Ducati 998s FE Final Edition (REPLICA but MODIFIED FAR BEYOND the Original) Build Thread

[BMW Alpina]

I am currently ordering more spare parts from Ducati and of course some of the spare parts is no longer in production...
such as the fuel hose that goes to the 2 injectors...

I need to replace this fuel hose because when I took of the original velocity stack from the throttle body, I accidentally kink the hose... beside they are 20 years old fuel hose so better replace them before they leak...
So here is the assembly and the left hose is clearly kink near the barb connection:





I will also need to figure out about this T Connection and the quick fuel disconnect below it:




So first I decided to separate the fuel line, the injector and the velocity stack by taking out the torx bolt... and I manage to take out the left side torx... but the Loctite on the right side was so strong that I actually end up stripping the head of the right torx... well...



Things does not always go the way we want it in life but... when there is a will there is a way

And using the extractor drill kit and about 3 hours of ... "effort" I managed to cut off the head of the torx thus separating the injection holder/hose and the velocity stack:


but... how about the lower part of the torx screw that still stuck...
well, there is always plier:


and finally:



Then let's test fit the injector holder/kinked hose with the JetPrime velocity stack:


Yes... gorgeous
So, then I decided to do some research on which hose I can use to replace the kink hose and utilized the injector holder plate (the plastic with the barb)...
then I am really curious why don't anybody make a billet injector plate.... because that plastic injector holder plate/barb will look so much nicer if they are made of billet aluminum so they will match the velocity stack from JetPrime...
and I have some idea

but in the meantime more pictures:

 

[BMW Alpina]

And here is the prototype that my younger son just 3D printed for me :




And below is my vision on how it should looks like :
AN6 PTFE inner hose with outer Aramid Fiber outer layer aka Goodridge 910 hose with some Goodridge forged 811 JIC (AN) fittings...
well I only have the hose (left over from my past projects) for now... but it's only an order away

 

[bp_SFV4]

When I've had screws with an exposed head strip like that, I cut a slot in the head with a dremel and used a flat head screwdriver to take it out.

 

[BMW Alpina]

When I've had screws with an exposed head strip like that, I cut a slot in the head with a dremel and used a flat head screwdriver to take it out.

Yes, bp_SFV4 I was initially thinking like you,
of either cutting the screw head to make it a flat screw or simply cut the heads off with the dremel, (thus all the blue painters tape to protect the plastic surrounding the screw):
a. But cutting the screw to make it a flat screw would most likely mean I also will cut the surrounding plastic area and those 3 layers of blue painters tape will still unable to protect the plastic area.
Initially I was thinking of reusing the plastic injection holder so I don't want' any scratch to it. Please note that the plastic injection holder is quite small with some bracing so a dremel wheel (even a used smaller cuting wheel) won't fit
b. normally the screw that can be opened using the method of making it flat screwdriver are stripped philips screw but this screw was already a TORX screw, meaning if a TORX screw head stripped, the force needed to open the screw must be way stronger than a flat head screw can handle... (unless I somehow can use an impact screwdriver)
c. but I also can't use impact wrench because it's plastic velocity stack
d. At one point during the drilling, I managed to jam fit my TORX bit and despite after the heat from the drilling (that boil the drilling oil), and all the counterclockwise movement of the drill bit, I still unable to open it using a 3/8 wrench, and eventually the torx bit slip again
e. The problem of using even more heat to weaken the loctite strength is, the female brass thread fused to the plastic velocity stack below it will turn and break from the plastic and if this happened, then the only way to separate them is to destroy the plastic velocity stack

f. I was then thinking of just cutting the head off with combination of dremel and drill bits... but then when I open a box containing all collection of my drill bits,... I suddenly realized I actually have a drill bit extractor kit that I bought long time ago and I forget about it... so... I decided to try and voila, the screw is out and no damage at all to the plastic injection holder...

