Need help with left cover removal

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BillB01
Posts: 40
Joined: Mon Oct 07, 2019 7:24 am
model: 907 I.E.
year: 1991
Location: USA

Need help with left cover removal

Post by BillB01 »

I'm replacing my starter motor. I've read all I can find on this, but I'm still not clear on left cover removal.

I understand coolant and oil needs to be drained. Done that.

I've removed the 4 Allen bolts (and the smaller drain Allen) from the water pump cover to remove it first, but it won't budge. I've tried to lever it off from behind using a LONG open end wrench as a lever against part of the frame leveraging against the back of the upper neck on the cover, smacking the other end of the wrench with a hammer. I would expect it to come off pretty easily. Nope. Zero movement. What am I missing? I don't think I missed any bolts.

I assumed this needed to be removed from the main cover, although I read some comments elsewhere that some leave the water pump cover on, but then have to deal with pump drive alignment on reassembly.

A couple of other questions:
1. I see 3 bolts holding the hydraulic clutch slave on. Do I remove that? Do I have to deal with hydraulic fluid in either case? I see no mention of that.
2. What else needs to be removed from the cover? I'm leaving the proximity switch intact. I see something else above the hydraulic slave. I can't determine what that is. Seems to have a semi-rigid line going to it.


Any tricks or other advice for my starter replacement project?

TIA
Bill
91 907ie
Buckeye, AZ.
nickta
Posts: 295
Joined: Tue Jul 24, 2012 8:54 am
model: 907 I.E.
year: 1992
Location: Cairns, Queensland, Australia

Re: Need help with left cover removal

Post by nickta »

Hi Bill.
It's been a while since I replaced the spray bearing and pulled out the starter motor, but the memory should be OK, but as always, be careful with what you do.

The water pump doesn't need to be removed from the cover. The drive slots in to where it needs to go pretty easily. I have read somewhere that touching the water pump offers a great deal of pain with leaks and what have you afterwards. The clutch slave can just be removed and tied out if the way, so unless you pull in the clutch handle while it is off the bike, then all should be good and no bleeding will be required. I'm pretty sure the magnetic pickups are mounted on the cases, so these stay where they are. Saying that, the pickups are on the same parts page as the side cover, so I maybe incorrect here! I don't have the 907 in front of me, so can't offer an idea what you describe as the semi rigid pipe is? You will need to remove the front sprocket cover, as there are bolts that hold the cover on under it. Speaking of bolts, there are 13 or 14 of them, and there are 2 lengths. Simple way to remember which goes where is to get a piece of cardboard, draw the shape of the cover on it, poke holes where the bolts go and push them through as you take them out. It saves a shed load of time! The cover will need to be removed with the cover removal tool. Take the cover off on the side of the cover (yeah double Dutch there, but it's item number 23 on the parts page). Tighten the tool slowly and the cover will come away. A word of warning, don't over force this move, as you will have left at least one bolt in place. You put a bowl of Weeties into the removal process and a bolt is still there, chances are you will crack the cover! The cover will also have a gasket or gasket goo holding it on, so gently as it goes and check it as you go and you should be right. From memory there are 3 bolts holding the starter motor in place, 2 easy to get to, 1 a real pain in the date.

I think I got everything, though it is all memory based. If you think it needs to come off, just do it. Better to remove and then put it back on, than leave it there and break something and wishing you weren't going up that well known creek in Canada!

Cheers.
Nick.
Last edited by nickta on Sat Nov 02, 2019 1:55 am, edited 1 time in total.
BillB01
Posts: 40
Joined: Mon Oct 07, 2019 7:24 am
model: 907 I.E.
year: 1991
Location: USA

Re: Need help with left cover removal

Post by BillB01 »

Nick, that is very helpful. I have a cover puller. I'm ready to go at it now.
Bill
91 907ie
Buckeye, AZ.
nickta
Posts: 295
Joined: Tue Jul 24, 2012 8:54 am
model: 907 I.E.
year: 1992
Location: Cairns, Queensland, Australia

Re: Need help with left cover removal

Post by nickta »

No worries Bill, just remember what could possibly go wrong?

Oh, one thing I did forget. Oil can be left in the motor if you are not planning to change it. Oil only comes through when the motor is turned over. I managed to spill about half a litre before I found that out the hard way! I was lucky I was only doing it by hand and it was on polished concrete. You would be in deep shtook if you hit the electric button and on white pile carpet!

Cheers.
Nick.
BillB01
Posts: 40
Joined: Mon Oct 07, 2019 7:24 am
model: 907 I.E.
year: 1991
Location: USA

Re: Need help with left cover removal

Post by BillB01 »

I'm having trouble with one clutch slave bolt. Does the clutch slave need to come off?

FOLLOW-UP: Well, I got the clutch slave off and there appears to be a hidden cover bolt under the slave! Am I right or is it holding something else on? ANSWER: It is holding the cover on. Once I removed that the cover required almost no effort to pull off. I did have a few ounces of oil drip out. Bike is on the centerstand. Last time I started the bike was a day ago. I covered the exhaust with food wrap so the cleanup wouldn't be so bad.

I ended up removing the water pump cover. This should not lead to any leaks as the pump body stays in place in the cover. This simply allows you to turn the pump so the pump drive lines up during reinstallation of the cover.

Also, I removed a timing sensor located above the clutch slave. It has an electrical connector somewhere, but I could not find it easily. There is a bolt in the case below this sensor that allows you to view the end of the sensor. There is a section on these sensors in the workshop manual that mentions the position is critical. This one does not look adjustable. Anyway, I noted where the end was through the hole after I removed that bolt.

I have not come across a complete write up of the left side cover removal and starter replacement. I will probably post something to that effect. I'm definitely a Ducati newbie, but a summary by even a novice like me might help others who are a bit unsure of the process, like I was.
Bill
91 907ie
Buckeye, AZ.
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