Race Engine Life?

[Gino230]

Just wondering what kind of life you all are getting out of your race engines?

I'm running a 2004 Ducati 1000DS (Air Cooled LW Twin). The motor is bone stock, pipe, power commander, STM crankcase breather. K&N filter. I do regular maintenance, oil changes every few weekends, new belts and valve adjustments once a season (8-10 race weekends).

I bought the bike new and after a 500 mile street break-in, I put it on the track. I know have about 5700 race miles on the bike. The only issues I've had are one bad valve guide (the rear cylinder exhaust valve, the hottest part of the engine).

The bike feels a little slow to me, but I'm not sure if that's because I'm so used to riding it, or because almost everyone in CCS FL has built motors. I'm getting around 92-94HP depending on the dyno and the price of tea in china.

Recent leakdown was pretty tight, 5% or something.

My mechanic is a friend and I trust him implicitly, he thinks it's time for a full rebuild, and the motor is a bit tired. Then again I ran my old 750 Duc for years with nothing but valve adjustments, that bike ran great and the bottom end had never been apart.

I am sort of the if it ain't broke don't fix it mentality, but these are race bikes, we run them hard and I'd rather do the work than have it blow up on me.

Also, the forks haven't been apart since '06 when I had them at GMD. The bike handles great and I'm reluctant to mess with a good thing......

[Ducmarc]

cheap ass.......  captains at Atran must make 15 or 16k a year.   really you're due for rod bearings and check rods  for size. rings are cheap and you know the guides are loose .  at least have Al freshen it up , especialy since hard parts  cranks and heads are really expensive. i've been on the look out for a crank since they came out and the cheapest has been 500 bucks.  you still running the 996?

[Gino230]

cheap ass.......  captains at Atran must make 15 or 16k a year.   really you're due for rod bearings and check rods  for size. rings are cheap and you know the guides are loose .  at least have Al freshen it up , especialy since hard parts  cranks and heads are really expensive. i've been on the look out for a crank since they came out and the cheapest has been 500 bucks.  you still running the 996?

Ha Ha! Did Chris put you up to this? He says cases should be split, check the crank for cracks, rod bearings, etc. Sounds expensive but I guess I had better bite the bullet, I've had it easy so far and it will be worse if it goes bang.

I still have the 996, but I haven't been riding it, it makes the weekend doubly expensive. I haven't ridden much at all lately, there's still a recession going on at the Tranny and we're all working harder for less, right?  Things should be getting better soon, just ask Obama!

[Ducmarc]

same here wanted to do daytona in the fall but that's shot.  unless markie wants to do something when he heals up i'm going to wait till feb.  maybe do a track day when it cools down

[roadracer162]

Can we get both of the 748's out there and maybe even Gino's 996. I've got some Dunlop take-offs to try.

[Gino230]

Hmmmm I've never ridden Dunlops before. Heard the N-Tecs are the shizzz...

[Ducmarc]

that would be fun   i dunno the tombstones tried to kill me so i think i'll stay with them,  atleast i know were their limit is   i think

[roadracer162]

Well we can do a little i,promtu tire test. I've have Some Dunlop take-offs from Chris, and some Bridgestones in the 180 rear, and also the Michelin already on the 748. I could get a set of Continentals for shits and giggles and try them all on the 996 and the 748's both on the A and B bike. The B-bike needs a shakedown run anyway.