DUCATI 900SS Mega Update - It flaps like a dying duck

[@redtobertshateshandles]

I had a dream last night I was riding a mates 900SS, with my brother and his mate. Thanks for bringing me back to Ducati reality.

[@georgestewart1325]

Sorry you’ve more problems to solve but hey it’s making this project more engrossing to follow. Fantastic channel.

[@DaveMurphyEngineer]

Great little update. Can completely sympathise with that 'ahh bollocks' moment where you spot something and, no matter how much you want to cover it up and forget about it, you absolutely know in your heart that you can't ignore it and have to do something about fixing it, even though it's going to be a massive pain in the arse! Fingers crossed it's relatively simple to sort out, look forward to seeing more in the next update.

[@Oilyhands749]

Hey mate , if it wasn't for bad luck , you'd have no luck at all! ( song in there somewhere) , but for us watchers makes it all the more interesting , all be it at your expense . Absolutely living this, hang in there and keep up the good work.

[@Oilyhands749]

🤣 not one for calling but there's a bloke just bolted a tea leaf strainer to the front of a Suzuki and he's taken 53 days to make it , id say your times well spent on the duke !

[@stevesanelli90]

Andy, another great episode of your humour, talent & skills. If you are going to split the cases, best to get a new complete gasket kit & you might as well replace all the bearings. You’re going this far now it just doesn’t stop. Check the shims & stack-up while you’re at it. Good luck & stay happy!💯🥇

[@vivburke4382]

Love the start hahaha classic Aussie humour! 😎👍

[@MegaPoxie]

When you're explaining balancing you sound nothing like Dell Bollicks ... you actually know what you're talking about! Thanks for going through the rebuild with us 900SS owners, it must consume a lot of your time.

[@MrMattofsweden]

Just watched a bit so far. Noticed you didn't mark the primary gears. Don't forget to check the backlash there when putting it back. They're not always perfectly symmetrical, and thus it can be too tight in some spots if you're assembling it without checking.

[@loopybella222]

Shit I know I’m in trouble when someone starts using words like concentricity! Enjoy your vids mate. You, Craig and potty mouth Matt are a big help in my bike building endeavours! And entertaining. I’m actually still waiting for a comment on a certain individuals shopping trolley/ chip frying basket. Keep up the great work Andy.

[@doubledown9333]

That's a nice photo of the missus up there beside the cabinet.

[@michaelhayward7572]

Catching up. Now watching previous episode, ta. Re balancing, on a 90 degree v twin it certainly aint as critical as a 360 std Brit parallel twin with both pistons rising and falling together. Back in the day we had Triumph pistons out of a Hepolite box with 7 gram - 1/4 oz variation. That, along with rod weights all over the place and people wonder why Brit twins vibrated! Never assume anything. HNY Andy.

[@BorisKarloff66]

Good luck mate. Hopefully it will just be the bearing. I bet your glad you noticed it before you did the full rebuild

[@frankmcaleer9923]

If it wasn't for bad luck you'd have no luck, your doin a great job.

[@MrKombiman]

13:42 I lolled! Ya muppet

[@tassieadventurerider4815]

Another great informative video Andy, a bit like renovating a house..... more work than planned. Looking forward to the next video.

[@rivenmotors7981]

You're taking it in stride like a boss. At least you will know it's put back right when you stab the starter on the next maiden voyage. Cheers to your efforts!

[@aspectcarl]

These things are sent to try us Andy, loving the work so far👍

[@arkangel13th]

Well,this is your new basket case after all! :)

[@keithf8890]

Bugger.Keep at it,matey.All the best.

[@MGV1400]

I am also an idiot, lol, and love learning about motorbikes and mechanics. I have been a long time Ducati fan, first bike in 1976 was a Ducati 450 desmo, single pot. I sold it due to the continual maintenance needed, especially electrical. I am wanting a little non-bias advice or opinion about the new Ducati Multistrada 950 S which looks and sounds great. Had a short ride and it was great to hop back on and hear that sound underneath me again. I am concerned about reliability, and repair costs. My current BMW F800GT has 110,000 kms and have had very little trouble. No mechanical just normal upkeep on the wear and tear issues, but they can be expensive. I suppose value for money is the question. My emotional feeling is beyond my logical head so I need an independent response, lol. Thanks Peter

[@ANDY5]

G’day Peter, I think that the new Ducati’s are a far cry from the ‘90’s models when they barely had a pot to piss in. To be honest I have no idea about the 950 S Multistrata so I can’t give you an honest opinion, sorry.

