Engine cuts while warming up?

[bod]

Hi for the 3 week in a row while giving my monie the weekly (charging the battery up,making even more mayo in the crankcase,looking at it and thinking I should be riding it today)session.
It has cut out,no splutters etc just like I had hit the kill switch.
It was nearly upto temperature, and was as other times holding revs at about 3000th.
Bike starts up again instantly with a quick bang of unburnt fuel form the pipes and idles fine then.
Any ideas.....?
Plugs dirty?Needs a good thrash?
Only done 2500 miles since I bought it last year and dont want this to happen going into a corner when it WILL get it's 1st outing next week :D
Cheers Bod

[Scotty]

humm mine cuts out that when i leave the choke on too much and go back in doors t get changed , and also i think my cunning sidestand down anti enginrunning fix (premium tinfoil) has also become disslodged

[bod]

That makes two of us then, anybody else and is it a problem or just part of Ducati ownership ;)

[Scotty]

'funnily enough' i did drop us bike the other day doing a U turn just after starting but i assume thats my incompatance rather than engine problem

thank god for engine bars .

[spacemonkey]

If it is a case of you just starting the bike and running it in the garage then you most certainly have fouled the plugs, so whip 'em out and give 'em a clean up.

[Didge]

I never warm any of my bikes up on choke. I wait until I'm actually on the bike, fire it up, and then slowly ease the choke right off as soon as possible. I'll then sit there for a few minutes, holding the throttle slightly open, and revs set at about 1,500 - 2,000 rpm, until it idles without help.
Useing choke too much, will increase the chance of sooting up the plugs. It will, over time, also increase engine wear, as the increased amount of fuel washes off the oil in the bores.
Best to use the choke for the minimum amount of time possible.

[MotoNik]

Sounds like it's running rich to me, based on the symptoms you describe. The fact that you're getting a back-fire definitely says there's fuel in the exhaust, which means it's running too rich.

Try running it at a lower choke setting. Personally, I never like mine running above 1500rpm - it takes a long time for the oil to circulate the whole engine, so a fast idle is going to cause problems in the long run. For that reason I run as little choke as possible, and then knock it off as soon as it will run without it.

Also, might be worth checking your air filter - that will make it run lean if it's really dirty.

[bod]

Thanks for the responce guys,its an injected model so dosnt hace a choke just a fast idle lever,suspose this could still foul the plugs as it is running rich on start up to get the engine ,and cats upto opperating temperature.
Think ill whip them out this week(me plugs that is) :)

[A Yerbury]

Sounds like it's running rich to me, based on the symptoms you describe. The fact that you're getting a back-fire definitely says there's fuel in the exhaust, which means it's running too rich.

Try running it at a lower choke setting. Personally, I never like mine running above 1500rpm - it takes a long time for the oil to circulate the whole engine, so a fast idle is going to cause problems in the long run. For that reason I run as little choke as possible, and then knock it off as soon as it will run without it.

Also, might be worth checking your air filter - that will make it run lean if it's really dirty.
errrr you mean run rich surely?

[CK & AK]

Bod, its a good idea to check plugs & clean/replace if necessary.

I make sure I'm almost ready to go when starting my bike, fire her up - fast idle full open, then immediatley bring back to half open (about 1500rpm), put my helmet & gloves on, hop onto bike & ride away.

Fast idle is left half - 1/3rd open for next 2 miles or so, as I have to negotiate several junctions etc (and as some have found, Ducati's cough & stop occasionally when cold)
When oil temp is reading (about 51) I then close the fast idle, the tyres will have warmed up a little too - and Bobs your uncle/auntie.

C

[Rockhopper]

Worst thing you can do is to start it up every few weeks and not ride it. I leave mine for three months over winter. Its on an optimate and when the warmer weather comes i give it a run and hen change the oil. It takes a good 30-40 mile ride to get the oil hot enough to evaporate any moisture, you would need to leave it ticking over for hours to achieve the same thing.

If you dont intend to go out over winter, just leave the thing well alone, you are doing more harm than good by starting it up every few week.

Hi Charlotte by the way!!