Although all the above doesn't really matter now if I am going forward with machining my metal injection holder from Billet 7075-T6 thus the 3D printed prototype above
But still, I would like to keep this plastic injection holder in perfect condition, just in case...
I even already bought some spare fuel hose system (out of 1198) from eBay yesterday because I was so worried I will scratch it from dremelling

 

[BMW Alpina]

Finalizing the design for all the fuel hose. Initially I want to use the same quick disconnect like the Ducati Factory (just in metal material instead of plastic) which I already purchased and look like the 2 quick disconnect below:


But if I use the quick disconnect style above, I cannot use Goodridge 910 PTFE hose for the full length and need to have some kind of "adapter" with a "conventional boring rubber hose" because PTFE hose cannot use barb, and one of the fitting above rely on "barb"...

Then I noticed the other fitting above have threaded connection and it is 1/4" NPT... EUREKA this means I just need some 1/4" NPT to AN so I can get a full AN fuel hose system with Goodridge 910 PTFE hose

But that mean I I need to us AN quick disconnect... so hmmm.... well... that mean I need to rely on our good ol' friend at Staubli's for the quick disconnect , picture below

 

[BMW Alpina]

Today, I spent most of my time with my young sons who helped me doing the dremel sanding of some old 998 parts:

First this 998RS top rear shock link that have a deep scratch on it and I am start dremel sanding and later polish it:


and What Scratch ? :


Then... I just to test fit the second iteration of my Billet Injector Holder (using 3D printing for prototype of course) to make sure about the space under the tank and inside the airbox. Turn out plenty of space so there will be the third iteration :


The I mirror polished the CNC side stand bracket that arrived with many anodized blemishes from eBay seller in UK... I forgot to take before picture but this is the AFTER Mirror Polish picture:



Remind me of Motocorse :



Then I start taking out the outer hard anodized layer of the Ducati original rear brake caliper bracket for the 848 EVO so I can further mirror polish it... but as usual the first layer of hard anodized is the most pain in the rear to peel out... not to mention it smell like Sulfuric Acid...
Before and After

Well. the after picture above is not fully finished yet... but my old Dremel batteries need to be recharge so will continue soon.. luckily my younger son helped me with most of the sanding of this rear brake caliper bracket...

Then I Clear Coat the mirror polished CNC side stand bracket, but only able to clear coat one side, so need to wait for a week before it really dry then I can flip and clear coat the back side:


That is all the update for this weekend... I will be busy with office work next weekend... so maybe I try to steal some times during weekdays to do more DucatiMODIFIED activity

 

[BMW Alpina]

I found myself bored... so I decided to do more polishing of the rear shock upper link:


Here are the results, it is not full mirror finished because I want to preserve the "CNC/Machining lines" but it is smooth enough then when I coat them with Red Anodized Paint, they should look "SHINY" :




Hopefully, I can have time to paint them in about 2 weeks from now...

 

[PanigalePilot]

Today, I spent most of my time with my young sons who helped me doing the dremel sanding of some old 998 parts:

First this 998RS top rear shock link that have a deep scratch on it and I am start dremel sanding and later polish it:
View attachment 8633View attachment 8634

and What Scratch ? :
View attachment 8635View attachment 8636

Then... I just to test fit the second iteration of my Billet Injector Holder (using 3D printing for prototype of course) to make sure about the space under the tank and inside the airbox. Turn out plenty of space so there will be the third iteration :
View attachment 8637

The I mirror polished the CNC side stand bracket that arrived with many anodized blemishes from eBay seller in UK... I forgot to take before picture but this is the AFTER Mirror Polish picture:
View attachment 8638View attachment 8639


Remind me of Motocorse :
View attachment 8640View attachment 8641


Then I start taking out the outer hard anodized layer of the Ducati original rear brake caliper bracket for the 848 EVO so I can further mirror polish it... but as usual the first layer of hard anodized is the most pain in the rear to peel out... not to mention it smell like Sulfuric Acid...
Before and After
View attachment 8642View attachment 8643
Well. the after picture above is not fully finished yet... but my old Dremel batteries need to be recharge so will continue soon.. luckily my younger son helped me with most of the sanding of this rear brake caliper bracket...

Then I Clear Coat the mirror polished CNC side stand bracket, but only able to clear coat one side, so need to wait for a week before it really dry then I can flip and clear coat the back side:
View attachment 8644

That is all the update for this weekend... I will be busy with office work next weekend... so maybe I try to steal some times during weekdays to do more DucatiMODIFIED activity

great polishing H

 

[BMW Alpina]

great polishing H

Thanks so much PanigalePilot,

By the way, today a package arrived from UK. It's the high current starter motor cable kit from http://www.exactuk.com/

I deal directly with the super nice owner of ExactUK, and his name is Stu.
I initially saw his product on eBay but I decided to contact him directly on his website and he gave me a great discount.
So for all of you who need high current starter motor, I really recommend buying from Stu.

