Engine swap question

[Dents]

i've been interested in trying to convert my carb'd 900 to fuel injected for a couple reasons.  1. The biggest reason is cold starting and slow to warm up makes it difficult to leave my house early in the morning.  I don't want to wake them with constant cranking.  2. I've moved to colorado and the carbs make it hard to run well at high altitudes.  I'd like to get a new bike but my wife is saying no and I've put so much $$ into mods I'd just hate to see them go to someone else for next to nothing.  I understand changing the carb'd engine would be a big undertaking but I saw a complete engine on ebay with everything for a reasonable price.  Do I have the option of putting any of the 1000 cc motors or later 900 fi motors to simplify the conversion?  i'd like to do as much of the work myself as possible.  Unfortunately wiring is not my forte but i am patient.

[zarn02]

I'm probably forgetting something, but I figure you'll need:

Motor & Throttle bodies
Complete wiring harness
ECU

Not sure about gauges.

And I think the bolts that mount the engine to the frame changed diameters somewhere around the time of the 1000 motor. Not 100% there.

Also, might move this to tech for a bigger number of more smarterer responses.

[Monsterlover]

I have some miscellaneous fuel injection parts that would help you along.

Throttle bodies with injectors

I think I have extra intake manifolds

I know I have a couple ECUs

Maybe some 900ss gages

Coils with plug wires

I might have a left side engine cover if you need it for ignition purposes (I can't remember if the Carb and ie bikes had different ignition pickups/side covers

Flywheel, if they're different. I have an extra.

Pm me if you're interested.

[Dents]

Thanks Dr. Phil, I need to do some serious research if I'm going to try to piece this thing together.  I'll definitely keep your contact information.  I've never ridden a fuel injected bike but I hear they are so nice and smooth.  Kinda what's so endearing about a carbed monster.

[Duck-Stew]

There's a horizontal tube parallel with the ground that the rear of the airbox bolts down to.  On a carbed bike, that tube is straight.  On an EFI bike, it has a curve to it to clear the horizontal cylinder throttle body.  Interferrance is about 1/2" so you can't fudge it.  Tube must be sectioned out, or a proper tube welded in.  (I'm not recommending sectioning out the tube, but I did ride my '99 M750i.e. like that for a few months and I survived.)

If youre planning on keeping your 900 engine:  You'll also need to know if you have a single or three phase charging system.  If it's single, then you'll need some custom fab help to make or modify a single phase alternator cover into an EFI cover (was never factory available).  If you've got a 3 phase charging system, then you'll need to swap the flywheel, timing gears and side cover over to those found on an EFI bike.

If you're swapping over to a 1000 engine (in addition to the above frame tubing mod), be aware that in 2001, Ducati went to a 12mm engine mounting bolt versus the pre-2000 model 10mm units.  Frame holes to receive the nuts/bolt-heads got correspondingly larger as well.  Tight fit and may require custom nuts/studs/etc...

If you swap to a 1000, you'll also need the dual-outlet ignition coils and an exhaust header as well...

All can be done, just a matter of weighing options, diminishing return on investment and how thin you'd like your wallet to be at the end.

[Drunken Monkey]

Not to rain on your parade, but unless you tune it correctly a 900 FI will run like crap at high altitude too.

Honestly, I'd go with properly tuned FCRs unless the motor is really cheap and/or you just want to do the project for shits and grins.

[Dents]

Thanks Duck Stew that is exactly what I wanted to know.  Its so hard to give up this bike but it is so hard to ride it when it takes about 5-10 minutes of dinking around to get it warm and started.  I'd love the 1000 engine but I think it would be really difficult to shim those engine mounting bolts as well.

Drunken Monkey had a good point about the FI bike running ability at high altitudes may not be what I was hoping for.  I guess I'll keep researching and more importantly keep working.

[koko64]

I have to admit, I was thinking the same as DM.

FCRs tolerate the cold weather and can be tuned to your preference. Have them tuned to start easy and for your locale and you won't have to bugger around with a major project.

I have ridden in zero deg C in mountains with no problems with FCRs. The stock carbs could not be a worse choice for those conditions.

I say go for it.

[koko64]

Hey D, how's it going?

Hope you get the overtime you need to get those FCRs. If you search for FCR threads, you'll find that they transform the bikes throttle response and are a very worthwhile modification.

Worth every cent and when tuned accordingly, will solve your problems without all the hassles of switching to FI.