[size=150]1994 / 1995 M600 Monster Choke cable conversion[/size]
The centre yolk mounted coke on the 1994 / 1995 600 Monsters is not great, if fact it’s rubbish, when we got Dylan’s 1994 slightly unloved but quite original example it had been replaced with a bodged up piece of wire, braided hose and a keyring, it looked rough, but it did actually work, and probably was on there longer than the standard one.
When we stripped the bike down to tidy a few things up we bought a new choke cable assembly, (part number 65540021A) and also the centre yolk mounted holder (part number 82911281A), as this was missing too, which came to £50.00 with the VAT.
This was never a very good mechanism, it’s difficult to control, you have to take your hands off the bars to adjust it, and a few weeks ago it failed, I went to move it, pulled the choke and it pulled straight out of the holder, the inner cable had rusted through, and on closer inspection I could see why, the loop under the bottom yolk provides a lovely water trap, and water getting into the top on the lever just sits in the loop.
So I had already looked at changing the mechanism as the later handlebar mounted ones like the one on my 900sie is far better, and has lasted 14 years.
So I looked at the spares diagram for the 2001 M600 and noticed that the carbs and bracket seems to be the same as the earlier ones, and the clutch master cylinder on the earlier bikes also had the 2 off 3mm fixing hole for the lever, so I got hold of the later mechanism and cable (part number 65540031A) this was new old stock from eBay, as far as I know this is still available for the dealers, (as is a hell of a lot of parts for the early Monsters).
So to do the change over…
You will need:
• The later choke cable and lever assembly part number 65540031A
• 2 off 3mm x 17mm long countersunk screws part number 77752102A (if you need to order them from Ducati)
Fitting:
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Remove the petrol tank, I find the easiest way is to turn off the petrol tap, pull off the pipe from the downstream side of the tap, and unbolt the tap, this comes off with the tank and saves having to drain down, unplug the sensor wiring pull out the pivot pin after removing to split or R pin on the off side, remember this pin must go back in from the near side due to the tank cut out.
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Next the airbox, yes unfortunately the cable joins the carbs under it, (just be grateful that you’re not doing the throttle cables!),
a. undo the four clips, two either side and lift off the top with the filter, NOW before you go any further, stuff a rag or screwed up newspaper in the mouths of each carb, this will prevent any dropped screws going through into the head,
b. The top half of the airbox must come off to allow the airbox to come off, there are 12 pozzidrive selftappers holding it together, the three at the front are a swine to remove, the front one in particular, so much so that we now don’t bother with this one, I think you will need to remove the ignition switch to get at it, and use a long screwdriver.
c. With this off disconnect the battery, negative first the positive, and remove.
d. Next disconnect the cables, the 2 way ones form the pickups to the CDI boxes, red & white on the nearside, black & yellow on the offside, carefully pull them out to the nearside away from the airbox.
e. Disconnect the 2 way connector on the offside of the airbox from the CDI units
f. Unclip the red positive cable and connector from the rear offside of the airbox
g. Unclip the 30A fuse holder from the offside of the airbox
h. Unplug the ht leads from the spark plugs and pull out of the frame
i. Next unbolt the airbox, slacken the 2 hose clips between the carbs and the airbox, one above each carb
j. There are 3 fixings that hold the airbox down, two at the back on either side under the battery, and one at the front nearside accessible from below
k. The rear nearside one also has a locknut below which is the main earth connection for the battery and loom, check these out before disconnecting, the undo the nut and the battery earth strap will be free to come off.
l. Undo and remove both rear fixings from above.
m. Undo and remove the front nearside fixing from below
n. The starter solenoid sits in a rubber housing below the airbox, push this out before you list the airbox.
o. There may also be a bracket which holds the carb heater tap on the airbox, this is missing on our bike?
p. The airbox should now be free to lift off. -
Now to remove the cable,
a. Undo the bolt holding the end of the outer cable to the carbs and unhook the nipple from the white slider.
b. Undo and remove the clamps holding the handlebars on, whilst holding the bars steady, the pull the choke lever and housing out of the top yolk, the whole cable should pull tough and come out. -
Now to fit the new cable
a. First you will need to take off the left hand switch pod
b. Then pull off the left hand grip
c. Slide the new choke lever over the bars and fasten to the clutch master cylinder with the 2 off 3m x 17mm countersunk screws
d. Re-fit the switch pod and the grip
e. Thread the cable through between the clocks and the top yolk, along the right hand frame rail and hook the nipple into the white slider and fix the outer cable under the clamp, try the lever, the white slider should move left/right with the lever.
f. If that seems to work ok, then the bike can be put back together -
Re-assembly is pretty much the reverse, with just a few important things to remember:
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Make sure that no cables or fuel hoses are trapped when re-fitting the airbox
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Make sure that the starter solenoid is popped back into the rubber housing under the airbox
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Make sure that the small plug on the starter solenoid is still pushed in.
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Bolt down the airbox before tightening up the intake rubber hose clips, otherwise they tend to pop off the carbs.
[size=150]Remember to take whatever you stuffed into the carbs inlets out, after fitting the top of the airbox, but before fitting the air filter and lid.[/size]
