MS4R valve clearances and intake valves dirty?

[carlosbarrios]

I just checked the clearances on my 04 S4R (996). The bike had an adjustment at 3k miles, then again a year ago with 11k miles, both times at the dealership. It now has 18k miles. I ride mostly on "backroads", sometimes pretty hard, but the bike is never on the track. I have a couple of questions since this was my first desmo valve check:

Closing shim clearance measured in two ways:
Method1) by pushing down on closing rocker and measuring opening clearance, then subtracting the original opener clearance
Method2) by measuring the clearance between the closing rocker arm and the cam lobe

HORIZONTAL cylinder (measured at TDC with the belts on)
Exhaust Opener Left .005 - shaved shim down to .006
Exhaust Opener Right .005 - shaved shim down to .006
Exhaust Closer Left Method1 .004 / Method2 .005
Exhaust Closer Right Method1 .004 / Method2 .005
Intake Opener Left .004
Intake Opener Right .004
Intake Closer Left Method1 .002 / Method2 .005-.006
Intake Closer Right Method1 .004 / Method2 .006


VERTICAL cylinder (measured at TDC)
Exhaust Opener Left .009 - changed shim, now reads .006
Exhaust Opener Right .008 - changed shim, now reads .006
Exhaust Closer Left Method1 .005 / Method2 .005
Exhaust Closer Right Method1 .004 / Method2 .004
Intake Opener Left .004-.005
Intake Opener Right .004-.005
Intake Closer Left Method1 .004 / Method2 .006
Intake Closer Right Method1 .004 / Method2 .006

As you can see, I got different measurements for closing clearance using the two methods. I'm not sure how hard you need to push down on the closing rocker to use Method1, but I thought I was pushing down pretty darn hard. The obviously different one is the Vertical Exhaust closing clearance. Any thoughts?? I tried using a screwdriver covered with tape as a lever, using the cams. That seemed to work better, was easier, and I think safer.

If Method2 is the method to be trusted, I believe I fall well within Ducati Factory specs, but I'm on the edge with other "more commonly" used specs, which seem tighter, such as the ones posted here and LT's ".006 for Exhaust opener /.004 for all other" specs. Should I replace/sand any other shims?

I'm going to take the cams out to inspect the rockers. Do you re-use gaskets? Are there any other gaskets/o-rings I should replace? It seems to me you can re-use metal gaskets unless they are damaged. True?

The other issue I have is when I looked at the intake valves through the port, a couple of them were pretty dirty. What's strange is that on the same cylinder, one valve was clean, and the other quite dirty. Is this common? and is it common for INTAKE valves to be this dirty?

http://www.ducati.ms/gallery/files/2...horizontal.jpg

http://www.ducati.ms/gallery/files/2...5/vertical.jpg

Thanks for the help!

[thelumox]

my intake valves looked exactly like yours. after searching the forum, and researching the subject a little, i switched to regular 87 gas from reputable sources; shell, texaco, chevron. i just looked, and my valves are MUCH better. i've tried, and i can't get either of my bikes to ping on reg gas.

[DEMON]

im going to try this one more time, i check the closers a diferent way- remove the belts, turn the cam till it starts to actuate the valve, insert a feeler gauge between the closer and the shim(this gives a bit more clearence), rotate cam on its closing lobe to feel for drag, if none insert a thicker one... you get the point. this way you do not have forcing errors- hope this helps