the size of your legs ) is a big NO NO...

as this can make the bike squat and give the efect of the front wheel skiping across the tarmack ie loss of traction!


this is a simplified answer !

Bring it on Shazzam
or nelly etc
for the indepth technical answer!.................mav;)

I find the extra weight helps compress the springs, bringing my feet closer to the ground :lol::lol::lol:

[Edited on 1-2-2005 by electricsheep]

Suspension and chassis geometry is a bit out of my league too, but common sense would suggest that what you do to one end you must also do to the other, just to keep the balance right. Like, if you drop the rear ride height an inch then you should do the same at the front.

Not sure if altering the steering will have any effect in compensating for a drop in rear height :puzzled:
To diverse just a little from the question, and maybe a little contradictory to mav's views (sorry mav!), but I really don't find the bike twitchy after changing to the steeper rake. The bike turns noticably quicker, and theoretically should be twitchy, but it just isn't! I wouldn't try it unless you've got a damper tho, and certainly not to compensate for the ride height.

Do what CK says - get platform boots!!

try these for size

No Offence taken Nb's!!;)
hopefully we can all learn some things we don't know:D
i've been in the trade all my life and am still learning new things every day;) so c'mon guys bring it on:D


but just to make one point i think if you can get into the realms of linear measurment then suspension set up becomes a lot more understandable!!!
but it's way way beyond me:)

just my opinion:cool:

it's beyond me too!

i had a suspension guru round my gaff not so long ago to help me out and try'n teach me something. I described to him what the bike was doing and he 'tuned' it out for me... it worked too! Quite happy, was I :D

Happy, but still no wiser!!

Nick, you are far too wise already! :lol: You MUST be grateful that there are still some things in life that are a mystery even to you. :D

Ok, well in the absence of anything more challenging, I have a question. Why do my front brakes lock up in these circumstances:

1. Ride the bike on a cold winter's day.
2. Hose it off and put it in the garage
3. Next time I come to move it, I can't budge it.
4. Try to bump it up and down a bit and it and eventually manage to move it forward but it makes a horrible grinding noise.
5. Brake lever seems much stiffer for the first few miles but then eases up.
6. Is it safe to keep riding it when this happens?

This is a genuine question based on real facts. No names have been changed to protect anyone at all. :devil:

Ahem!

It's just a case of the wet causing a little corrosion between the disc and pads. Not sure why the lever should feel stiffer tho?
No problem to keep riding it.

You've got this whole 'Teacher's Pet' thing going on haven't you Nick :D:D

Thanks for that. Is the corrosion anything to worry about, though? And which bit is corroding?

The iron content of the disc is turning rusty, and there'll be some metals in the friction material which might corrode in their own little way too.

It's only a tiny bit of surface rust and won't be a problem until it gets to the state where you can't free it, no matter how hard you try! Then you might have to take the callipers off (leaving the pads stuck to the discs) and then pry the pads off with your best serving spoon - but that's worst case scenario.

If it annoys you (more than I do), then dry it off as much as possible before putting bike to bed.

I would say that the caliper pistons are sticking.

Remedy: clean calipers & work pistons in & out until runing smooth.

As a postscript, it doesn't have to be wet to do this.

If left long enough, two different metal elements will corrode each other without the need for water. It's got something to do with the different electrostatic properties of metals at an atomic level but that probably won't be noticable unless you leave you bike so long that the next time you use it it's for a trip to collect your pension! And for you ruthie, that many many years away!

you refer to the stiffer lever action?
I would agree. Give that man a point!