Here are the pictures... notice how nice they are :


I will combined this with the TE High Current Relay recommended by @Araitim who had done complete research when he upgraded his system along with the Lithium Ion Battery. The thread discussion is here: Lithium Batteries..
Thanks again Araitim

 

[BMW Alpina]

I had been away for business trips this whole week and when I arrived homes, so many goodies arrived :

First, BRAND NEW Throttle Body Assy. (Nothing Wrong with the old throttle body from the 998... but I figure, better get new one since I want everything to looks BRAND NEW):




Bought this 1198 Fuel hose/injector holder (used from eBay) last week in case I damage my original fuel injector holder... turn out I will not need this since I will be using CNC machine custom fuel injector holder... but it already purchased so here it is:


And Thanks to @Araitim recommendation, I purchased this high current starter relay from Speedcell:


Oh, almost forgot,
I buy this brake pedal from Attack because I need the rubber folding end lever to be used with the NCR brake lever:

 

[BMW Alpina]

It was a long long day at the (real) office today, full of "challenges", however all my tiredness and well tired went away when I saw the box from WRS.it on the floor of my (home) office

So Ohlins had long "discontinued" the upgraded DU 143 rear shocks for Ducati 748/916/996/998 long long long time ago as you can see on the Ohlins webpage here: Product | Öhlins
Screenshot below:


Basically this is the like the TTX-GP for Panigale V4. The DU 143 differs then the stock Ohlins because it have high and low speed damping adjustment.
Now, my stock Ohlins that came with my 998 is already looks "tired"... and initially I was looking to just replace it with a brand new stock Ohlins but that had been discontinued too...
So my hunt for the DU 143 started since October last year... but of course I can't find it anywhere... I contacted many Ohlins distributor and all of them don't have it anymore.
I even contacted Ohlins Sweden and Ohlins USA, plus I also contacted our forum official vendor Brad @MOTION SBK
Brad worked very hard to see if he can rebuild the DU 143 from spare parts... but turn out some of the spare parts had been discontinued too...
Then Brad asked Ohlins on the possibility of a special batch order for maybe 25 units, because we believe there should be some demand for this DU 143 on which Ohlins is considering it but then Ohlins don't really move forward...

At one point, I found a decent condition DU143 for sale on Facebook but... I still prefer to buy a brand new unit because I really want my bike to look brand new so I pass on this used but great condition DU 143

I also consider buying a "frankenstein" TTX-GP that was modified to fit the 998 from Ohlins local dealer in Europe, but that modified TTX-GP does not have the hydraulic pre-load adjuster so it did not look as nice as the original DU 143... not to mention... it is a "frankenstein" unit...
Well, I almost gave up and buy this "frankenstein" unit but then on my daily Ohlins "hunt" last week I found that WRS.it relisted the DU143 on their website....

I couldn't believe my eye and decided to reconfirm with WRS before placing my order... but when they got back to me, that unit no longer available... I guess someone bought it quickly...
so I decided to watch every single day and a few days ago, WRS relisted it again and I reconfirm, and WRS confirm it is available and it is really DU 143 (brand new)...
So I pay and voila it arrived....

I was so tense worry that it might be a mistake and it is not a real DU 143... so...
well, first my Labrador need to inspect the box as usual :


Move it to the table:


Check the label, and it is DU 143 (with Andreani group label), but well what about the inside, I mean label could be wrong... I was so worried...:


The Owners Manual say DU143. so this is getting better :


and... it is a REAL DU 143, the shock that Ohlins said had been discontinued... and if you check the label on the box above, you can see this is a new production batch from October 21, 2021
So I guess Andreani Group somehow able to pull some strings and get Ohlins to produced this again. I am just so happy because I finally got a brand new DU 143 (real brand new recently produced) and at price lower than the "Frankenstein" TTX-GP.
Below are the pictures... again so so happy

 

[Andy7]

