Bike hesitates after high rpms (and a few other issues)

[Timmy Tucker]

So this is a recent development over the last few weeks. I've noticed that whenever I really wring the shit out of my bike, as in WOT up to the imaginary red-line (no tach), the bike feels starved for fuel when I upshift and go WOT again. Not quite like it's gonna stall, but there's enough of a hesitation to get my attention. When it hesitates, I have to drop back to half throttle for about 2 seconds and then it'll go WOT no problem. It's never done this before.

Also, out of the blue (and around the same time) she doesn't want to go into neutral anymore. Had this problem the first few weeks I had it, but I chalked it up to being a n00b as it went away about the time I started getting comfortable with the bike. Have had no probs whatsoever getting into neutral since then.
All of a sudden, I can't get it into neutral at all and I'm getting a lot of false neutrals. Took me 15 mins to find neutral today just to warm up the bike for a ride. And you can forget trying to find neutral at a light, although I generally don't anyway unless I absolutely need my left hand for something (ie. random public masturbation). I have noticed that under hard acceleration (I'm seeing a pattern here?) the neutral light will flicker on and off, (along with random other lights on the dash, but not in sync w/ each other).

Any ideer's?

Oh... and my bike is slow as shit. Got make the beast with two backsing smoked by a ZX6R the other day. Really bad. But that's just the way the 750's are right?

[Howie]

Your hesitation is a big question.  Start with a new fuel filter and then check spark plug color after a run with new plugs. 

As far as not finding neutral, bleed the clutch and check for a leaking slave cylinder.

[Timmy Tucker]

As far as not finding neutral, bleed the clutch and check for a leaking slave cylinder.

Good catch. My slave cylinder is leaking a little bit. I noticed it when I changed my front sprocket a while back. I thought "I need to fix that" and had forgotten about it until I read your post. Thanks.

Is fixing the slave cylinder as simple as replacing o-rings/gaskets or does the whole thing need to be replaced?



As far as the filter/plug thing, that will have to wait till after Christmas. Leaving town tomorrow for a week or so.

[Howie]

On your '99, yes, assuming the bore of the slave is still in good condition.  I think an aftermarket replacement like Yoyodyne's is the better way to go, budget permitting:
http://www.yoyodyneti.com/ProductInfo.aspx?productid=D002
Call for fitment for your year.

Motowheels has an Oberon on sale:
http://www.ducatimonsterforum.org/index.php?topic=54254.0

A good bleed may get you through for a while.

[ducpainter]

There is a replacement piston available with a double seal that should last longer than a stock seal.

I think it's an evoluzione product.

[Howie]

It is.  Their web site doesn't seem to be working.

http://www.evoluzione.net/

[Timmy Tucker]

Just walked in the door from xmas vacation. Haven't had a chance to look at the bike yet but did have a thought after a conversation with someone about it. I have run ethanol free almost exclusively thru my bike since I've owned it. Since I moved (when the trouble started), I've been using gas w/ ethanol. Any chance this might have something to do with the hesitation? Just thinking out loud here...

[Howie]

Just walked in the door from xmas vacation. Haven't had a chance to look at the bike yet but did have a thought after a conversation with someone about it. I have run ethanol free almost exclusively thru my bike since I've owned it. Since I moved (when the trouble started), I've been using gas w/ ethanol. Any chance this might have something to do with the hesitation? Just thinking out loud here...

Yes, it could.  Ethanol is a great solvent and can move old junk around.  Before going through too much, try the filter change and maybe some Sea Foam.

[Timmy Tucker]

Will do. Thanks.

[Timmy Tucker]

Going back to the neutral issue for a bit...

Checked the fluid and the level is fine. It's still up above the sight glass. Pulled the coffin cover to confirm and it's definitely good. Would a slight leak still cause these issues if the fluid level wasn't low? (the level hasn't noticeably changed in 2-3 months, if not more)

Have also been considering the Factory Pro shift kit. It's supposed to improve shifting and help with finding neutral. I forgot to mention that I've also always had issues with missed shifts going from 2nd to 3rd. Happens maybe 10% of the time at the most, but only when going up from 2nd to 3rd. I hate to fork out $100 for something if there may be a deeper issue though. Any thoughts on this upgrade?



Btw, threw some seafoam in the bike today, will pick up a new filter next week. Will report on that after another tank or two of gas.

[ducpainter]

If fluid can leak out, air can get in.

You need to fix the leak and bleed.

Don't spend the money on the shift kit.

[Timmy Tucker]

If fluid can leak out, air can get in.

You need to fix the leak and bleed.

Don't spend the money on the shift kit.

Gotcha. Thanks.

[Timmy Tucker]

So I checked the plugs while I was going over the bike today. The horiz cyl plug looked really good. Probably the most textbook example of a good plug I've ever seen.

The vert cyl plug looked like this:



White buildup means that this cyl's running lean right? (it's actually a little worse than it looks in the pic) Is it normal for there to be that much difference between the 2 cylinders? The plugs have approx 7000 miles on them, fwiw.

[koko64]

It looks white over black on my screen. Is that how it looks to you?
If I'm seeing right it's rich at one rev range and lean at another.
If it is just a carb issue then consider a carb cleanliness, carb settings, jetting, mileage on pilot jets and float levels.

[Timmy Tucker]

It looks much more white in person. I'm gonna run a tank or two of seafoam and see where that gets me before I mess with anything else.