Hi all, I've had my Multistrada 1000DS now for around 8 months or so, haven't had it out much this year, was running fine last year until I took it to Italy, when it started encountering starting issues, struggling to turn over, takes 5/6 times to catch and getting progressively worse. Also idles low, and stalls on tickover, I've checked and cleaned all connections, new battery, uprated leads, and checked connections as I know the earth can often be a cause of issues, but it still struggles to start and I've had to bump it more recently. Apparently sprag clutch, and valve clearances were done just prior to purchase as well - any ideas what it could be, before I do valve clearances again? Cheers, Doug
ive got the exact same problem on my multi 1000 cutting out problem seemed to be much better after a blast, i think its the rear coil failed or bad earth ( i was getting the warning vertical coil to earth), Testing the volts to starter got me 11v instead of 12v robbing the engine of power during starting. Sprag clutch just failed so could just be that . are you getting any sprag clutch "slapping" noise during starting?
I had 2003 ds 1000 had same issue was a cheap fix for me the bushes in starter motor had worn out ..the shop wanted to rip me off for new starter motor the new bushes online where peanuts Took it elsewhere for service after that
Cheers for the info - I'm not getting any strange noises on starting, so don't think it's so much the sprag clutch failing, and no warning for the earth coming up - I've cleaned the connections and have the uprated leads as well. Could be the rear coil, just not throwing up a warning light possibly... I'll have a look at the starter motor, hadn't thought about the brushes! Cheers, Doug
Hi- I think I've done enough stop/starts now to publish my thesis on DS 1000 starting issues! - I've been through the lot, tried and changed everything from Lithium batteries, upgraded cables, new platinum plugs, leads etc - Still no change! ...Bike would sometimes just catch..and run ..but more times just run the battery flat - Then it came to Cam Belt change time - I watched the YouTube video and elected to change them myself...good job I did!! - What may or may-not have been reported by any 'Service Station Mechanic' would have been the state/condition of finding the 'old belts' - When I popped the covers..the manually adjusted tension rollers....weren't!.. That is they were not touching the belts in anyway!! - On marking up and changing out the belts (simple as sin) I went into adjustment mode...what was immediately apparent was that as tension was applied to each belt....I watched the valve gear sprocket turning in both cases ...which was obviously altering the valve timing!!!!! - This was borne out by punching the button...and roared straight into life....then...and every time I've come to it since
I can only repeat that - Wow! I've changed a lot of belts over the years but I have never seen one that slack. Many times though the belts prior to changing have been noticeably slack and after the new ones have been fitted the owners often comment on how much sweeter the bike feels. This can only be because the cam timing is remaining fixed within spec.
The old belts were such that they were just riding over the adjuster bearings which were not turning at all....and if you think about the tightening procedure...the belt doesn't just stretch...so something has to move?...like I say ...I watched the cam pulley wheel turn clockwise in both cases ...I would guess approx only 5 degrees...yet enough to get rid of the occasional 'cough' from the vertical cylinder I was experiencing ...and ...Yes! back to starting again! - But why in a world full of established Sprung Loaded Cam Belt tensioners...would Ducati opt for a manual adjustment setting? ...Or am I being too cynical??
Your are correct in saying that the belts don't stretch. As they get more miles on them the teeth wear which allows the belt to get slightly slack. But to have the degree of slack that you are describing suggests to me that they were never properly tensioned in the first place. Even if there is some degree of slack, the driven side of the belt is always in tension so the cam timing should be correct but in a start up situation the tension may not be constant allowing some variation in the timing. Ducati belts are relatively short so there is no need for a spring loaded tensioner and if they are properly tensioned initially will remain reasonably close to that tension for the life of the belt.
So just to re-cap then...bike ran Ok-ish for nearly 2yrs before becoming increasingly difficult to start ...changed the belts....watched the valve timing change whilst adjusting belts ...bike now starts on the button! - A 6mm Tee-bar hex wrench and half an hour of your own time?
Wow posted this a long time ago , Anyway thought i'd just post a new finding on the misfire i spent ages trying to sort Local Ducati place checked & found nothing . Bike has had a random but rare misfire/cutout for years & random 10.1 Coil to earth warning for years, I always rode round the problem & got used to it but was riding back from work when the side stand switch packed up completely & i had to bypass it which seems to have solved the problem warning light has gone off & misfire is gone since i attached the earth wire to the engine earth, so looks like might of been a slightly bad side stand switch all along. Just thought i'd pop this on here incase it can be of help to anyone else with same problem .
