Cam belt tensioner - Ducati.ms

**CDONA** · Aug 15th, 2008, 4:00 pm

A faint grumbling, found to be the rear cyl cam belt tensioner. Slacked off a bit to intermintent noise, found with a "special audio" screwdriver. The questions, is this a wear item or a warranty issue? Can it last 1k miles until the 7.5k service? No replies under search "cam belt tensioner pully"

Road Scholar · Aug 15th, 2008, 4:43 pm

CDONA,
You are not alone with a noisy tensioner, I remember reading, recently, about similar issues. Backing off the tension may lessen the noise, but will introduce missing at higher RPMs. If you have the talent to back off the tension, call your dealer and ask them to send you a replacement bearing, then bring in the suspect part.

If they refuse call the roadside assistance number 1-800-234-1353 and ask them to transport your machine to the dealer, ultimately they may "get the message".

Sorry to hear you are having this issue.

RS

GHEZZI · Aug 15th, 2008, 5:37 pm

Hey Road Scholar, just noticed your signature. Does that mean we Hyper owners are all rich?

Look at all the bitching on this forum, I got sealed cartridges in my front forks and that's poor quality in my book.

Monstermash · Aug 15th, 2008, 10:45 pm

It is definately a warranty issue. I brought my Monster in to my dealer the other day for the same issue. It has an appointment to get fixed the first week in Sept.

Road Scholar · Aug 16th, 2008, 7:51 am

Quote:

Originally Posted by GHEZZI

Hey Road Scholar, just noticed your signature. Does that mean we Hyper owners are all rich?

Look at all the bitching on this forum, I got sealed cartridges in my front forks and that's poor quality in my book.

I was wondering when someone would make this connection

Nothing about Ducati is "reasonably" priced, and yes many of the "upscale" features have large measures of surface quality....

BUT

As we all know, you can fix these "minor" irritations by carefully adding MORE MONEY, so being rich, so to speak, doesn't hurt

Owning a motorcycle like the Hyper is an open admission of excess, probably healthier than a crack habit, marginally more socially acceptable

HOWEVER

The riding experience is second to none, its about the ride, it's about going down the road and wondering if you are on a contrived mechanical platform or on a hyperactive magic carpet

debby · Aug 16th, 2008, 11:27 am

From what you're describing it sounds like a bad tensioner bearing, which is not unheard of with Ducatis. It's one of those little things you have to keep an eye on. I like to check the belts and those bearings every time I do an oil change.

I wouldn't ride it at all with the belt tension backed off. If it's too loose you're running the risk of having the belt skip and throw the cam timing off. The result of that is usually a bent valve, cracked valve guide, and cracked piston.

Of course it's possible the belt had been adjusted too tight and by backing it off you've made it right! A quick check would be to position that piston at TDC compression and check the tension using a 3mm allen key as a feeler gauge against the idler roller (not the tensioner). In the old days we used a 5mm allen key but these engines run the belts tighter. Of course the factory-specified procedure is to set the tension harmonically.

Anyway, definitely a warranty issue...

Debby

**Da_Bull** · Aug 16th, 2008, 4:07 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by Road Scholar

The riding experience is second to none, its about the ride, it's about going down the road and wondering if you are on a contrived mechanical platform or on a hyperactive magic carpet

This might be the best quote on this forum...

Caidly · Aug 16th, 2008, 4:13 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by Monstermash

It is definately a warranty issue. I brought my Monster in to my dealer the other day for the same issue. It has an appointment to get fixed the first week in Sept.

Monster- is your avatar from T6 at Loudon? Do you still race there? Or is that a track day pic?

EDIT- PM'ed instead.

**CDONA** · Aug 16th, 2008, 7:06 pm

Called Scottsdale, not in stock. Ducati is on summer break no parts shipped until Sept. Parts guy thinks it is a wear item ($65.), not warranted, but the service guy makes the call. Time for cyber shopping, part # 451.2.020.1A

GMP · Aug 16th, 2008, 9:48 pm

Measure it, likely its an off the shelf sealed bearing you can get at a bearing supply house for a fraction of the cost. I always try this first when I rebuild a motor, and sometimes you can get a better grade bearing than OEM for less money. Small Euro mfgs. rarely go with custom bearing sizes, unlike the Japanese.