620ie Engine failure

[Grizz]

Hi, I've got an '04 620ie and it's been a strong bike for me for 3 years now. nearly 18k on the clock with regular servicing but used as an everyday commuter.

One evening, it failed to start an the RAC guy put it down to a faulty fuel pump and reg rec. Got it started though and got me home. I'd notice the day before that it just randomly cut out at a set of lights but started up again.

I came back to it a couple of weeks later and nothing, so charged the battery again and ended up calling a local bike repair place to take it away and explore the fuel pump and reg rec. They came back say 'it started first time with a charged battery, we can't see anything wrong'. So, i collected and rode it to work the next day. The journey home 10 hours later, it stopped again whilst in motion. Engine just died, no power in the engine at all and would not go again.

Called RAC to tow me home and the guy again thought it was the fuel pump. The engine never turned over though and the orange warning light would remain on and the ignition wouldnt turn it over at all, nothing. Hmmm.

Local bike shop collected it again and once more, said it started first time with a new battery, fuel pump seems fine.

Once more, i collected it and the failed me again after 20 minutes. THey came and collected it but have not found a fault. WTF?!

In short, does this sound like something someone else has gone through (besides potentially being fleeced by this garage)? Does this have the calling signs of a common problem on Monsters that i can catch now as I can't justify throwing explorational money after it.

I'd love to get some potential insight to this problem. I can give more detail if needed. Thanks.

[DrD]

Sounds like an alternator or rectifier/regulator problem as the battery is repeatedly going flat.
Worst case is the rotor nut is coming loose...

[Saint aka ML]

Sounds like an alternator or rectifier/regulator problem as the battery is repeatedly going flat.
Worst case is the rotor nut is coming loose...

Not on 620ie it is not unless someone done it up wrong. Also doubt alternator as it would just not charge ever instead bike runs for 10h or 10 min.

[Nickj]

A possible cause.....

Look from the front down by the bottom left as you look at the bike and you'll see a stub of wiring off of the main loom that goes up to the starter/kill switch.
This is a bit of bad design as the wires inside can fracture and the loom is open to water ingress so you get odd random fails if the water bridges the break.
Sometimes it'll stop when the bars turn to a certain point.
I've has this on my carbie and IE 750's, same as on the 750.

[utopia]

Sounds like a check of the complete charging system is in order, ie alternator, reg/rec and battery.
Prime suspect is probably the reg/rec as they commonly fail.
Here's a link to a useful guide...

https://www.electrosport.com/media/pdf/fault-finding-diagram.pdf

If you do need a new reg/rec, check this thread for an upgrade.

http://www.ukmonster.co.uk/monster/showthread.php?t=46708&highlight=fried

[Flip]

Firstly, are you 100% certain the battery is going flat?

Can understand it stopping after 10 hours of riding but not ten or twenty minuets.

When you say it stopped while riding did it fail to turn over or did it turn over slowly? (be careful repeatedly trying to start with a near flat battery as it kills the sprag clutch).

If the battery and charging system check out and it still dies randomly it is worth checking the main relay (yellow one under the seat) I had this fail on mine and the bike would just cut out and not restart but I got the bike home, went back to it a day or two later and it would fire like there was nothing wrong.

Other than that it could well be the rubbish design of the wiring around the switches- my headlight used to cut out when I turned to full right lock due to a break where it bent the wiring too acutely causing it to fracture so it could be a similar thing with the kill switch wiring- try pressing the starter and moving the bars around.

[alan s4]

++ on the possible damaged wire. Same happened on my bike, the white and red wire (kill switch) behind the headstock was partially severed. Same symptoms as yours........

[Grizz]

flip, symptoms sound familiar,

The battery wouldn't be totally flat as the headlight was still very bright. It wouldn't start by the side of the round with a jump pack connected either.

Called the mechanics this morning and they said it's starts first time so they can't see a problem.

I am tempted to by a new reg rec from these guys (http://www.electrexworld.co.uk/acatalog/RR53.html) and fit it myself and see what happens.

Thoughts?

[Saint aka ML]

Hm forgot about that loom issue.

@Flip yep 10 min is enough to get odd symptoms when charging is damaged.

My monster 900 carbed would run for max 30 min with no charging and lights off. Injected even less.

[Darren69]

You could get yourself a cheap multimeter and test it is charging yourself or ask the garage to check, if it is then no need to shell out for a new reg/rec.