Pure desperation!

[Jez]

I have another post on here from when my monnie first started firing on only one cylinder about 3,000 rpm and under load. The bike has been off the road for nearly a month and I am becoming quite concerned with a phamtom fault that no one can find!

I am going to explain all so far and hope that someone has experienced similar or perhaps the fresh perspective from all you in the know might help me.

I am working with a really good mechanic and also a ducati dealer we have changed the TPS but to no avail. Well, the bike worked OK for 5 minutes, then back to only running on front cylinder only.

Have also changed the coils for new ones. Fault stilll there.

The dealer pluged the ecu in and only found one fault code regarding the cabling from the ecu to the tps...but these check out fine.

The dealer is 80% sure it is the ecu, which is my worst fear, but we are not sure. Seeing as I only have one spare key the fact of having to replace an ecu and keys set (and clocks?) make the bike a write off for me and I will just break it up for parts. Which is a shame because the whole bike is very tidy. The mechanic and the dealer dont want this but hey...I dont have £2K to spend on a bike thats only worth £2k!

So, I appeal to anyone out there for any advice before I collect the bike back and start stripping her down. Over the past week the mechanic has emailed me the following:

Water ingress and the relays - we've pulled the ecu plugs they've been spotless so have no reason to suspect

Next job is to strip out the air box to access injectors and hope to see them injecting under load

If not swap them over to at least remove them from the equation.

May also run new wires from the ecu connectors to the TPS; this was one of the fault codes stored on the ECU that wouldn't clear even though the wires meter through continuity wise. It 's possible I suppose for the strands inside of the sheathing to be damaged / corroded showing continuity but folding under current pressure, anyway I'll bypass them temporaly to check

Also as far as I can make out there is nothing to stop the injectors squirting should the cylinder not fire but then I would expect the motor to stink of unburnt fuel and it doesn't, but that's worth a check as well.

Any other thoughts?

Thanks in advance.

Jez.

[Sparky]

If you know someone with an oscillocope it's relatively easy to check the signals to injectors and coils which will help eliminate the ECU. Actually you would get idea comparing good cylinder vs bad with a multimeter I would think.

If its firing OK on one cylinder then the TPS and wiring is fine, the TPS would effect both cylinders not just the one.

You seem to be focusing on electrical issues. Have elliminated machanical issues ie Have you done a compression check? Checked valve clearances? etc.

Chris

[Jez]

Thanks Chris. Focusing on electrical because it works for a few minutes when we replace the tps and when we replace the coils. But after a few minutes it goes back to the fault. It's like changing some electrical components regenerates something but only for a short time. We have checked the timing belt in case it jumped. Not sure if the mechanic has checked the valve clearances. Have checked the compression and it is bang on. I believe the mechanic has checked the signals with an oscilloscope but I will double check. He has been pretty thorough so far. Its a dilema and a half!

[marchesini]

Can't help why your bike isn't working but there are alternatives to replacing the ECU with the official Ducati version.

If you use the FIM U59 Ultimap ECU, it completely replaces the Ducati version with the added benefit of being able to use any speedo. I think it also bypasses the immobiliser so no more arsing about with red key, black key etc. It isn't cheap but it's a lot cheaper than the Ducati version - £450 from Sigma (the official importers):

http://www.sigmaperformance.com/services.htm

If you do go this route, don't use them to fit it as they didn't help much with my install. DWR Racing (Dave Woods) ordered from Sigma but had to contact FIM in Australia for tech help to get it working properly.

Something to bear in mind if you are sure it's the ECU.

Hope this helps

Simon

[CK & AK]

Try checking the injector - it might be getting a signal but might not be firing if it is faulty.
Has happened on some DD bikes showing exactly the same probs as you are having.
You dont have to go through Ducati for an expensive replacement, there are other companies that do them.

Best thing to do is borrow a throttle body to plug in & check - and/or get mechanic to swap over the injectors to see if there is a fault.

AK

[Jez]

Thanks guys. All advice very, very much appreciated.

[YellaMonsta]

This maybe unrealistic but can you convert the bike to run on carbs?

[Dookbob]

I considered swapping the fuel injection for carbs on my 620 when I was suffering electrical problems, untill I started to REALLY think about it. carbs, intake pipes, wiringloom, speedo, fuel tank, mechanical fuel pump, and that was just for starters, ended up with new clocks to fix it.
Dookbob

[Jez]

This maybe unrealistic but can you convert the bike to run on carbs?

I tell you what I wish now I had a carb'd bike! It turned out to be a dirty injector (can you believe it!!) But it still aint running right, like a bag of nails in fact. I will put some injector cleaner in the fuel tank in the hope that it cleans it out.
The injectors are factory sealed but we blew compressed air up them and that defo cured the problem but it just runs lumpy.

Does anyone know if the injectors on a 620ie (2003) are also fitted on any other model ducati? It would help me sources new second hand ones to try (for what its worth). Trying to avoid paying 320quid for new ones!

[CK & AK]

Jez, give Mike Dawson (MD Racing - in Ewell) a bell - only the other week we gave him info on the injectors, such as how much cheaper you can get them etc.
He might even have a spare??

[Capo]

Better change your fuel filter then