new Paso owner

discussions specific to the 750 Paso

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birdduck
Posts: 83
Joined: Fri Apr 25, 2014 2:24 pm
model: 750 Paso
year: 1987
Location: USA

new Paso owner

Post by birdduck »

Hello friends! my name is James and i just purchased a 87 Paso :P
its in need of work, but i wanted a project. tore it down the instant it hit my garage.. carb off for cleaning and inspection, found a few things:
idle mixture screws had been over tightened slightly cracking the seat, upper gasket is junk, choke plate gasket falling out and like any old bike just full of
crud :shock:
after cleaning and a mock reassembly i got the bike idling somewhat smooth but the gasket is still leaking causing the engine to idle high for brief instances..
but idling at 1k is better than the 2.5k when i picked it up. i suspect one of the boots may have a crack, i couldn't find one but its in rough shape from saturation.
t-belts are cracked and need to be replaced of course new tires but other than that everything is working order :)
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randtcastell
Posts: 356
Joined: Fri Nov 13, 2009 4:33 pm
model: 750 Paso
year: 1987
Location: San Francisco Bay, California USA
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Re: new Paso owner

Post by randtcastell »

Excellent choice! Good timing on the purchase, prices are about to go through the roof. :lol: Seriously, an '87 Paso is a great ride!
1987 Ducati P750
1973 Honda CB450
2022 KTM RC390
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plasmid
Posts: 366
Joined: Mon May 10, 2010 9:49 pm
model: 750 Paso
year: 1987
Location: eu/us

Re: new Paso owner

Post by plasmid »

randtcastell wrote:Excellent choice! Good timing on the purchase, prices are about to go through the roof. :lol:
First they have to go through the floor ;)
Mc tool
paso grand pooh-bah
Posts: 1875
Joined: Wed Dec 05, 2007 12:35 am
model: 906 Paso
year: 1990
Location: Newzealand

Re: new Paso owner

Post by Mc tool »

James ( I don't believe Im saying this but ) put some new belts on it NOW , if one breaks it will #uck the whole engine , and that crack in the carb maybe a bit fatal too, someone else here had the same thing and I cant remember how it ended. If you want carb parts go to a weber specialist NOT a ducati one .....parts will be heaps cheaper
Hamish
I wish I was young again............Id be heaps smarter than last time
lane1feathers
Posts: 258
Joined: Thu Sep 20, 2012 11:48 am
model: 906 Paso
year: 1989
Location: Perth, West. Australia

Re: new Paso owner

Post by lane1feathers »

Mc tool wrote:James ( I don't believe Im saying this but ) put some new belts on it NOW
Ha ha ha, you managed to beat G. to the punch :D SOUND ADVICE...take it :thumbup:

If you're going to spend money on the weber you might as well buy a set of Mikunis and do the conversion. It sounds like you need new rubbers anyway. A new weber is out of the question as they are expensive. Check out my threads "mikuni experts, your answers please" and "the story so far" in the 906 section and it will provide a guide to the pitfalls I came across and how to easily overcome them. The Paso performs a lot better with them. Much better around town. You do lose some top end but IMHO a Paso is the wrong bike for high speed racing style riding...better in the twisties :thumbup: Yours, being a 750, won't have many of the pitfalls anyway :wacko: (sorry, just realized I'd jumped on the 750 discussions, not 906) so conversion will be that much easier.
You can change the belts yourself, it's easy. Youtube has at least one tutorial. Use the 5mm/6mm Allen key method to tension and you'll be sweet.
Lane
89 Dark Blue 906 Paso
Ducati Paso, It's an 'understanding'....
birdduck
Posts: 83
Joined: Fri Apr 25, 2014 2:24 pm
model: 750 Paso
year: 1987
Location: USA

Re: new Paso owner

Post by birdduck »