[@tassuperkart]

Just expanding on Andys blurb on crank balancing, people need to know that, say an L type Ducati engine crank, (exactly the same as... say 2 opposing cylinders off any V8) is balanced to a "percentage" of the piston/conrod combined weight which can then be varied depending on many factors and cannot be ideally balanced over its expected rpm range. Circa 50% is considered good but this figure varies. This is to say that (circa) 50% of the combined weight of the piston/rod assemblies is bolted to the crankpin and THEN the crank is balanced dynamically. Altering the balance percentage basically moves the "best" balance range up or down in the rpm range to suit a high rpm race engine or a low rpm street driven car. Sucks about that shaft bearing Andy but C'est La Vie! Happy balancing!

[@ANDY5]

Yes, thanks Evan. I didn’t really want to get too in-depth but thanks for the clarification. I’ve done balance percentage using the ways on a lathe bed successfully before, adding or removing weight from the crankshaft counterweights as required. A bit of stuffing around but more tedious than difficult. Drilling the crankshaft to fit weights is the biggest pain in the arse.

[@tassuperkart]

@@ANDY5 yer mate I hope it didnt look like i was making corrections, just expanding on things as sometimes the rivet counters will see the sky falling for a few grams of different weight pistons. LOL yes drilling, Mallory Metal etcetera! Aint it fun!

[@BigBadLoneWolf]

0:22 you took the words out of my mouth .

[@LinkinMcOwnage]

A clapped out bush is quite the problem.

[@jonnybonnie9303]

The T shirt must be in the wash at last. You seem very calm despite the continuing hits.

[@MrCornhole98]

Sorry you have to split them. Thankful cause I’m probably going to have to do mine so I’ll be watching intensely.

[@banditnev]

It happens all the time at the shop, a bike comes in to fix something and the more you get into it the more you find wrong.

[@marlin140]

Everything you touch points at the fact the engine has had a hard life maintenance wise. It's a side stand not a kickstand ;o)

[@ANDY5]

I think the kickstand thing is something that I picked up from my father, he has always called it that

[@Anderle52134]

@@ANDY5 I have heard others call it a kickstand too :) So I looked it up . Millions of entries on g..... Here the definition by merriam-webster.com: "a swiveling metal bar or rod attached to a 2-wheeled vehicle (such as a bicycle) and used to prop up the vehicle when it is not in use". It's a torch, not a flash light ...lol WGARA

[@theozman38]

I had mentioned the lack of maintenance when he had first parted the heads and inspected them. Worn rings and scratches on the cylinders are indications to point out the lack of oil. That poor thing was starving!!!

[@johnmeade6889]

Loving the dukes videos, England are winning the cricket.

[@DistinctOgre]

That's a nice set of scales! 😉 Also, love the Dog House shirt. Thanks Andy.

[@nobpb]

My names Andy and I like to think i am a Scottish you............well apart from the at least 5 stone heavier and 90% less technical ability, but whats wrong with dreaming.. Keep up the good work, cheers 👍.

[@oldblokeonaducati.8365]

As a last resort send the cases to Dellboy . He can fix with Lumiweld and it would come back Super Slippy with soft no Hard plastic inserts

[@staffa]

Interesting!I have a 900SS of '94 myself and luckily it is in a somewhat better condition than yours. Nevertheless it is very intersting to see what will be on my path in case of a repair. Greetings from the other side of the world!

[@jimgrady7458]

13:41 "...last time I played with scales they gave me eight years." 🤣

[@bearcatracing007]

So what you are telling us is a big shaft causes a worn bush 😂😂

[@Arachnoid_of_the_underverse]

The lack of lubricant in the correct places maybe :D

[@nicksmith7552]

BearCat Racing .......that’s if your bush has some miles on it !

[@robertrice2516]

I really enjoy your videos.👍

[@roymichaeldeanable]

That Bearing...seemed to be floating...in there..a good millimetre around it....I had to close my eyes when I saw u wack the side stand...I always have patience in those situations...as usually instead of one problem you end up with 6 more...hehe

[@roymichaeldeanable]

I'm sure the Bearing hasn't scoured out the Casing...just a poor fitting..as u know the outside of the Bearing is a tight fit on the outside and only the centre section moves

[@bradthebikeboy]

it's not a bush, it's a barrel roller bearing. don't think i've seen that happen before, maybe the plastic cage has failed. you need to smash the cage out to get the rollers out to then pull the outer race out. get the cases nice and hot. you can buy the plastic cage bearings from skf

[@ANDY5]

Wow, Brad it's an honor to have you here. Thanks for your advise mate, your website is an awesome resource for all Ducati lovers. For those who don't know, www.bikeboy.org/

[@bradthebikeboy]

@@ANDY5 don't be too honored, i'm really not that special.

