Hi All, I have an on going problem that is driving me nuts. My 996SPS is very difficult to start. After it has finally got going it will start on the button all day. I have replaced the water temp sensor as suggested by a dealer. He also suggested changing the spark plugs which I have ordered but not fitted yet. It turns over enthusiastically enough at first then becomes sluggish, emits a cough of death. I walk away for a few minutes and then try again, and then it may or may not start. What is weird is that once its going it starts just fine. I know its a long shot but has any one any suggestions?
Sounds like the battery might be on the way out? Also heavier gauge starter/earth cables help spin it over quicker with less voltage loss.
my 998 used to be a really pain to start too, keeping turing it over and over will put unnecesary wear on the starter sprag clutch which is a 400 + job to repair (i found out the hard way) as dukedesmo says get a quality new battery and make sure to keep it fully charged also replace the the earth bond, and +ve cables to solenoid and starter motor with something new and beefy, and make sure they are properly and cleanly terminated to ensure max current can pass to the starter this should resolve your starting issues this is the kind of thing you need but this is very overpriced imho, you should be able to have someone make you up something similar for about 30 quid Ducati 996 998 Starting / Starter Upgrade Kit - Bike Starts in 1 Second! | eBay
I'd go for a weakening battery as well. The engine could still turn over but if the battery cannot supply enough cold cranking amps then the bike will be very difficult to start as the plugs may spark but the battery is too weak to supply a current that is enough to create a hot spark. You may also get some flooding which will not help the situation. Use\buy a decent battery and keep it topped up with an Optimate or similar when not in use. I had a battery go "rogue" on my 998 and it wouldn't stop turning the engine over despite the ignition being off and the kill switch being engaged, in the end the loom started getting hot and I had to disconnect the battery to stop it churning over. That was caused by an internal fault in the battery caused by it dying off and shorting internally, there is a risk to using a battery that is on its way out.
My 916SPS used to be an absolute pig to start. Eventually it fucked the sprag clutch. Replacement is 400quid plus, and that was with me doing it myself. New sprag plus new battery kept on Optimate and it is better. Still can flood though and be slightly temperamental on occasion. Good luck.
A wiring mod for the 2 valve engine was to run an earth lead directly to the starter motor end plate. Standard electron flow returns thru the engine and frame and was quite resistive. That works well but this Ebay kit has none of that therefore I don't believe it will make much difference.
Guys, that's all really helpful. Ill look into your suggestions. They have a more powerful later battery at Riders that will fit my bike and its a fair bit lighter too. I took off the battery box and checked the connectors behind it yesterday and they were pretty green and need a good clean up. The rubber boot over the starter motor wire wasn't on so I checked it was tight and replaced the boot. The old girl was standing for four years until this summer so I am bound to get some gremlins I guess. Thanks again.
Geoff Baines once told me that changing the fuel filter sometimes helped with poor starting, since an old, blocked one made it harder draw the fuel.
I put one of their kits on my SS and it made a big difference, the nice thing is they include all the bits and pieces to clean the posts.
I think I might get a set on order, I was warned about damaging the sprag clutch by another member and that's a costly fix! Thanks for your help, Cheers Mike
thats the same one as the ebay link i put up, well made but silly money imho these guys used to do a set for 24 quid that was more than good enough, might be worth sending him a message MRN Electro shop
nope it aint... I got bog standard Halfords leads you can piggy back as it would be easier.. total cost £10-15 depending on the lengths and they do the job nicely
