Anyone had this issue before, bike been running great ( since my fopar using a jet wash ) went to start it this morning and got a strange response. Put the key in the ignition, turned it on and got a faint neutral light getting gradually brighter/stronger, oil light full strength and then after about 15 seconds or so a sort of clicking sound from the fule pump, it was as if it was intermittently trying to prime. if i tryed to press the starter, neutral light goes out, oil light fades and nothing at all. leave it say 10/15 minutes and try again and everything is working again. Not sure if i have a dodgy contact some place - any ideas?? Cheers Mark[TABLE="width: 100%"] [TR] [TD] [h=1][/h][/TD] [/TR] [/TABLE]
It sounds like it's still got water in it somewhere. I'd pull the relays and make sure they're dry internally, along with the ignition switch.
stating the obvious here I know, but are you happy that battery and leads are all working ok? pump can fail without warning it's true, one fitted to a Mazda Miata etc will fit if you're happy using non-Ducati.
Hi Chris/nutty thanks for the advice. The battery is new and on optimate all the time. I will pull the relays etc and have a go at them with some contact cleaner as well. No water got into the starter switch but do you think there are any other potential fail points? Cheers Mark
Surely the first test is to see if the pump is getting 12v?, if so and not running then the pump is NG. Simple voltage test at the connector to the tank.
Cheers Nutty, i knew you were mate, i just didn't word my reply very well. Had a quick look at the connectors on the ignition before i left for work this morning. It's filthy in there, hands were black just feeling around for the connector!! I will have a look over the next evening or so and pull them apart and see what they look like. Appreciate your help Cheers Mark
Hi DD, I'm not great with this kind of stuff to be honest, so all the help i can get is building my confidence to tackle this kind of thing. I will get a meter on it and have a look, and let you know. Cheers Mark
Pull the connector to the pump and fuel level sensor apart, just below the tank behind the battery. The blue and brown wires are the fuel level sensor. The red/black and black wires are to the pump. Get yourself a couple of test wires and insert them into the connector pump wire contacts.........then making sure you have them the right way round touch the wires on the battery terminals (IE +/-.........red to red and black to black)........If the pump doesn't run full time, then it's b*ggered. AL
I assume there are 4 wires in the tank connector? I so the 2 for the pump and 2 for the gauge, the pump wires should be the 2 thicker ones and should have 12v when the ignition is on, whereas the gauge will be a circuit that should be 'made' when the fuel level is low. I have seen the connections to SS pumps (on some anyway) that the 2 wires fit into screw terminals on the pump, rather than a plug, and have often thought that this is a suspect way of connecting electricity inside a fuel tank. I would think it quite likely that a wire could break or the terminal be loose and it fall out or at least be an intermittent connection...
I think any electricity in the tank is suspect..............particularly with a near empty tank and a loose connection!! Just imagine a nearly full tank and the live wire comes off the pump and flays about inside...until it touches something metal...... When mine needs to come out for whatever reason, it isn't going back in there. AL
Thanks a lot AL i will do that. If i need to get to the pump, do i need to drain the tank, got fuel in now just allowing the pump to stick out a little. Not really that confident draining fuel to be honest. Cheers Mark
Was also going to check earth connections etc, but the only one i can trace from the battery is on the left hand side connected to the engine case, it has a smaller wire connected to there as well, but no idea what thats for. Bike is a 2003 if that helps at all, the connections looked tight but dirty from road crap etc. Cheers Mark
Yes, drain the tank and also the filler cap which might come out easily, but is a real pig to get back in. To drain the tank quickly ideally the pump needs to be working..........so in your case I think you will have to siphon it out...its a safer way than removing drain plugs, which might be in rusty area of the tank. If you do remove the pump and filter, you seriously want to think about having the filter outside at least, if not the pump as well. AL
OK everyone, I pulled the yellow relay at the front of the bike on the left hand side. Connections were very dirty, so gave them a clean with contact cleaner. Trouble is I have no clue what this relay is for?? Is it the main one?? Did the same to the indicator? Relay on the right hand side. Then pulled the ignition wires down to have a look, can't understand why they were stuffed into the bracket that holds the air temp sensor, which looks very weak by the way!! Separated the connection to the ignition switch and it was wet inside!! Actually a little bit of water ran out when I opened it !!! So cleaned everything inside and dried it out. Turned the key and the fuel pump primed and everything seems perfect. Just need to find a better place to tie up the ignition cable as the service manual I have showes photos of the the wiring positions/routes on the bike and at the front they certainly don't go where I found them! Lucky the ignition wires and connector haven't damaged that air temp sensor I guess? So fingers crossed its sorted!! Once again thank you all so much for your help sorting this. Cheers Mark
I would see if I could get a job as a fireman if I were you..............they could use someone good at spraying water everywhere. AL
Hi AL, sure will i actually have a mate that could get me into the service. Perhaps i can attend small fires and just use my jet wash Have you any clue what the lhs yellow relay is for? Cheers Mark
Er, no.......Yours is an IE and mine isn't so I don't have a relay on the left (two on the right, though). Looking at a 2002 electrical layout, there seems to be three relays (excluding the starter one); Main, Indicators; and Injectors. If it is the injector relay, the wire colours appear to be red/blue(or red/black); black; black/white; and pink/black. AL
Yellow relay is the main relay that switches everything on, they do fail and sometimes intermittently. Best get a new one, they're not expensive even from Ducati.
