ducatipaso.org

I was wondering if any of our guys have used the MBP Collet Sets. They are available at Bebel Heaven. I wished I used them the last time I adjusted the valves. It sure makes sence. The originals wear in a very poor shape and had to be replaced before feeler gauging the gaps.

http://www.bevelheaven.com/stuff-for-sale-MBP.htm

Yes, Max makes a good point. I have found that frequently the valve will be out of adjustment. But when I check the split-rings holding the closer shim in place, they are either flattened a little bit, and on one occasion, one of the split rings had broken in half. That can't be good! But it didn't cause any problems for me.

Fitting new split rings will frequently put everything back into tolerance, with no new shims.

So if you've got a valve out of adjustment, first thing to do is throw some new split rings in it. I believe Ducati says we're supposed to change them every valve adjustment, but I haven't.

I have no experience with the MBP collets, but know that Martin Brickwood is a man with a great deal of knowledge on Ducatis! He sells his own brand of Ducati head for the 748 called a TestaRosso, only $3000(!) but the power gains are tremendous, something like 20%!

the idea may be great, but what spent $ 125 for ?
They may save the valve clearance to go out of adjustment for a longer period of time, but they won`t prevent that you still have to check valve clearance periodically. You probably won`t have to "reshim" (if that word exists) for a longer period, that`s it.
Then the stock half rings don`t cost by far that much.
So I doubt that`s worth it, but that`s just my opinon.

Gerhard

I put a set in my Monster a couple years ago. I actually had a problem getting the closing shim off one valve stem because the stem had 'mushroomed' around the half-rings - so that the shim wouldn't slide past divot in the stem. (Plenty of wet-sanding later, the shim was freed - but what a nuisance.) MBP's collets basically eliminate any tolerance margins between the shim and the valve stem - they fit a square profile (cross section) into a square hole, whereas the stock half-rings have a round cross section - so Martin basically changed the "round peg in a square hole" to something more appropriate.

Supposedly you can up your valve check interval from 6k to 18k with these collets. I still checked at 6k - just in case - an everything was I left it when I closed up the valve service 6k ago. But then - even at 30k, I hadn't adjusted the shims. So make of that what you will.

It's valve service time on the Paso now, and I'm planning to install MBP's collets in this bike too; I'm happy with them.

Hey faster, Shouldn't that Valve Service have been done during your "Off Season" you should be riding the Paso now not fixing the Old Girl!

Guys,

I have to do valve adjustment. Has any one have anything to add to this discousion after two years ? I like to swap to MBP collets.

fasterdammit wrote:I actually had a problem getting the closing shim off one valve stem because the stem had 'mushroomed' around the half-rings - so that the shim wouldn't slide past divot in the stem. (Plenty of wet-sanding later, the shim was freed - but what a nuisance.)

On my ST2, I had the very top of the valve stem mushroom where the opening shim went and the closing shim would not slide off the stem. I had to lightly sand the stem to remove the closing shim.

fasterdammit wrote:Supposedly you can up your valve check interval from 6k to 18k with these collets.

Just using the OEM arrangement, I have resorted to skipping the 6k valve intervals and only do the valves every 12k on my ST2. I did the 6k and 12k, but then skipped to the 24k. Not a single valve was out, but three were near the outer limits, so I changed them to get them back in the center. I just did my 36k last week and I had two that were out of spec, but only by 0.001"-0.002". I still check my belt tension every 6k, though.

I replaced the stock half-rings with the MBP collets this spring. They fit almost perfectly, only taking up about .001" of closer clearance. If your closers are a little loose, the collets may help you by making the clearance a little tighter!

I can't report on the effect on valve clearance, as I haven't reached my next inspection interval yet, but there were no issues with installation, and everything seems fine so far.

So if you order a set of collets for a Paso I take it you are ordering a set for a Pantah twin?

It is all here, http://www.mbpducati.com/

JWilliam wrote:So if you order a set of collets for a Paso I take it you are ordering a set for a Pantah twin?