S4 Immobiliser

[Chris W]

All,

I'm having problems starting My S4 after replacing the original immobiliser with a 2nd hand unit. see previous post. Does anyone know the correct procedure ? I have a 3 keys and the code but can't find anything as to how it set it up.
Owner hand book mentions the code but does not say what to do.
Does anyone have a 2001 S4 Workshop manual they would like to sell?

Any help gratefully appreciated as I'm going round in circles on this problem & getting nowhere. Waste another 2 hours today, can't find anything wrong, but the red code light stays on when the bike is turning over, with the occasional pop.

[Luddite]

Hi, Chris

Sorry about your problems. Have a look at Avanti Race Parts' website. They have a page explaining how to self-diagnose the immobiliser using the red key.

http://www.avantiraceparts.co.uk/page.php?id=29

You can also contact them for advice by phone or email.

Hope you get it sorted soon.

[Darren69]

Chris,

I tried to attach the workshop manual PDF in an email but the file is too large. There appears to be a limit of 15mb for attachments on my email account.

[SunEye]

Chris,

I tried to attach the workshop manual PDF in an email but the file is too large. There appears to be a limit of 15mb for attachments on my email account.
You can use a file transfer site like Smash https://fromsmash.com to send the PDF. I use Smash for my work to send large files.

[Darren69]

You can use a file transfer site like Smash https://fromsmash.com to send the PDF. I use Smash for my work to send large files.

Thanks for that, I'll give that a go,

[Chris W]

All,

Thanks for the help and advice, I still think it's the immobiliser as when I try to start the engine the code light stays on. Still getting the odd poping, it seems to want to start, but not quite there. I've been told the crank sensor is a good shout, so waiting for a new one to arrive before more disappointment when it still doesn't start!!! I'll be back in a few days with news...

Good shout from Luddite about Avanti, but they are currently away until 19th June.
Thanks to Darren & Suneye for their help/advice.

[Darren69]

Yea, the immobilizer light should go out and stay out when starting. As soon as the key is read ok it should go out, I can hear some mechanical noise on mine when the immobilizer goes off. If it flashes then there is an error and I think you can determine what the error is by the number of flashes.

It will blink when the ignition is off after starting and does that for about 24hrs just to show its working ok.

[Chris W]

All,

Tried all sorts of options and the imm light still stays on when trying to start the engine. Fuels op, pops and bangs but does not spark in a regular pattern, only now and then.

This is an early 2001 bike and there seem to be very little info out there concerning re-setting the immobiliser, frustratingly the 2002 manual kindly sent covers everything else but this issue.

I'm now thinking it might not be possible to re-programme the 2nd hand immobiliser? Any ideas?

I think the only way I'm going to fix the problem is to remove the immobiliser of the equation, is there any clever electrical bod out there who can check the ECU is OK and then Re-Flash to remove the immobiliser ?

[Darren69]

I'm pretty sure that if the immobilser is on it won't even crank the engine, at least on the '02 bikes that is true. No fuel pump, no starter and no spark, nada. Are you sure it's not the eng mgmt light that is on as both are yellow? (at least on the '02 bikes they are) Which might explain the popping and banging, if for example its a crank sensor fault.

[Scotty]

in short your slightly screwed and will have to spend moneies to fix it

the ecu immobiliser and keys / locks are essentially all matched so you need a set as such part of someone else's set isnt going to match / work

if the immobiliser light stays on then its not going to start. the ecu cuts the ignition (sporadically as you have experienced but enough to stop the engine running the odd cough of encouragement is a red herring)

either
find a dealer that can disable the immobiliser (if this is even possible - part of me is glad this sort of information isn't an easy find - i don't really want every tom **** and harry to be able to essentially hot-wire my bike)

get a complete set of the above to replace what you have ( 01 bike with the immobiliser outside of the clocks) might be difficult

repair the dissected immobiliser you had to replace

look into a 3rd party ecu that does away with immobiliser features , for example Nemesis ? used to do such a thing , not sure if they are still going though.

[Luddite]

I think the only way I'm going to fix the problem is to remove the immobiliser of the equation, is there any clever electrical bod out there who can check the ECU is OK and then Re-Flash to remove the immobiliser ?

Avanti are back tomorrow (20th June). They should be able to remove the immobiliser or repair your original; give them a ring to discuss your problem.

[Chris W]

Thanks for the advice, I'm just in contact with Avanti today. Great web site with lots of info, a good shout from Luddite.
Scotty I think you are correct about the sporadic sparking. Old immobiliser is scrap. However, the owner's manual talks of using the card code, but does not explain how to use the code. I tried opening the throttle when the code light stops flashing, but no joy. I really would like to get her running to prove I don't have 2 problems...
Are there really only a few of these (2001) out there that nobody in MOC knows how these early immobilisers are disabled with the code? I've not even ridden her yet, and now the weather great.
Help Me !!!!!

[Darren69]

I might be wrong but I thought if you had the red key you could sync the immobiliser with the ecu. Just don't ask me how, it's not something I had ever had to do. I'm sure if you could get the bike over to Nelly at Cornerspeed he could sort it for you. The only other place I can think of who might know how to do it is SPR in Ruddington which is not far from you. Sam and Pete know their way around Ducati and don't charge Ducati prices. They used to race them too. F2 and Battle of the Twins with quite a few trophies! :)

[Chris W]

Many thanks to All, especially Luddite who suggested Avanti, I got in touch with Avanti as suggested and can't praise them enough for the time & effort trying to help me sort the bike, Antony spent some time looking for info & provided several methods to try to unlock the immobiliser.
However, non worked, perhaps as it was a 2nd hand unit, so sent the ECU to Avanti to have the immobiliser removed by re-flashing the ECU, it was returned within 24 hours, re-fitted and the bike fired up straight away. What a result and a great relief.
Fantastic service from Avanti & great Customer support. Many thanks to all MOC who responded.

[Luddite]

A great result! Glad you're back on the road.

[jerry]

great news AVANTI are very good