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916 head gasket/cyl base gasket

5K views 15 replies 5 participants last post by  mjfrank 
#1 ·
Paranoia has gotten the better of me, and I have most of the bike apart to replace the timing belts and check the valves, so I'm thinking I may as well pull the vertical cylinder off and check for the oil galley plug problem.

Anywho, I just came back from the dealer, and was trying to get a replacement head gasket and base gasket for a 1997 916 Bip. They reported that the part numbers have changed from what I had in my book, and the cost of the head gasket has gone way up. The old price was about 62.00, the new price is 137.90! That's quite an increase.

Has anyone bought one lately? Did Ducati change these over the years? I have heard reports that the head gaskets had changed from fiber to metal, and required a new thicker base gasket to keep compression the same? Did that apply to the 97 models too? The part number I have is 78610055A for the head gasket. (The base gasket I have is a 0.3 thickness)

Also, does the base gasket need to be coated with anything? (it's steel) I used to use some stuff in a tube called Yamabond-4 (from Yamaha), it worked great but I'm having trouble finding it.

Thanks!
--Mike
 
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#2 ·
I just bought some about 6 months ago for my 853 conversion. I dont recall paying that much. I know mine were 0.4 thickness. I will try and find some part numbers. Also Ducati uses threebond for sealant. Yamabond 4 is the same Ducati Threebond in a Yamaha package. Stock up on it since its a known carcinogen and is discontinued till a new formula comes out. This comes from speaking directly to Threebond down the street from my house.

http://www.ducati.ms/forums/showthread.php?t=14763&highlight=threebond
 
#3 ·
I just ordered 2 new base gaskets, and 2 new head gaskets and a few other parts all for under 160 at my local dealer...for everything...that was for a 996 motor but I can't imagine the prices are that different? I could be way off base though.
 
#4 ·
996 copper head gaskets are around 150$ each (that's what I was quoted anyway), and use .6mm base gaskets.

916 fibre/metal composite gaskets are 30 ish each, if you can find them, and use .35 mm base gaskets. The head gaskets are around 1.2 mm thick, I'm not sure what the 996 head gaskets are but I think it is around .7mm.

Cometic sells base gaskets in whatever thickness you need from .24 mm up. They were 14$ each when I ordered them.
 
#5 ·
Crap, it sounds like the parts jockeys might be ordering the 996 gaskets.

Was there a redesign, or can the original 35.00 gaskets still be purchased. I wonder too, if Ducati changed the gasket design to the metal ones, I will probably need a .6 mm base gasket in place of the .3 . They said the number I had for the base gasket still matched up, and they had one in stock. It is marked on the package as 0.3mm .

Does anyone know of an online place to get the original head gaskets? I didn't see anything on ca-cycleworks (Chris Kelley) or DesmoTimes website. I checked on DucatiOmaha.com's site, and the original part number still references the head gasket with a price of 35.99. I might try to order them and see what I get.

--Mike
 
#7 ·
I think you'd need an x-ray machine to see that, it's on the side of the crank journal, and it plugs the oil galley that runs through the rod bearing section of the crank. You would have to get a borescope under the piston to see it.

If you are getting little finger-nail clipping looking pieces of aluminum in the oil pump screen, that's likely your problem. I am, and since I already have almost everything off the engine, I'm going to check it to be sure. That is, if I can find some reasonably priced head gaskets. :(

--Mike
 
#8 ·
mjfrank said:
I think you'd need an x-ray machine to see that, it's on the side of the crank journal, and it plugs the oil galley that runs through the rod bearing section of the crank. You would have to get a borescope under the piston to see it.

If you are getting little finger-nail clipping looking pieces of aluminum in the oil pump screen, that's likely your problem. I am, and since I already have almost everything off the engine, I'm going to check it to be sure. That is, if I can find some reasonably priced head gaskets. :(

--Mike
Yep go in thru the crankcase... Probably the drain plug during an oilchange.

There are a few different ones at work. All have a joystick to steer the camera end.. One even has a replacable hollow tube thru it that connects to a aerosol can. We use this to apply corrosion control products inside areas where its the only way to apply it.
 
#10 ·
mjfrank said:
Well, good luck, I hope it works for you.

It would be a hell of a lot easier than what I'm doing.

--Mike
With the right tools you can pull the heads,crack the cases, and re-assemble in a few hours. I found that out after I assembled my motor and realized I forgot a circlip for the timing layshaft bearing. OOPS!
 
#12 ·
Heli_Duc-Tech said:
Thats another thing. The case gaskets may be much cheaper..

Just crack the case for a look see?
Yeah, its called a 6 buck tube of Threebond. My 98 was sealed with RTV not a gasket.
 
#13 ·
Yeah I know, I've built enough 2 and 4 stroke single cyl. motorcycle engines to do it in my sleep now, but something about it being the Duc has me moving slower and being extra careful. I've already made the tools I need, so I'm good there. (head nut wrench and alt. case puller)

I'm glad to hear you have had success with this, it gives me a little more confidence.

Heli-Duc: The heads and cylinders have to come off before you can crack the case, the Duc cases are split longitudinally, not laterally like Japanese in-line fours.

--Mike
 
#14 ·
mjfrank said:
Yeah I know, I've built enough 2 and 4 stroke single cyl. motorcycle engines to do it in my sleep now, but something about it being the Duc has me moving slower and being extra careful. I've already made the tools I need, so I'm good there. (head nut wrench and alt. case puller)

I'm glad to hear you have had success with this, it gives me a little more confidence.

Heli-Duc: The heads and cylinders have to come off before you can crack the case, the Duc cases are split longitudinally, not laterally like Japanese in-line fours.

--Mike
Most of the things I wrench on say Boeing or Sikorsky on them... My bad...

Boroscope rental?
:confused:
 
#15 ·
No problem.

Borescope would be nice, but I wouldn't know where to rent them from. You wouldn't happen to be in St. Louis, MO would you? (wishful thinking ;) )

Thanks!
--Mike
 
#16 ·
Well, I placed an order through Ducati Omaha for the head gaskets. Their part lookup lists them for 35.99 under the old number (78610052A), so I'm keeping my fingers crossed that they can still be ordered.

The part number for the base gasket was different too, but they both show as 0.3 thickness, so I don't know what would be different. (original: 78610041A, replacement: 78610391A)

Please let me know if anyone has any more input on this.

Thanks!
--Mike
 
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