6 Chain Check and Adjustment

Intro

Chain slack measuring is a tricky subject. Every bike seems to measure different. I often second guess myself when I checking my chain. Should I push up and down on the chain? Am I pushing to hard. I will tell you how I do it now and if anyone finds this and has a better way let me know.

I use a mm adjustable wrench set at 27 to 30mm I pull the chain down slightly and rest the bottom of the link on one side of the wrench and then push up with one finger using the opening of the wrench to measure the slack.

Tools I used:

• 30mm socket
• torque wrench
• 12mm socket
• 35mm adjustable wrench

Parts needed:

• Chain Lube

Chain check steps from the manual:

• Adjusting chain tension Move the motorcycle slowly until finding the position at which the chain is tightest.
• Place the motorcycle on the side stand.
• Push the chain upwards with one finger at swingarm mid-length (see label).
• The lower section of the chain should move by approx. 25 - 27 mm.

Chain Adjustment steps from the manual:

• Loosen nuts (1) at the wheel shaft ends.
• Tighten (turn clockwise) the screws (2) equally on both sides of the swingarm to increase tension, or slacken to decrease it. In the latter case, you will need to push the wheel forward.
• Check that the reference marks on both sides of the swingarm are lined up. This indicates perfect wheel alignment.
• Tighten the nuts (1) onto wheel shaft to the specified torque (Sect. C 3)
• Tighten the adjuster screws (2) to the specified torque (Sect. C 3).
• Check that the nuts (3) that retain the rear chain sprocket to the flange are tightened securely. This can be done with the wheel installed, when you hold the bolts steady from the opposite end with an articulated 8- mm wrench.
• If nuts (3) are replaced, apply some threadlocker and tighten them to the specified torque (Sect. C 3).

5 Oil Change

Tools I used:

• allen socket for the drain plug
• rubber mallet to tap the socket wrench to prevent striping it
• sears rubber belt wrench for filter
• torque wrench

Parts needed:

• Repsol 4T Synthetic Blend 1 LTR 10w 40 $14.99 x 3
• OEM oil filter $12.99
• Drain plug washer
• Every other oil change get the washers needed to clean the screen and re torque plugs
  

Learning and informational resources:

I would not have been as confident I could do this service myself if it was not for the ca-cycleworks videos. Thanks Chris!
CA Cycleworks Oil Change video

Oil Change steps:

1. Run the bike to get the oil warm
   
2. loosen the drain plug
3. drain oil
   
4. Remove the filter
5. let oil drain ( lower rear stand if you have one to make sure you get all the oil out)
6. Fill new filter and wiper oil on the rubber seal
7. tighten as tight as you can by hand and then give then slightest turn with the oil filter wrench.
8. re torque drain plug (use new crush washer).
   
9. re fill once you have it to the right spot on the viewing window I start the bike for a minute.
10. Then top off the oil if needed.
11. Ride
12. Check for leaks and check the oil level again
    

I changed the screen last oil change. I will add these steps next oil change.

 



 

Tools I used:

• a bunch of allen wrenches (t-handle, L-bar and socket)
• torque wrench

Learning and informational resources:

I would not have been as confident I could do this service myself if it was not for the ca-cycleworks videos. Thanks Chris!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9vzPZ84ZRjU

Here are the things I learned:

With the covers off and plugs out. I spun the back wheel in top gear to line up the pulleys.

Belt Replacement - Removal Steps:

1. Remover sparkplugs
2. Put finger over the plug hole on the horizontal cylinder by the front wheel once you feel pressure pushing at your finger then line up the pulley marks.
3. Double check everything lines up.
4. Loosen the tensioner bolts
5. Slip horizontal belt off the pulley on the cam
6. Remove belt
7. Slip vertical belt off the pulley on the cam
8. Remove belt

Belt Replacement - Installation Steps

1. The crank pulley should be in the same spot it was when you removed the belts (check the mark lines up)
2. Use you fingers to line up the cam pulley with the mark
   
3. Slip vertical belt on to the pulley on the cam
4. Carefully get the belt around the crank pulley without letting the cam pulley move.
   