[@jamesbailey3821]

Infernal combustion, always summat😅

[@lumpycammotorcycles5481]

The rabbit hole just keeps on going - lol

[@artmchugh5644]

On my 900ss. I had that much play on the end of my CRANKSHAFT !!!! My engine did ha195.195.000 miles on it !!!😎😎😎😎😎😎🍺🍺🍺🍺🍺🍺🍺🍺🍺

[@holgerhansen5332]

Bent valve points to a ham-fisted mechanic. A pre-purchase compression and leak down test would have shown that. Good luck with the rebuild.

[@AuMechanic]

Surprised that primary shaft bearing has walked in the case on the opposite side to the clutch where there is a lot less load as well as spinning mass like the clutch end.

[@ANDY5]

Agreed, I thought the same. I was dead sure it would be the clutch side. With the clutch push rod sitting against its o-rings and seated in the slave cylinder I think the movement may have been less noticeable.

[@globalfallout7249]

Lucky to notice it before it got a lot werse and the baring shit the bed causing a lot more damage to the casing. It's becoming an expensive toy to keep mate. But once it's done it's done.

[@QuickBikes]

How many miles has the old girl seen mate and would you expect to see the same kind of wear on a four cylinder bike? Sorry if it's a dumb question, I'm just trying to get my head around it. Would be interesting to find out if it's the bearing or the case that's been lunched. Really good video again, thanks for sharing.

[@ANDY5]

22,000 klms, this is not what I would call normal wear, something funny has been going on.

[@kymtaylor5433]

Agree someone has pulled a firthy on this machine. A mate has identicall 900SS with 64,000kms on it and a 900 monster with 34,000ks on it and all is ok. I wonder what previous owner would have to say mmmmm

[@purebloodheretic4682]

Kym Taylor Maybe a 'Dashboard Haircut'!! Winding Mechanical Odometers ain't Rocket Science! She might have had an Extra Digit on the End!! 👍😉

[@hadzicana1]

Flaps-flater

[@sparkyinanissan]

I'm surprised that amount of play wasn't noticeable when you were riding it, I guess that shows what you can get away with tolerance wise.🤔

[@simon2knine]

Talk about a can of worms...Hope that there are no more big surprises when you split the cases..

[@CodyT362]

Talk about a can of worms... 😂

[@twozup1098]

Liking the tee shirt 👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼

[@allisonsailsandcanvas]

I think you should just pack that bearing full of liquid nails and copper grease and call it a day! But seriously, was your clutch excessively noisy? Mine is really chatty in neutral and engaged. I wonder if I have a similar problem on my M900...

[@ANDY5]

Worth a look mate. I never noticed anything unusual about mine.

[@northerner1374]

Down the rabbit hole 🤔

[@DistinctOgre]

Damn it Ducati!

[@AirwolfBMG]

DistinctOgre this is the character and soul there always harping on about.😱

[@DistinctOgre]

@@AirwolfBMG Yeah? The more I look at it, the less I like it.

[@nickfletcher506]

Well they an't gonna put the side stand on before the casing. Still loving your work though. 👍🏻

[@bigdaddy741098]

Hey Andy, I HAVE MOVEMENT AS WELL 🤤🤤😲😲😨😨😢😭 I am using the springs to test for any movement, I can only just see the pressure plate moving up and down but I can definitely feel it and hear it, and it sounds a lot like yours. I also remember you saying in a comment I think, that it may have been less noticeable when it was all together, which mine is. Would it be possible to send you a 30second clip of what shows up on camera? You can't really see the movement but if possible it would be awesome to get your opinion coz it's not registered so I can't really take it anywhere. I'm sure you get a heap of these requests so I completely understand if you would prefer not to. Thanks either way ☺👊👍 Luke

[@ANDY5]

There are several reasons why your clutch will move. I started to type it out but I think I will do a video, it’s easier. If it’s just the pressure plate and not the outer basket I wouldn’t be overly concerned just yet. You will need to completely disassemble it to inspect properly.

[@bigdaddy741098]

@@ANDY5 thanks so much for replying, well I'll definitely be looking forward to that video, actually I look forward to all of them, they're all good, even if you're not working on a Ducati lol. And who knows, maybe I'll just have to pull apart clean and inspect, but with the complete lack of love that it has had in the past I dought that. But it's mine now and I'm changing that. It will be a beast again lol

[@peted7295]

How does a valve in a Desmo system get bent I ask myself, a couple of theories come to mind they seem to suggest either the valve was bent at manufacture (Surely not!) or there's some unknown history we don't know. At least you found all this before it turned it self detonated.

