1969 350 desmo cylinder head removal and refurbishment

[DBDBrian]

A Goldstar acquaintance was complaining about the procedure to ascertain the correct thickness of the head gasket, which in effect is a shim.
I replied, you have obviously have never worked on a Ducati.

[Jordan]

OK.
I arranged to go for a ride with a friend who had a Japanese bike.
He rode over to my place, and saw that I'd removed the head from my Ducati 350 Desmo.
I did that because I saw a worrying particle of what looked like melted metal stuck to the spark plug electrode, but there was nothing bad to see inside.
"Well, the ride's off" says my friend, thinking it were a lengthy job to put it together again.
"Not at all" said I, and the reassembled bike was started within 30 minutes.
My friend, who is a Honda-trained motorcycle mechanic, was astonished.
I confess that I had recently worked on the engine, so was practiced in the procedure.

[DBDBrian]

Perhaps you missed a vocation as a Ducati works mechanic Jordan, well done.

[HMBAtrail]

I've used Retrospeed a couple times in the past for cylinder head work. They come with a solid reputation, primarily in the Ducati twins.

https://retrospeed.net/

[neal69duc350d]

Thanks for the recommendations. Will check out David Chrone and Retrospeed.

[Eldert]

Hi Neal

if you supply the parts needed for a refurb. you will make it a lot easyer for a shop to do the work .

a jig or a fixture to hold the head would be a plus to

just buy guides and 2 valves from the Ducati vintage store or Lacey Ducati and go from there

Eldert

[Duccout]

Apparently Syd's are still in business - someone in the USA collected a rebuilt engine from them in mid-November this year.

[neal69duc350d]

Apparently Syd's are still in business - someone in the USA collected a rebuilt engine from them in mid-November this year.

Well as it turns out I was able to make contact with them -- they are just quite backed up from race-prepping bikes in the off season.

[themoudie]

That's always the way with anybody who has any idea about what they are doing. A lot of racers "race" and have no mechanical empathy! As long as the bike is faster than anybody elses, they cross the line first, the bike falling apart after the line is not a consideration. Throw more cash at it, or build a new bike after the end of the season!

Hope you get sorted.

Good health, Bill