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Ducati Cam Specs

Latest revision: April ’07 999R ’05, 1098 Nov ’04 – valve sizes, Vee Two 1000 ds, ST3 and 749 added

A collection of std cam timing figures as given in the Ducati specifications, plus some aftermarket cam timing for cams from Vee Two and Schrick.  I’ll separate the 2V and 4V (into Desmoquattro and Testastretta), and clarify some of the 4V cam fitments, especially for the Testastretta models.

2V Cams.  All timing is given at 1mm clearance (or 1mm lift without any clearance)

Notes for the 2V cams

• Although some people allege the 900 Carb cams specs changed for the ’97 and FE models, all the part numbers are the same.  The listed specs are just different.  The specs for the earlier 900 Carb models are 20/60, 58/20, which are not correct.  These cams were also fitted to the 906 and 907ie.
• The small valve 900M engines – used in non ‘Special’ carb models from ’96 sometime until ’99 – used the 600/750 cam, along with 750 valve sizes.  See the “900 2V ENGINES: NOT ALL CREATED EQUAL” report.
• Not all cams are interchangeable.  The 1000 DS cams are unique, running in the head itself without ball bearings.  The 620/800 cams run in ball bearings like the earlier cams, but have two supporting bearings instead of three, and the location of these is different to the earlier cams.  You could make them fit if you really wanted to.  All others are physically interchangeable.
• ‘06090’ is the Ducati Performance 900 cam.  It is the same as the Vee Two 210 grind, and is now found under the part number 964034AAA.  See the “900SS CARB WITH SOME VEE TWO CAMS” report for results with this cam.
• The Vee Two 210 grind is referred to as a “torque” grind, whereas the Vee Two dyno graphs show the 212 grind to be a strong “top end” grind.  My ST2 had these cams fitted before I got to it, so I have no before/after experience with them.
• The Vee Two 300 grind is to fit the 1000 DS engine.

4V Cams.  Again, all timing is given at 1mm clearance (or 1mm lift without any clearance).  Although listed like the 2V cams, the 4V have separate inlet and exhaust cams, as in DOHC.  They are just listed with reference to engines for convenience.

Desmoquattro:

Notes for the 4V Desmoquattro cams

• ‘Std’ means all Strada models, 748S and USA 996S.  32/28 valves in ’88 – ’91 851.  33/29 valves in 748, all 851SP, ’92 851, 888, 916 and ST4.  36/30 valves in 996.
• ‘S4/ST4S’ have a different inlet cam with less duration, the exhaust is the same part as the Strada models.  The S4R uses these cams also.  33/29 valves in S4.  36/30 valves in ST4S, S4R.
• ‘996SPS’ cams were also fitted to the Euro spec ’01 996S, which has an SPS spec engine.
• ‘SP A/A’ are the cams fitted to the 851 Tri-colour Kit Race, 851 Corsa (?) and 851/888 SP2/3/4 models.
• ‘SP G/G’ are the cams that were fitted to the 888/916 Corsa bikes.  The G inlet cam was fitted to the 888SP5 and 916SP models, with an A exhaust cam.  The G exhaust was never fitted to a road model as far as I know; maybe the very rare 888SPS had these.
• ‘748SPS’ have the A exhaust cam, just with slightly different listed specs.  The inlet has similar timing to the A inlet, but 1mm more lift.
• ‘CORSA 431’ is the inlet cam introduced in the factory Corsa bikes around ’96 (along with the 996 capacity?).  This was superceded a couple more times before the Testastretta engine was introduced.  The Corsa models still used the G exhaust to the end as far as I know.
• The “996 Racing” cams that are (used to be?) listed in the DP catalogue are the ‘431’ inlet and ‘G’ exhaust.
• The Vee Two cams are listed as sets, although they may be available as mixtures of inlet and exhaust from different sets.  You’d have to ask Vee Two. 
• The Vee Two profiles are similar to some Ducati profiles: 601 – 748SPS inlet, G exhaust; 602 – 431 inlet, G exhaust; 604 – 996SPS inlet & exhaust; 607 – 748R inlet & exhaust.
• The ‘Circolo, Sportivo and Forza cams are made by Pete Smith at Epicycle (link on the index page).  They have no set timing/centreline specification, but would come with recommendations as to where to set them.
• The Schrick cams are also available from MSD, an Italian company.  Both list cams with identical specs for the 4V Ducati (and BMW).

Testastretta

• “REVISED” refers to the revised cam timing specs for 749S ’04 models as detailed in service information re: stalling at idle.  Simply changing the centreline settings for the cams to reduce overlap.  It amazes me that such a small change in timing can have such a pronounced effect on how the bikes idle (probably part of the reason why my 851 idles so badly).  A few of the 749S we have had stalling issues with have responded well to retarding the inlets another 5 degrees to 113 centreline.
• These ’04 749S cams are the longest duration of any of the Testastretta cams.
• 998 refers to base model 998 and 999.  Not the ’05 999 though afaik.
• ‘998S’ refers to the Euro spec 998S.  The USA spec 998S has the base model 998 engine.  These cams are also fitted to the 996R, 998R, 999S (both Euro and USA) and the ’03 999R.  Not sure about the ’05 999R yet.  The ’05 999 has these cams I believe.
• The 749 and 749S share the same valve spacing, which is different to the 998/999 valve spacing.  I believe the ’05 999R may also have unique valve spacing, as does the 749R.  Therefore the cams do not swap.
• 749R and ’05 999R use the same profiles.

Below are some graphs showing the profiles of some of the std Ducati cams.  I put it together using info from Doug Lofgren – who has a cam doctor, lucky fellow – and Duane Mitchell – who has his own cam measuring jig.  The three charts are inlet, exhausts and combined.  You can very obviously see the greater duration and overlap the A/G cams have, making the Strada cams look positively tiny.  Even the 996SPS inlet cam looks fairly small in comparison. Also of interest is the shape of the 996SPS exhaust profile.  This is short duration, but once open has nearly as much under curve area as the much bigger exhaust cams.  There are no 748R or ST4S inlet cams on these charts.

In the combined chart, the curves on the left are exhaust – as the exhaust valve opens immediately before the inlet in the 4 stroke cycle.

For some more charts and info on the 4V Desmoquattro cam profiles, check out Doug’s cam report at:
http://www.visi.com/~moperfserv/duc_cams.htm

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