[bod]

Ok same problem still but is happening when accelorating as well now it is ridable weather.Done it twice shortly after sitting at trafic lights etc.Set off and within 50/100 metres engine cuts instantly and starts but not straight away.
Engine was fully upto temp and runs fine in every other way only done under 3 thousand so can't see it been blocked filter/dirty plugs etc....
Help... could take it to dealer as its under warranty but too busy and it's a bit of a pain to get there,is it owt simple or am I going to have to take time of work?
Ideas peeps please :)

[Shauns4]

Sounds like an Electrical fault, as the bike is fuel injected the choke doesn't effect the mixture, it only speeds the tick over up. The mixture is set automatically by the ECU according to engine temp/rpm/etc.

It could be many things and usually the only way with fuel injection is to hook it up to a diagnostic test unit unless its a known common fault, even then if its intermitent there is no guarantee of finding the problem. My guess if it cuts out on both cylinders it could be the ECU or a wiring fault, but it's only a guess.

The 1st thing to establish is does it cut on both cylinders? If so then its something common (like the ECU/wiring/kill switch/etc) rather than an injector, coil, plug, if you see what I mean.

[bod]

Cheers shaun will check basics earths etc,before making the dealer trip.You doing the trackday?

[Shauns4]

Never done a trackday, some of my mates are into it but never really interested me, thanks anyway.

I have the diagnostic equipment for my S4 , but I'm pretty sure you will have a different ECU so it won't work.

Shaun

[Scotty]

S4 diagnostic equipment ? what does it tell you ?

[A Yerbury]

"take this radiator, all the plumbing and the power ranger off me now please"

[bod]

Maybe se you on a rideout some day then Shaun...Dealer can fit it thursday but as Im moving house soon had enough time off already. :)

[Shauns4]

rideout would be good soemtime, squires or whatever. I think we are fairly close, Im about 15 mins from Donny.

The software I have was bought from this company

http://www.technoresearch.com ...via probike in the UK

Basically you run it from a laptop connected via the RS232 port and the ECU connector, you can test the injectors/coils/cooling fan/etc, you can also alter the CO trimmer etc. It also provides all the basic readouts such as engine rpm, barometric pressure, engine temp, battery volts etc.

as the guy said who sold it to me, enjoy new toy, I have a garage full of toys, i actaully bought it to adjust the CO trimmer as I have fitted baffles to my Termis - attract too much of the wrong kind of attention

I do all my own servicing and it still works out cheaper to buy the kit rather than pay the dealer £500!

[bod]

Squires sounds good if we post somthing in the Yorkshire section we may get a few more out.
Need to get my bike to dealer 1st STILL cutting out, this time in lane 3 of the M1 on the way to Sheffield was no fun :o

[HUNTER]

This used to happen to me. Bike would be running without choke and just cut out. No mechanic would believe me until they ran it on the side stand for about 15 - 20 minutes, then it just died, so did the smirks.
The problem was solved by - "I havn't a clue". The front stick coil was replaced and the exposed wires were checked for good connections.

If I remember more I'll post again.

[bod]

PROBLEM SORTED :) :) :)
Bike has been getting worse cutting out and failing to start Hot or Cold.
Found the problem today,still hadn't had time to go to the dealer and with it being so sparadic didn't they would find it anyway.
Tuned out to be the fuel pump relay shorted out pins 87 and 30 bike runs,put relay back in it won't.
With look it packed up totaly at work today and being a Sparky at a Vauxhall garage it is now running around with a relay from a Vauxhall Vectra in it :eek:
Im a bit pi##ed off now after two different break down faults in under a year
Dealer has been fine so has anybody had a go at moaning at Ducati UK AND had any succes?

[Shauns4]

they say the problems are part of the character? I read about so many problems there must be no shortage of character around!

[bod]

Maye it's just bit of newness and will fine when it's a bit older :D

[Scotty]

i was always convinced that there wasnt much more that could go wrong

how mistaken i was ;)

[bod]

Hmm.. Joys of Ducati ownership always keeps you busy at the weekend(better than cutting the grass I though) :)