Hi all, New to this forum not new to Ducati's. Iv'e had my 2008 848 for 7 years now and during that time iv'e become accustomed to all its little quirks, Iv'e worked on it so much I could strip and re-build it with my eyes closed however in the last few days it has started to be an extra pain in the rear fairing. 2 days ago I give it a jet wash, normally i'm really careful as I know Italian electrics and water aren't a good mix. When I came to start it it wouldn't play ball, when you pushed the starter it would click on the relay behind the dials but nothing more. I left it to dry out and the next morning it fired up first time. That day I was attending a bikers funeral, it rained the whole day, after turning it off for 30 mins i came to start it up and same as the day before nothing but a click from the relay. Today I tested the relay, starter switch, fuses, solenoid I even shorted the solenoid to see if it would crank over which it did. I am now getting a No8 Motorcycle diagnostic (not engine diagnostic) light. Any help or suggestions would be appreciated.
Common problem. Water around the immo antenna. If you are unlucky the antenna is goosed through water ingress. Try taking the ignition shroud off and putting a couple of washers on the bolts to raise the antenna nearer the key by a couple of mm. Cured the issue on my 1198.
Can the immo be bypassed by shorting the solenoid? Seems a bit shoddy. Edit: if shorting the solenoid works why not replace the solenoid?
There is also the coil/pump/injector relay to check. A clicking solenoid would suggest low battery voltage.
Yeah that's making sense because when I shorted the relay it cranked but didn't fire so obviously the immo was still armed, I removed the shroud on Saturday and yesterday the warning light had gone off, when I pressed the start button it was clicking at the solenoid so I'm betting the antenna was playing up which is now OK but now Iv'e damaged the solenoid from shorting it out not had time to test it yet. Occasionally it will cut out at lights so I'm wondering if that was the problem Iv'e gone through all other avenues so hopefully that's the cause. Any home solutions to the antenna problem?
No it can't however I wasn't sure at the time if the solenoid had got wet thats why nothing was getting through to the starter, I didn't have my multi meter with me at the time so it was just a case of crossing the solenoid off the list of possibilities.
It was a brand new battery plus I had it on booster pack just to make sure, got my multi meter back yesterday and tested batter all is good. I think it was the antenna every other avenue has been checked.
