Entering the Tunnel, Hoping to See Some Light.

Closeup of the beautiful bodywork

Ah, the heads are torqued down, the throttle bodies are back in the manifold, and the radiator is back in place. I finally defeated a pesky M6x12mm hex screw that stripped, after destroying one screw extractor and seriously dulling down another. I can't say I see the light at the end of the tunnel, but I now at least see a tunnel.

Vertical Head and Throttlebody

This bike has been my baby for a few years now. My fiancé has deemed it the Yellow-Black Money Pit. I wish there wasn't any truth to that. Whether it has been maintenance, repairs, or modifications, I have been pouring money into it for about 4 years now. Here is a video of the YBMP before I started doing too many things to it.

This never ending project started when I let one of the cam lobes slip out of time during a timing belt change. After hearing the horrific noise that turned out to be a bent valve and crapped out cam bearing journal, I cried. I had school, I had work, I had a motorcycle that is no longer in production. Parts were going to be extremely hard to come by. My schedule meant this was not a weekender type of job. the YBMP was becoming the YBM-Albatross.


A Little Background:
The Ducati ST4s has a unique engine. Instead of just using a common engine in their lineup, Ducati decided to change the exhaust angle just enough to make parts damned near collectible. Just for the record, the above Wiki article is wrong about the intake valves being different from the 996. The intake valves are the same, at a 36mm diameter, with the exhaust valves the same as the 996SPS at 30mm on the St4s (also the 748SPS diameter). However, the exhaust valve stems are shorter by a few millimeters, making cross application of parts impossible. The article is correct in saying that the ST4s produces slightly more power because of the relatively straight exhaust, but the exhaust angle dropped compared to the 996 exhaust, creating a better flow angle right out of the engine. Some basic, but accurate, specs in model comparisons can be found here. 
My bike was dynoed by the previous owner at around 117rwhp with Staintune pipes and a K&N filter. I have shortened the final gearing and added an aftermarket ECU from DesmoPorsche which, since I have not had it dynoed, I cannot tell you what power gains were made. The gearing was shortened because I do not need a 161+ top speed on a bike with saddlebags. It now only tops out around 155mph. Sorry, you will just have to wait for my slow ass now. Besides, shorter gearing + more power = 1 wheel fun ;) 


On the Repairs:
So the next week or so will be the moment of truth. I just need to refill the radiator, replace the timing belts (correctly), reattach all of the computers, get the TPS set, sync the throttle bodies, replace the tank and go. Hopefully. During the bike's downtime, I checked and replaced the valve shims, polished the ports with a Dremel, and generally covered myself in various petroleum products over the past several months. Machines do not like to go unused for long periods of time, so once the bike is back together and running, it is going back down because the clutch was slipping badly before all of this went down. The brake lines and radiator hoses are due to be replaced soon, too. My fear is that the cost to make the bike run the way I want it to run will be prohibitively expensive. 


Yet, despite the cost, I will get all of it done. The YBMP whispers that it has never been to the Dragon like the Suzuki Bandit 600ST that is languishing in the shed, and she should get to go at least once before I start looking for other, less costly rides. So wish me luck as I get achingly close to actually being a motorcycle rider again and not just a motorcycle owner.