rev counter/low power/electrical/jerking

[scorpio2164]

Hi
I was wondering if anyone could help me out. I have 98 regd. M600. It has a rev counter fitted to it which was on it when I bought it and its worked fine up till now. Its a carbon look type, which incorporates the speedo and has little red lights that go round in a semi-circular motion as the revs increase.

When the ignition is turned on the lights on the rev counter illuminates all the way round in a semi circle and then comes back and rests on idle. However, what has recently happened is that sometimes no rev counter lights come on at all and other times all the rev counter lights come on and just stays on.

Also, there's a severe lack of power. Almost feels as if its running on one cylinder. Not sure but I think perhaps the problem rev counter may be affecting the bikes performance. The problem started in the summer, so I don't think its the cold weather that's causing the lack of power.

Although the bike has recently been serviced it still doesn't feel right. It doesn't have any power and jerks as its revved. I managed to get it home, which is approx. 60 miles away, in miserable conditions, but it was jerking and kept cutting out at traffice lights etc.

I've since phoned up the garage that carried out the service and they said it may be the 'Kookazans' which I've never heard of it. It apparently sits under the battery.

I'm not sure if the problem with the rev counter is affecting the power delivery and causing the power loss and jerking. I'm reluctant to take it back to the garage where it was serviced as I've already parted with £380.00, with little improvement. I simply can't afford to cough up more cash.

Any assistance would be grately appreciated. I'm in Brighton/Hove. Thanks.

[Kato]

Check the CDi unit, maybe unplug the rev counter from it and see if that helps, if it is running on 1 cyl swap the CDi's round and see if the duff cylinder changes over..

[Shandy]

I've got one of these and have had the same problem in the past. It was when i had a connection problem on one of the coils and a wire had fallen off causing the bike to run on one cylinder.

It sounds like your bike is running on one cylinder, the rev counter takes its signal from one of the igntion control units, if it drops to one cylinder, no singal to go to the rev counter.

This could be anyone of a number of things from,

Spark plugs, HT leads, ignition control units, pick ups or coils. Or it could be as simple as mine was where a wire had worked loose and eventually fell off.

I'd check all the wires are connected where they should be, then as Kato sugested swap things about and by a proccess of elimination until you should find what broken.

Hope this helps, good luck,

Shandy

[gary tompkins]

They are a little known tribe in deepest Sussex, closely related to the Feckawi's of Surrey apparently. I'm guessing the witch doctor has put a hex on your electrics? :chuckle:

Seriously...

They're refering to the Japanese 'Kokusan Denki' ICU (ignition igniter) boxes under the tank, which have been known (among other items) to fail on older bikes.

These things....

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Ducati-Monster-900-M900-CDI-Igniter-Unit-38240041A_W0QQitemZ160039618918QQihZ006QQcategoryZ 10448QQtcZphotoQQcmdZViewItem

It could be one of yours is duff but I would disconnect the Tacho first to see if that's the culprit. I had two of these DP dash units fitted on my 600 & they are IMO an expensive pile of crap. First one lasted just 2 months before going haywire, and the replacent did the same 8 months later.

If the problem presist's after un-hooking the Tacho, it could be an ignition fault and may take more investigation to pin it down.

[Shandy]

I had two of these DP dash units fitted on my 600 & they are IMO an expensive pile of crap. First one lasted just 2 months before going haywire, and the replacent did the same 8 months later.

Interesting i've had one for three years and its been fine apart from when it rained but then the bike coughed and spluttered a bit too :running:

scorpio,

Just to add, lack of power, stalling and jerkyness point towards one cylinder not popping when it should. It also gives ****e mpg. I rode mine for 50 miles down the M4 on one cylinder once, used a tank of fuel and i couldn't get above 65mph :shocked: I looked right :gay:

[scorpio2164]

Check the CDi unit, maybe unplug the rev counter from it and see if that helps, if it is running on 1 cyl swap the CDi's round and see if the duff cylinder changes over..


Hi Kato
Thanks very much for the advice. I'll check the cdi unit once I discover what that is.. I'll have a look in the haynes manual (which has so far just confused me even more) :dunce: I'll get on to it as soon as it get above freezing. All the best.

[scorpio2164]

I've got one of these and have had the same problem in the past. It was when i had a connection problem on one of the coils and a wire had fallen off causing the bike to run on one cylinder.

It sounds like your bike is running on one cylinder, the rev counter takes its signal from one of the igntion control units, if it drops to one cylinder, no singal to go to the rev counter.

This could be anyone of a number of things from,

Spark plugs, HT leads, ignition control units, pick ups or coils. Or it could be as simple as mine was where a wire had worked loose and eventually fell off.

I'd check all the wires are connected where they should be, then as Kato sugested swap things about and by a proccess of elimination until you should find what broken.

Hope this helps, good luck,

Shandy

Hi Shandy
That's really helpful. I'll get on to it when it warms up a bit. Its freeeezing out there. :on: I really think the garage could've been a bit more helpful in this respect.

This forum is simply the best. All of you are great and its really nice to know that there's help out there or just a bit of encouragement. Horrible when you're just standingthere beside your bike and it won't play :worried: Thanks again.

[scorpio2164]

They are a little known tribe in deepest Sussex, closely related to the Feckawi's of Surrey apparently. I'm guessing the witch doctor has put a hex on your electrics? :chuckle:

Seriously...

They're refering to the Japanese 'Kokusan Denki' ICU (ignition igniter) boxes under the tank, which have been known (among other items) to fail on older bikes.

These things....

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Ducati-Monster-900-M900-CDI-Igniter-Unit-38240041A_W0QQitemZ160039618918QQihZ006QQcategoryZ 10448QQtcZphotoQQcmdZViewItem

It could be one of yours is duff but I would disconnect the Tacho first to see if that's the culprit. I had two of these DP dash units fitted on my 600 & they are IMO an expensive pile of crap. First one lasted just 2 months before going haywire, and the replacent did the same 8 months later.

If the problem presist's after un-hooking the Tacho, it could be an ignition fault and may take more investigation to pin it down.

Cheers Gary

I never would've got that from the haynes manual. I'm learning so much...:cry: Thanks again.

[scorpio2164]

Interesting i've had one for three years and its been fine apart from when it rained but then the bike coughed and spluttered a bit too :running:

scorpio,

Just to add, lack of power, stalling and jerkyness point towards one cylinder not popping when it should. It also gives ****e mpg. I rode mine for 50 miles down the M4 on one cylinder once, used a tank of fuel and i couldn't get above 65mph :shocked: I looked right :gay:

Same thing happpened to me last Friday when I picked it up from the workshop. I had a 50 mile ride to Brighton/Hove. It was freezing cold, windy and very wet. I only had summer gear and no waterproofs. Wasn't nice that the garage let me take the bike away in that state. Got home at midnight, miserable and wet and bike still playing up:(

I'll let you all know how I get on. Thanks again.

[gary tompkins]

Same thing happpened to me last Friday when I picked it up from the workshop. I had a 50 mile ride to Brighton/Hove. It was freezing cold, windy and very wet. I only had summer gear and no waterproofs. Wasn't nice that the garage let me take the bike away in that state. Got home at midnight, miserable and wet and bike still playing up:(

I'll let you all know how I get on. Thanks again.


A bit of a long shot but it could be something as simple as carb icing. The early 600's suffer from this very badly during winter, and a dose of a fuel addative like Silkolene FST pro makes a huge difference.

My money's still on electrics/ignition though due to tacho frigging around as mentioned earlier in the thread. Let us know how you get on.