5. Pull the tensioner in and lightly tighten to hold it in place till you check the tension
6. Line up the horizontal cam pulley
7. Slip belt over it and the slip belt over the cam pulley

Belt Replacement - Setting Tension on the belts

1. Set the tension by feel
2. Make sure you can push down on the belt and it will move off the idler.
3. Use a 5mm and 6mm hex wrench. The 5mm should slide between the belt and idler and the 6mm should be pretty hard. (watch video)
4. I also used the 45 degree method. I read you should be able to twist the belt 45 degrees

I feel that with so many people using the 5mm hex method I should be fine. The belts that where on there were looser but close to the hex tension.

Lots of good photos I found

3. Valve Adjustment

Valve Adjustment

I started this step by collecting some tools and doing some research on the interweb.

Tools I used:

• new set of feeler gauges (with a .0025 gauge more on that later)

• magnet
• cotter pin puller

• a bunch of allen wrenches (t-handle, L-bar and socket)
• torque wrench
• piece of glass for sanding
• 400 and 600 grit wet dry paper
• something to measure shims like a digital caliper or micrometer(I borrowed a dial caliper)

Tools I would have needed to remove the closers:

• forceps to hold valve
• magnet
• ear plugs for oil passage

Learning and informational resources:

• Valve adjustment spread sheet I found
• Ducati Maintenance Table
• Ducati Tightening List
• http://www.ducatisuite.com/valves.html

I would not have been as confident I could do this service myself if it was not for the ca-cycleworks videos. Thanks Chris!

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dIj3nSJGPZw

Here are the things I learned:

Roll a towel and but it behind the tank where the seat normally is. Then lean the tank back. This gives you a lot more room to work

I figured out that getting the metal part of the battery mount off was not as easy as it looked.
First remove the battery disconnecting the NEGATIVE terminal first. remove the plastic cover next. Then stick a wrench in between the wires from the right side of the bike and just loosen the nut on the lower stud. Then remove the rest of the nuts and you can then loosen the stud for that tough lower corner. The photos below will help explain.

This shot shows how I got the two wrenches in to loosen the cover stud so it could be removed with the battery mount

The covers on my 620 where metal and didn't need to be replaced.

With the covers off and plugs out. I spun the back wheel in top gear to line up the pulleys.

Once lined up I found that you really had to push on the closer arm to make sure you got a accurate reading.

Final big thing I learned was if you have to do any adjustment pull the belts off. It is pretty easy and way easier to check them.

Valve adjustment steps:

1. Remove the needed piece to get access to the valve inspection covers
2. Remover covers and sparkplugs
3. Put finger over plug hole once you feel pressure pushing at your finger then line up the pulley marks.
4. Check opener for both valves by the front wheel. Then push down on the closer arm and check the gaps at the opener again. by subtracting the first opener gap you know the closer gap. (watch the video :))
5. Then finger on top plug hole spin the wheel till you feel pressure then put a T-Allen in the plug hole and carefully spin the wheel to find TDC on that cylinder.
6. I tended to get close TDC with a little more and then turn the wheel looking in the flywheel viewer and stopped at the next dot. That seemed to be close to TDC for the top cylinder.
7. At this point you realize the adjustment doesn't change much on these bikes and you start putting it back together. Like I should have but I ended up having to replace an opener I sanded.
8. Or you pull the belts and start adjusting
9. Reassembly is pretty straight forward. Take photos as you remove things to help. Torque all the bolts you can.

My valves with 6k on them where all .004 openers and .002 closers

Misc photo

2. Throttle and Choke Cable Adjustment

Throttle Cable Adjustment

May first step was to convert 2mm, 3mm and 4mm to inches so I could use my dial caliper to measure the freeplay in the throttle.

