Wet carbs.

[Hez67]

I have to ride along three motorways to work everyday and by the time I'm coming into Bolton I'm cutting out every time the rev's drop. I've traced this to the air box that fills with water even when it is just wet not just raining. I don't think the cold and altitude around Bolton are helping either. The air intakes appear to be drawing a lot of water in as they point forward and down. Does anyone have a similar problem and if so have they found a solution.

[Lucazade 749s]

Originally Posted by Hez67

I have to ride along three motorways to work everyday and by the time I'm coming into Bolton I'm cutting out every time the rev's drop. I've traced this to the air box that fills with water even when it is just wet not just raining. I don't think the cold and altitude around Bolton are helping either. The air intakes appear to be drawing a lot of water in as they point forward and down. Does anyone have a similar problem and if so have they found a solution.

Forward and down?!
Did you do any mods to that bike?
Air box is a big square with air filter sitting on top. Air filter is facing top and a small angle down. On top of air filter there is a cover with two holes just above the middle towards top of air box. Those holes should have two rubber tube shaped items facing forward. In that situation it can **** down with rain and only small amount of water goes in. Let us know how it looks like or better yet make pictures.
Check if you have an air filter as it can be removed to get more BHP and great sound, bike would need fuel setup when removing or putting back.
If you have that air box as described with filters then get a driller and make couple more holls for water to drain. Also check your current drain hole, might be stuck.

[Derek]

Originally Posted by Lucazade 749s

...If you have that air box as described with filters then get a driller and make couple more holls for water to drain. Also check your current drain hole, might be stuck.

Drilling holes in the airbox below the filter will somewhat defeat the purpose of the air filter!
The usual reason for cutting and misfiring at low revs at this time of year is carb icing which has been covered many times on this forum. Try a search.

[Lucazade 749s]

Originally Posted by Derek

Drilling holes in the airbox below the filter will somewhat defeat the purpose of the air filter!
The usual reason for cutting and misfiring at low revs at this time of year is carb icing which has been covered many times on this forum. Try a search.

Did not think about carb icing. I used Silcolane Pro FST for that works a treat. Problem is his bike is running fine for a while and then starts acting up which means moisture or water is collecting some how in air box. There are already hols in air box for removing excess water. They have rubber hoses fitted which go all the way to bottom of bike so no problem re something going in to air box. You can get a filter at the end of that as well

[Hez67]

The venturi icing would explain the slow revs at times, unfortunately not the excessive amount of water in the airbox. It has the two forward pointing air scoops at the top and under the tank. These do seem to sit behind a bottom lip of the tank under these is the cover and filter below this the two carb bellmouths, and then in a well at the bottom is a small drain hole with a short rear facing tube half an inch in length that sits slightly raised from the bottom so seems a bit ineffective. After drying and cleaning the box yesterday. riding home in the dry and then riding in today in wet but not excessively wet weather I opened the airbox and there was water dropps in the box around the bellmouths and a small puddle of water in the bottom well, Because she was on her sidestand it had pooled around the drain hole rather than draining. Drilling a small hole would solve the pooling I think but there does seem to be a lot of water coming in somewhere. And to the best of my knowledge there have been no modifications to the standard that I can see.
HELP this is becoming a pain the landscaping lads are there every morning and I would rather turn with a functioning bike rather than to a corous of haven't you sorted that yet
Cheers Hez.

[Lucazade 749s]

Originally Posted by Hez67

The venturi icing would explain the slow revs at times, unfortunately not the excessive amount of water in the airbox. It has the two forward pointing air scoops at the top and under the tank. These do seem to sit behind a bottom lip of the tank under these is the cover and filter below this the two carb bellmouths, and then in a well at the bottom is a small drain hole with a short rear facing tube half an inch in length that sits slightly raised from the bottom so seems a bit ineffective. After drying and cleaning the box yesterday. riding home in the dry and then riding in today in wet but not excessively wet weather I opened the airbox and there was water dropps in the box around the bellmouths and a small puddle of water in the bottom well, Because she was on her sidestand it had pooled around the drain hole rather than draining. Drilling a small hole would solve the pooling I think but there does seem to be a lot of water coming in somewhere. And to the best of my knowledge there have been no modifications to the standard that I can see.
HELP this is becoming a pain the landscaping lads are there every morning and I would rather turn with a functioning bike rather than to a corous of haven't you sorted that yet
Cheers Hez.

Inspect the airbox if it is not cracked so that water can go in side. Check your drain hole if it is not blocked. If you want then make a small hole but put a longish drain pipe to prevent any crap getting in to it. Also try to make it fase back and down. Use silkolene pro fst or other product for carb icing it will help the bike run better. Check if the top cover of airbox is attached correctly as if it is not some water might go under the filter. Also is filter fine?

[Hez67]

The drain pipe in already is slightly raised so I have had to put a small hole just behind it to give some protection from the original and now fabricate up some pipeing to it. I'm also now refitting the filter seat with silicon sealant instead of the original gasket. Then I'll check the seating of the cover and let you know how that works as from the look of the weather here I might be better with a canoe rather than the bike tonight. The filter appears fine but as a precaution next wage day I'll be visiting Ducati Manchester and replacing it.
The best bet though will be to check the condition once home this evening and if all this hasn't worked I'm flumoxed.
Cheers Hez.

I also had another thought if I was to fabricate up a couple of triandular deflecters in front of the intakes but an inch or so away just in case it was excessive motorway spray might that work or am I restricting air flow too much?