Wow! Sometimes you get lucky your patience paid off Howard

 

[BMW Alpina]

Wow! Sometimes you get lucky your patience paid off Howard

Thanks Andy, there are a few more spare parts that I am still trying to find in brand new condition,... hopefully I will be lucky again

 

[BMW Alpina]

Today, I received news that BST factory is unable to produce a BST Rapid Tek Wheel with Anodized Silver Hub (similar to the official Superleggera V4 wheel). They can only produce in Anodized Black hub.
This despite back in October, I was in direct contact with BST factory in South Africa where they confirm this is possible which is why I had paid for the BST wheel since last December.
It is a disappointing news so I asked for a refund and received the refund right away.

I really don't want a totally black color wheel...
The good news is, this give me an opportunity to order custom painted Marchesini M10RS CORSE Magnesium Forged Wheel and I am currently in discussion with Brad @MOTION SBK to get this order moving forward
The lead time for Marchesini custom painted is around 20 to 24 weeks though (including summer August holiday in Italy)... so more patient is needed

 

[PanigalePilot]

Fantastic
A fairytale ending
Good read H

 

[BMW Alpina]

Fantastic
A fairytale ending
Good read H

Thanks PanigalePilot, Dreams Do Came True (sometimes)

By the way, today,...
AntiGravity Battery (again following great advise from @Araitim ) arrived. I never knew I can be excited with a battery unboxing, but it is a really nicely build battery
Now, I choose the largest size that still can fit in the stock battery bracket holder so this is not as light as the Skyrich Lithium Battery that came stock on V4S... however, I need all the power I can get to start the big bore 999S engine with High-Comp Pistal Piston so... 480CCA it is



Talking about battery, coincidentally an old battery tray from and old Ducati ST4 arrived today... I bought this old ST4 battery tray just because I need that upper zinc coated steel bracket since my bike did not have it anymore and Ducati no longer sell this bracket...
So I will recondition this bracket by cerakote it:


A box of Ducati Genuine parts worth around 2,000 euro also arrived today... in it there is also a brand new 998 battery holder (that plastic part on the top of the stack in the opened box):


I also just ordered the last batch of Genuine and NEW parts worth over 3,000 euro which I hope already contained all the parts I needed to make my 998 BRAND NEW again... well by replacing all the parts possible with brand new parts and basically only keeping the original frame and subframe.
Hopefully it will arrived sometimes next month.

Last, another NOS (New Old Stock) parts that no longer available from Ducati but available from DGarage an eBay reseller from Italy also arrived:

 

[DucRider_NL]

Besides the fun part of all the work & parts, I wonder what the complete bike will cost at the end.
Maybe you could have bought a SuperMono instead.......

Anyway good read and interesting thread of the best model Ducati ever produced, and I own several off them Keep em Going!

 

[BMW Alpina]

Besides the fun part of all the work & parts, I wonder what the complete bike will cost at the end.
Maybe you could have bought a SuperMono instead.......

Anyway good read and interesting thread of the best model Ducati ever produced, and I own several off them Keep em Going!

View attachment 8743

Hello DucRider_NL,
Welcome to the forum and that is a beautiful 998s.
Supermono is a nice Ducati, but it is NOT a Ducati that "STIR MY SOUL"

I used to owned the original 916 back in mid 1990's, that is why I bought my Panigale V4 25° Anniversario 916 and here is the build thread for it: DUCATI Panigale V4 25° Anniversario 916 BUILD Thread
After that, I felt like I still want to own the original (AGAIN), however, I want a slightly modern engine with less maintenance, so I decided on Testastretta which is 998.

I also do not want a bike that looks old/tired... I want it to look brand new so the best way is well, to replace as many parts as possible with brand new parts...

It will also be boring if I keep it standard since I never like to have or do anything standard... I always wants better than standard or hopefully be a reference standard,...
Plus this is a positive way to get over my mid-life crisis, so cost is not too much of a concern.

 

[DucRider_NL]

Nice one mate!! I’m also addicted to the brand and that specifically model era. Those 748R are in storage, same as the Bostrom and Bayliss…..

 

[BMW Alpina]

Wow, those Bostrom and Bayliss is like a Pair Match Made in Heaven
How long have you been collecting this 748/998?