Intermittent Starting Problem

[psyalan]

Hi all, i;m guessing that my problem is electric. Yesterday I went for a 90 mile spin, 2005 S2R. There was a light shower lasting about 10 minutes at the start, after about 5 miles.
So stopped for a few minutes and started her up and did about 20 more miles, as I came to a junction and throttled off the bike just stopped running, dead. I pulled over and turned on the ignition, pressed the starter button and it just kept running, the starter, I turned offf the ignition left it a minute turned back on the ignition, pressed the atarter and it started.
Drove on for about 20 miles and it died again, pulled in and turned off and on the ignition and it started immediately.
Headed for home for about 45 miles and no problem.
Went out today, all fine, went for a short spin about 10 miles there and 10 back. As I approached my house, throttled off and it died. Ignition off and then on and it started no problem.
Any body any ideas on where to start looking. No rain today BTW.
Thanks in advance guys.

[slob]

Hi Alan,
I’m guessing you’ve got a new battery since you previous post?
The suggestions I made about transponder aerial and clutch/neutral/sidestand switches could both cause these issues.
Also try running the bike in neutral and turning the bars from lock to lock, to see if you can kill it. The wires in the loom to the right of the headstock have been known to suffer damage.
Also try lifting the tank (make sure it’s less than half-full) Behind the air filter, on the left of the battery you’ll see two little black relays, make sure they’re no lifting out of their sockets.

[alan s4]

What Rob Says! I took me about 3 years to work my way through my S4 starting/charging issues...the joys of Ducati ownership.

The wire behind the headstock, mine did that, it was the red/white wire for the kill switch. Every time I did a U-turn the bike stalled.

A new battery, upgraded starter leads and new MOSFET reg/rect with Triumph leads would be my 1st port of call. I've just bought a 996 and that's exactly what I've changed so far.......

[psyalan]

Originally Posted by slob

Hi Alan,
I’m guessing you’ve got a new battery since you previous post?
The suggestions I made about transponder aerial and clutch/neutral/sidestand switches could both cause these issues.
Also try running the bike in neutral and turning the bars from lock to lock, to see if you can kill it. The wires in the loom to the right of the headstock have been known to suffer damage.
Also try lifting the tank (make sure it’s less than half-full) Behind the air filter, on the left of the battery you’ll see two little black relays, make sure they’re no lifting out of their sockets.

Thank you for that sir.
Yes a new battery went in last week.
I will get onto those in the coming days and see if I can see/find anything.
It makes life veeeeery interesting LOL.

[psyalan]

Originally Posted by alan s4

What Rob Says! I took me about 3 years to work my way through my S4 starting/charging issues...the joys of Ducati ownership.

The wire behind the headstock, mine did that, it was the red/white wire for the kill switch. Every time I did a U-turn the bike stalled.

A new battery, upgraded starter leads and new MOSFET reg/rect with Triumph leads would be my 1st port of call. I've just bought a 996 and that's exactly what I've changed so far.......

Thanks Alan. I will have a look.
Where do you source the leads etc?
Enjoy the 996.

[alan s4]

Follow this, the "kato method", plug and play with no soldering required! MOSFET regs now used in more modern Ducati's. I've sourced 2, originally for my 916 from a Yamaha and more recently for the 996 from a multistrada.

Upgraded started leads, got mine from Halfords, any other motor factor will supply. You can buy a kit from Exact Start. it's a lot on money IMO though.

http://www.ukmonster.co.uk/monster/s...ht=kato+method

Good luck. If you are not an expert in electrics after a few years of Ducati ownership you will be

[Darren69]

The problem with the Motobatt you have fitted in the 996 is that it is too wide/doesn't fit and pushes against the fairing as I found. You'll probably end up breaking the panel. I don't know if they do a slightly smaller 16A one?

[crawsue]

Very similar problem to my woes with my 696....my advice would be to start at battery terminals....especially if you didn’t fit it yourself.

[Nasher]

Can I make a request?

If you are posting asking for help, please put some more detail in the title.

The great thing about forums is the ability to search them for previous data on an issue you are having. Just putting 'Problem' for the title helps nobody but yourself.

Getting off my box now.

[Darren69]

Originally Posted by Nasher

Can I make a request?

If you are posting asking for help, please put some more detail in the title.

The great thing about forums is the ability to search them for previous data on an issue you are having. Just putting 'Problem' for the title helps nobody but yourself.

Getting off my box now.

Good point. I think the poster can update the subject title which would help no end. Even if the search on here isn't great.

[psyalan]

Originally Posted by crawsue

Very similar problem to my woes with my 696....my advice would be to start at battery terminals....especially if you didn’t fit it yourself.

Thanks Crawsue, I didnt get a chance today but will check tomorrow, I did though fit it myself.

[psyalan]

Originally Posted by Nasher

Can I make a request?

If you are posting asking for help, please put some more detail in the title.

The great thing about forums is the ability to search them for previous data on an issue you are having. Just putting 'Problem' for the title helps nobody but yourself.

Getting off my box now.

Excellent point Nasher, I cant argue with that, apologies, I didnt think of that.
I see that someone has changed the title, thank you.

[mickj]

Not sure about Ducati's (mine starts and runs perfectly) but My Suzuki GSX 1400 had very similar symptoms which I traced to a knackered TPM. Bike would always start but once warm would die at stops unless I kept the throttle slightly open and constantly blipped it to stop the engine dying. It was often better to let it die and start again when lights went green.

[Darren69]

Could need the TPS reset or throttle bodies rebalancing? The main and injector relays are also prone to cause problems starting and would maybe cause the bike to cut out.

Hi Alan, how are you progressing with the starting issue ? Apologies a bit late to the party on this thread.for what it’s worth I have had a similar issue with my S2r, mine is the 1000 DS engine but the electric bits are similar !

So a few weeks ago I was out and about,all good from initial start up. Stopped to get the tank filled, no hint of an issue.Got to destination , used kill switch upon arrival…..when I came to restart….nothing . Much head scratching and investigation followed the conclusion by a process of elimination being the fuel pump was playing up .

Moto R collected,diagnosed and returned my bike a few days later, it was a discontinuity in the wiring harness feeding the fuel pump.when the ignition was off the fault didn’t show but when on it revealed its self.section of harness replaced at £125 plus labour and jobs a good un.

I know now marginally more about electrics than I did before, which considering the base line was pretty low is a huge step forward, hope that little tale assists your investigation in some way.