[@ANDY5]

It might explain the 9 thou opening and closing shim clearance I discovered on my first valve check, I wasn’t sure what had happened. Probably a previous owner cocking up when fitting the cam belts. Who knows?

[@tassuperkart]

@@ANDY5 Was my thoughts as well Andy

[@apistosig4173]

really enjoying your 'close to' under the radar humour :-)

[@longlee72]

Great videos Andy. Love your sense of humour. Please glue some rubber to the underside of your engine stand. I had visions of it sliding off your work bench at one point. How many miles/kms has your bike got? Could it be the case of Ducati using cheap bearings back in the day?

[@ANDY5]

22,000 klms, pretty sure this is neglect

[@longlee72]

@@ANDY5 It will be right as rain when you are done.👍👍

[@llewvirtue861]

Sheeel be right mate

[@firestorm755]

Now i know why Ducatis sound so bad on tick over 🤔😉😂

[@LinkinMcOwnage]

Meawhile my boss has been waiting on some ducati gearbox shims for months, still haven't turned up.

[@billrandell4641]

New Sub here...Hey Y'all from across the pond...As my first comment, I would like to ask a serious question...Bieng an Italian engine..Are you using Imperial or Metric Vice Grips???..🇺🇸👍

[@ANDY5]

LOL, you’re gunna fit right in around here mate. Welcome.

[@billrandell4641]

@@ANDY5 Believe it or not..but here in the States ..Craftsman Tools offer SAE Standard or Metric Adjustable Crescent Wrenches..As they offer a life time guarantee, I just had to take mine back to the store and presented it to the store tool clerk. I explained that my adjustable wrench was obviously "calibrated" improperly..Bieng the Top Notch Store that they are, I was immediately given a replacement adjustable wrench clearly marked ""Metric"...The next time I visited the store, I went right in and complemented the Clerk and let him know that I had tried it on several bolts and nuts and it "clearly" was calibrated properly...I think the whole system is about to implode...I like your channel and I have seen that "bearing race" to case clearance issue before..I weld new "material" in and then resize (mill) the hole.. I think it's "poorly graded" aluminum that the cases are made from..even Ducati uses crap metal..Those 900SS Frames are aweful about cracking the Head Stock welds..They used to give out free replacement frames it was so bad. You ought to give that frame a good looking at...Its a nasty wreck if the front end falls off...I mainly stick to the Bevel's and first Gen Carburated engines.. I have a bad frame (I'm going to reweld 900 SS) if you would like pictures of the cracks..Scared the nonsense out of me..noticed a wierd wobble..thought my st. dampener had blown out..(also a suck failure..coats your rear tire in oil)..then realized the Frame Head was falling off...

[@memybikeni9931]

FU...cuts to intro.🤣 hope it’s not too problematic for you. Seems Ducatis are a little bit of a mechanical nightmare.

[@theozman38]

Now your in where I get lost.

[@Gazgit555]

YOU'VE NOT GOT A WORKING GIRL REVVING BETWEEN YOUR CRUTCH ....YOU HAVE A PRINCESS..... AND BOY DO THEY SPEND YOUR MONEY AND TAKE UP MORE TIME. ...BUT BE ASSURED YOU'LL BE A PRINCE AMONGST MEN ... WHEN SHE PURRS ALONG THE HIGHWAY ALL PRETTY IN HER RED DRESS...

[@kevkfz5226]

Omg are the pickups still inside the engine. Just sorted this on my 40 year old Pantah. Stupid design.

[@tomthompson7400]

makes a tool for case removal , talks well about concentrically boring a bearing housing , then after failing with vise grips beats the crap out of the side stand bracket ,, wtf rest of it is a great watch though //

[@ANDY5]

The sidestand bolts were rounded out in the hex drive, the decision was made to leave them in place in an earlier episode. They were always going to be destroyed when removed.

[@chrisktm2010]

Surely they didn’t give you 8 years for baking cakes

[@llewvirtue861]

They do if it's green and you offer the copper at the RBT check a slice of your freshly baked cake

[@tielemobiel]

“Tappie Tap Tap” are you an Ave fan?

[@ANDY5]

Who isn’t?

[@jimallen199]

Bugger, that's all I'm sayin.

[@mickducati1947]

😜👍