Moto RenzoJetting database

Dell'Orto jetting Ducati 600 Pantah

The factory jetting of the Ducati 600 Pantah (1979) with the Dell'Orto PHF 36 is: main jet 132, pilot jet 65, throttle slide 60/3, jet needle K 8 (clip position 2 from top), atomiser 265 AB. 2 factory variants are documented in total – all model years and market versions are listed below.

Ducati 600 Pantah
Photo: Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0

Ducati 600 Pantah

Factory record 1979600 ccDellorto PHF 36 MSleft carburettor (MS)
Dell'Orto catalogue 12/1990
Main jet138from ½ to full throttle
Idle jet65idle up to ¼
NeedleK 8part throttle ¼ to ¾
Needle clip2notch counted from top
Needle jet265 ABpart throttle ¼ to ¾
Throttle slide60/3transition ⅛ to ¼
Pump jet35
Starter jet75
Float1 – gr. 10
Float valve250
Pump delivery4 cc

Figures apply to standard condition with the original air filter and exhaust. The year comes from the factory document and is not a production range: if your bike is a different year of the same version, these figures are your starting point.

Source and checks
  • Dell'Orto application catalogue, edition 12/1990, p. 16/17, “Motociclo 600 Pantah 1979”, row PHF 36 MS
  • Sources & method
Dell'Orto PHF 36 (example picture)
Dellorto PHF 36Dell'Orto range with accelerator pump; jet needles of the K series.

Complete carburettor

PHF 36 DD1€264.95PHF 36 DS1€264.95

Current Dell'Orto version. It may differ from your original (PHF 36 MS); set the jetting to the figures above afterwards.

Parts catalogue soon
Ducati 600 Pantah
Photo: Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0

Ducati 600 Pantah

Factory record 1979600 ccDellorto PHF 36 MDright carburettor (MD)
Dell'Orto catalogue 12/1990
Main jet132from ½ to full throttle
Idle jet65idle up to ¼
NeedleK 8part throttle ¼ to ¾
Needle clip2notch counted from top
Needle jet265 ABpart throttle ¼ to ¾
Throttle slide60/3transition ⅛ to ¼
Pump jet35
Starter jet75
Float1 – gr. 10
Float valve250
Pump delivery4 cc

Figures apply to standard condition with the original air filter and exhaust. The year comes from the factory document and is not a production range: if your bike is a different year of the same version, these figures are your starting point.

Source and checks
  • Dell'Orto application catalogue, edition 12/1990, p. 16/17, “Motociclo 600 Pantah 1979”, row PHF 36 MD
  • Sources & method
Dell'Orto PHF 36 (example picture)
Dellorto PHF 36Dell'Orto range with accelerator pump; jet needles of the K series.

Complete carburettor

PHF 36 DD1€264.95PHF 36 DS1€264.95

Current Dell'Orto version. It may differ from your original (PHF 36 MD); set the jetting to the figures above afterwards.

Parts catalogue soon
Not running right?Pick the symptom, we show the part responsible.
Pale, greyish-white plugs; flat and gutless at the top end; overheating
Throttle rangefrom ~1/2 to full throttle
Responsiblemain jet
What to dotry one size larger
Runs better on choke; popping/banging on the overrun
Throttle rangeidle to ~1/4
Responsiblepilot jet + mixture screw (check for air leaks first)
What to doricher: larger jet or screw further out
Hesitation/flat spot when opening the throttle
Throttle rangetransition (accelerator pump)
Responsiblepump jet/pump function, then needle position
What to dorichen, check function
Surging/leaning out at steady speed and mid throttle
Throttle range~1/8 to 3/4
Responsiblejet needle (clip) and atomiser
What to doraise the needle one notch (clip lower) = richer
Sooty black plugs; burbling running; smell of fuel; high consumption
Throttle rangenarrow it down: idle ↔ mid ↔ full
Responsibledepending on range: pilot jet / needle + atomiser / main jet
What to doleaner: smaller jet or needle lower
Gets worse the hotter the engine runs
Throttle rangeusually idle/part throttle
Responsibleoverall setup too rich; also check float level
What to dolean it out, check the float height

Always change in single steps (“one or two jet sizes, then check the plug colour”), judge only on a warmed-up engine and make just one change per test ride.

These notes do not replace a proper check. When in doubt use a lambda meter, a dyno or a specialist workshop – an engine running lean for long periods can be damaged.

Further reading

Frequently asked questions

The spark plugs are black and sooty — what should I do?

Sooty black plugs show a mixture that is too rich. Which circuit is responsible depends on where the bike runs rich: at idle and steady speed it is more likely the pilot jet and mixture screw, in the mid range the needle position and atomiser, at full throttle the main jet. Also check for a sticking choke, the float level, a leaking float needle valve and an oil-soaked air filter. Change one step at a time and check the plug colour after every change.

Discussion: guzzisti.de

Air filter or exhaust modified — what jetting do I need now?

There is no blanket figure, and nobody can name one honestly without testing. More open intakes and exhaust systems lean out the mixture, so the setup has to go richer, usually starting with the main jet and often at the needle/atomiser too. Real-world reports show: the factory value is your anchor, and from there you test in steps (plug colour and how it rides, better still a lambda reading). Concrete community examples with full context are on the carburettor pages under “Real-world setups”.

Discussion: groups.google.com

In what order do I tune a Dell'Orto?

The proven order: full throttle first (main jet), then part throttle (needle position, atomiser if needed), and idle last (pilot jet and mixture screw) — and above all: only one change per step, tested on a warmed-up engine. The reason: the circuits overlap, and a wrong main jet falsifies any part-throttle judgement. The detailed procedure is in the guide “Tuning a Dell'Orto step by step” (German).

Discussion: caferacer-de

Do both carburettors need the same jetting?

Yes. Both cylinders need the same set of jets, and the factory figures always apply per carburettor. After every job the pair belongs synchronised (same slide lift, same mixture screw setting), otherwise one cylinder runs richer than the other and the plug colour becomes unreadable. Unequal jetting is almost always a sign of a previous owner tinkering.

Discussion: 2-ventiler.de