2mm = 0.078
3mm = 0.118
4mm = 0.157

My next concern was that the book said that adjusting the throttle and choke cable could affect the throttle bodies. I'm going to chance it.

As you will see in the photos below I used a seam in the grip as a marker to measure from.

You can't tell from the photo because it is hard to take a photo and hold that caliper but the cable had stretched and I had to adjust the freeplay.

Here is a photo of the adjuster.

You have to loosen the larger silver part to free up the part to the right. I gave it a couple turns and rechecked it.

I got it set at 3mm and the tightened the locking part.

Choke Cable Adjustment

Tomorrow I will fire the bike up to check and adjust the choke.

Fingers crossed it doesn't mess up the throttle bode adjustment. I don't see how it could.

1. Brake Inspection

Brake and clutch fluid change / check pads

After feedback I received on www.nedr.org and the inspection chart in the factory service manual I decided not to replace all the Dot4 fluid till 12k.

I'm going to return my Silkolene towards oil and a filter.

So tonight I checked all the pads for wear.

The Front pads do not have the grooved indicator but they all measure around 3/16th which works out to around 4.5mm. With anything over 1.5mm being safe I'm good.
See Photo Below:

Front brake side outer pad:

Front brake side inner pad:

Front clutch side outer pad:

Front clutch side inner pad:

The Rear pads have a lot of live before I'm to the indicators. Those are the grooves down the middle.

Inner rear pad: It is a bad shot, there is a lot more pad left then it shows but you can see the groove.

Rear outer pad: you can see the groove easier.

Tomorrow hopefully the weather will be nice and I can use up some of my gas to make room to replace the fuel filter.

Ducati Monster 620 6k service

My First Monster Service

Phase one

Brake and clutch fluid change / check pads

• I have been told that changing all the fluid is over kill just to check the pads.
• Silkolene Racing Dot 4 was recommended if I do change the fluid
  
• Hose that fits bleeder valve

Throttle and Choke Cable Adjustment

Double Check All Work

Phase Two

Adjust Valves

• gaskets
• gauges (my 620 had metal gaskets I reused and have no leaking)
  
• digital caliper (borrowed a dial caliper and used the iPhone to do the conversion)
  
• forceps to hold valve (couldn't find a set like in the video will find them by 12k)
  
• magnet
• cotter pin puller
• Valve adjustment spread sheet I found
• Ducati Maintenance Table
• Ducati Tightening List
• http://www.ducatisuite.com/valves.html
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dIj3nSJGPZw

Timing Belt replacement

• OEM belts $125
  
• longer bolt to hold horizontal cylinder on mark
• Checking tension with the hex is fine
• Check for loose bolts located behind the
  belt covers, if you find one, pull it out and loctite it, if those
  bolts come loose while riding it will ruin your day.

Check Spark Plugs

Check Air Cleaner Filter

Oil and oil filter / clean strainer

• Repsol 4T Synthetic Blend 1 LTR 10w 40 $9.99 x 3
• OEM oil filter $12.99

Double Check All Work

Phase Three

Lube, check and adjust chain

Check rear wheel bearing and cush drive

Torque all nuts and bolts

• check the torque on your engine mount bolts
• check for various loose screws

Do a pre-ride check also 

• Check lights
• Tires and pressures
• Look for leaks
• Check for anything cracked or broken

Double Check All Work


Things that came up during my research on to doing the 6k service.


Reset Maintenance Indicator at startup

• Hold left dash button
  
• Turn key on
  
• Wait 15 second for message to clear
  

Replace Fuel Filter

• OEM fuel filter - Base Part #42540101A FUEL FILTER 620-750 DARK/02
  
• Was up sold a o-ring 88640491a
• And clips 74140931a (I'm borrowing the clip tool from a friend.)

Sync Throttle Bodies

• Skipping this because the bike runs great
• Was also told not to mess with the idle screw