fuel quick connects and spark plug questions! =)

[dragknt]

Two quick questions, since I'm at work and can't look over my bike in it's terrible state of disassembly (half-way through replacing the starter):

The fuel disconnects on the 98 916 are color coded, one's black and one's white. Also, the black one is towards the front of the base plate and the white one is towards the rear. I need to know which one is the send line and which one is the return line. The white/rearward one broke on me, but the Ducati dealership can't look it up by color or position, they need to know the flow.

Also...on ca cycleworks, they listed both of these spark plugs as an "all except testastretta" fitment:
NGK D8EA
NGK DCPR8E

Anyone use either of these, or can confirm the fitment? I read somewhere that the 'R' in the second number stands for 'resistor' and is a better plug, but I want to poll the board and see what you guys think.

I'm trying to work all this into my lunch break today (swinging by a local race shop for the NGK's because the dealer wants $28 per spark plug, then to the dealer for the fuel connector, which they'll rape me on to the tune of either $78 or $58, depending on wether it's send or return. :/ Just for the record, don't listen to the Haynes when it tells you that you can disconnect and prop up the fuel tank without separating the lines. :/

Thanks guys! Hopefully my incessant questions will be done by the end of the week and I can get back on the road!

[dragknt]

Well...went down to the local race shop...their book had NGK DCPR9E's as the OEM-spec replacement plug. The guy said the 8E's would run a smidgeon hotter, but it wouldn't hurt anything, and CA-Cycleworks had the 8E's for sale listed as the replacement part for all Ducati's except the Testastretta engine, so I went ahead and bought them. And instead of paying the dealer $75 for a replacement plastic fuel fitting, I bought a set of chrome-plated brass fittings off ebay for $65, male and female for both inlet and outlet lines.

So...hopefully it'll all work together.

[cachee0]

Originally Posted by dragknt

Well...went down to the local race shop...their book had NGK DCPR9E's as the OEM-spec replacement plug. The guy said the 8E's would run a smidgeon hotter, but it wouldn't hurt anything, and CA-Cycleworks had the 8E's for sale listed as the replacement part for all Ducati's except the Testastretta engine, so I went ahead and bought them. And instead of paying the dealer $75 for a replacement plastic fuel fitting, I bought a set of chrome-plated brass fittings off ebay for $65, male and female for both inlet and outlet lines.

So...hopefully it'll all work together.

Desmotimes sell those fittings. But they are chrome if you care.

http://www.desmotimes.com/

[DukeDesmo]

Originally Posted by dragknt

The fuel disconnects on the 98 916 are color coded, one's black and one's white. Also, the black one is towards the front of the base plate and the white one is towards the rear. I need to know which one is the send line and which one is the return line.

The front connector (Black) which is labelled 'M' (Mandata) is the send and the rear connector (White) labelled 'R' (Ritorno) is the return.

[dragknt]

Originally Posted by DukeDesmo

The front connector (Black) which is labelled 'M' (Mandata) is the send and the rear connector (White) labelled 'R' (Ritorno) is the return.

Perfect. Thanks, man. So it's my return fitting that snapped. :/ heh...oh well. When the new fittings get here I'll buy a bunch of FI hose and new clamps from AutoZone and just re-run the lines from the fittings. I can already tell how much of a money pit this bike is going to be. But not in a bad way. I probably won't be satisfied until I've dumped enough money into her to buy another one. lol

Anyone have any idea how long these threads are archived? I need to start making a compendium of all the great knowledge you guys have been giving me.

Also...thread lock (blue) on the crankase bolts? On the starter mounting bolts? On the LHS crankshaft bearing cover plate bolts? Should I just use blue thread locker on all the bolts? Should I pull the flywheel nut off while I'm in there and re-thread-lock it, or only if it's loose? Damnit...I told myself I wouldn't ask too many questions...

Originally Posted by cachee0

Desmotimes sell those fittings. But they are chrome if you care.

http://www.desmotimes.com/

Good tip, thanks man. They have tons of super useful stuff for sale...that's definately going in the bookmarks.