Yeah I hear yah on the belts, the previous owner is lucky they didn't break on him. Be had been riding it all over in the condition it was in. On the carburetor, I had kind of came to the same conclusion that it's most likely junk. I will spend the 8 bucks and get some gaskets but it may never idle right with those cracks. With the belts, the bike is staying in pieces untill they arrive on my doorstep. I don't want to risk it.. I have it idling and such now but that is it.
birdduck
Posts: 83
Joined: Fri Apr 25, 2014 2:24 pm
model: 750 Paso
year: 1987
Location: USA

Re: new Paso owner

Post by birdduck »

Image
birdduck
Posts: 83
Joined: Fri Apr 25, 2014 2:24 pm
model: 750 Paso
year: 1987
Location: USA

Re: new Paso owner

Post by birdduck »

Probably a good time to check valve clearance while waiting for parts.
Any good recommends on oil and spark plugs?
Last edited by birdduck on Mon Apr 28, 2014 6:10 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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paso750
paso grand pooh-bah
Posts: 5558
Joined: Sun Jul 18, 2004 12:00 am
model: 750 Paso
year: 1987
Location: southern Germany

Re: new Paso owner

Post by paso750 »

a bit of belt dressing spray and they are as new again :mrgreen:
The engine likes Champion RA6HC plugs.
You can try to spray some carb or brake cleaner on one carb rubber boot at a time and see if the engine reacts to that. Then you`ll have the leak.
While talking about rubber parts put new brake lines on your buying list as well. ;)

G.
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plasmid
Posts: 366
Joined: Mon May 10, 2010 9:49 pm
model: 750 Paso
year: 1987
Location: eu/us

Re: new Paso owner

Post by plasmid »

paso750 wrote:a bit of belt dressing spray and they are as new again :mrgreen:
The engine likes Champion RA6HC plugs.
Mine had the NGK's.

Switched to Champs. Eh ... harder starting, not as crisp, more 'organic' 'analog' muddy sounding.
NGK are more 'digital' like.
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plasmid
Posts: 366
Joined: Mon May 10, 2010 9:49 pm
model: 750 Paso
year: 1987
Location: eu/us

Re: new Paso owner

Post by plasmid »

birdduck wrote:Image

Good to go. Just cosmetic.

;)
birdduck
Posts: 83
Joined: Fri Apr 25, 2014 2:24 pm
model: 750 Paso
year: 1987
Location: USA

Re: new Paso owner

Post by birdduck »

Champion plugs are what come in lawn mowers over here.. I was hoping for a denso or ngk suggestion.. :/
That's what I was thinking, maybe hit the belts with some spray paint to restore color...
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paso750
paso grand pooh-bah
Posts: 5558
Joined: Sun Jul 18, 2004 12:00 am
model: 750 Paso
year: 1987
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Re: new Paso owner

Post by paso750 »

I tried Nippon Denso, NGK, NGK Iridium and then went back to the originally from Ducati recommended Champions.
That was before I did the wiring mod and replaced the coils. The Champions worked best for me (and the most expensive NGKs were the worst). Less backfiring and better starting. It`s possible that now that all is sorted the engine would run as well with the other spark plugs. I stuck to the Champions and didn`t try. (It might be that the Champions are less sensitive to their working environment.)
I`m not the only one who made this experience as can be read on this and other Duc forums.
pasoalf
Posts: 72
Joined: Tue Feb 03, 2009 9:44 pm
model: 750 Paso
year: 1987
Location: Switzerland

Re: new Paso owner

Post by pasoalf »

Oil: Valvoline VR1 Racing SAE 20-W50
My retired Mechanic used it for all Duc's (back in the 90s). I continue using it...
Paso 750/ 1987
Paso 906/ 1992
birdduck
Posts: 83
Joined: Fri Apr 25, 2014 2:24 pm
model: 750 Paso
year: 1987
Location: USA

Re: new Paso owner

Post by birdduck »

Cool, I have had bad luck with champions in the automotive field. Mostly why I was surprised that they were being used on a high end bike
Last edited by birdduck on Mon Apr 28, 2014 11:53 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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