I know this is a tech question, but thought maybe a fellow Twin Cities Duc owner could help me out. I have an 03 Monster Dark i.e. So, I've screwed up what was supposed to be an easy belt change. I got some misinformation on another board about how to put my bike in Top Dead Center. And come to find out, I was not in Top Dead Center when doing the belt change. Anyway, I thought I knew what I was doing so I proceeded to line up the vertical cam ticking mark with its corresponding mark on the engine case, and did the same with the horizontal. But after lining these up, the cam cog dot would never line up to the hash mark on the engine case. But it was sort of close. So I thought it was good to go and I removed the belts. Now I can't get things to line up correctly. When I first started the bike it didn't sound right. Timing was off obviously. But now it won't start at all. It just makes a "click" sound.
Am I screwed?
You are probably alright; close makes for poor running and no damage. I assume you don't have the service manual, it might be a worthwhile investment. Can you spin the engine manually? I only have the manual for the S4R so I can't look up the procedure for you on your engine and I have never done the procedure on your particular engine. But in the S4R manual there is a notice
Important
To ensure correct timing, the bolts (22) securing the pulleys to the hubs must be loose and positioned in the centres of their slots.
Fit the vertical cylinder timing belt around the camshaft pulleys and pass it behind the idler pulley.
Repeat the operation for the horizontal cylinder belt.
Bolt 22 are 3 bolts on the cam gears and allow for fine adjustments.
The only check for TDC of the pistons is alignment of the drive gear with the crankcase mark. There are a number of special tools for securing the crankshaft and camshafts when they are aligned.
Good luck
best advice is to take it to Silverback or Motoprimo or Delano and have it done properly, before you turn it into an Italian paperweight. Duc are not complicated but they are different than all other motors and you cannot just make guesses for this stuff.
after it is correctly installed ask some questions of the tech, buy the book, and be careful. good luck.
Many have made this mistake, wrongly assuming this is a simple task. While it is not a complicated task, it is a task that has a wright and a wrong way to do (no in the middle, "close enough", here).
almost all Ducati operations are specific and require specific knowledge.
Check out the video's on Youtube about changing Ducati 2V Belts. Ducatitech.com has lots of good advice.
Link to Ducatitech.com's video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9vzPZ84ZRjU
It really helped me when I did the belts on my 99 900 last year. Mine hads punch marks on the head an pulleys that must be ligned up.
Good luck.
[wine]
Great news!!!!!!! Bike is running as good as new. The whole timing issue for me was that on my belt pulleys there were painted yellow dots, which as a first-timer belt changer, I assumed to be the timing marks. But after getting a lot of help from some great folks on ducatiomonster.org, I found the original drilled timing marks and got everything lined up as it should be. My battery had died at the same time of the belt change, so I was waiting biting my nails until the new battery I had ordered arrived. Today was the maiden voyage and everything is beautiful.
So many thanks for those that offered help on this forum.
People had me freaking out, but crisis averted. And now I've learned even more about my lovely bike.
Cheers!