Hi everyone, I have a 2001 748e and since I have owned it, 3-4 years I have had this problem which I have tried to resolve through reading forums on Ducatisti and here, without sucesss. I realise when I bought it privately, I had the rose tinted specs on and it retrospect it was a bit of an uncared for shocker. When I ride for any distance 30-40 miles the bike just cuts out, totally dead as if the kill switch has been hit. It will then turn over on the button but not fire. If left for around 15 mins it will fire up again. My usual journey consists of 30 miles of motorway from Maidstone then 10 miles of town traffic into central London. What happened last time was the bike cut out just as the A20 ended at Sidcup/South Circ. I believed it may have been caused by the relays under the seat, possibly causing the fuel pump to cut out, so I carried two new replacements. I changed the two at the roadside and it started. Thinking I had at long last solved it, I carried on in to town, but 5 miles later it cut out again and then did so another three times, practically every mile. On the ride home it cut out around every two/three miles. I have changed the fuel filter, it all seemed ok in there, hoses etc. It has a new battery and the regulator and yellow wires, although warm seem ok and there is no sign of heat damage at the connections. I have checked all other fuses and relays and all seem ok, no corrosion. I once had an issue where the started button stuck in and had to spray loads of WD40 in there to get it to come out, but other than that, I'm stumped and seriously thinking about getting rid. Does anyone have any ideas please ? Kind regards
- I wondered if it may have something to do with the fan cutting in. I left it on the drive ticking over and after around 20 min it again cut out, dead, no missing, spluttering etc. But fired up straight away. By this time the fan was running and didn't seem to have any adverse effect although not sure if the initial starting of the fan caused the cut out. It then cut out regularly after around 5 minutes ..
I wish I could help you, sounds like an issue connected to heat build up somewhere. If you can i'd change the reg/rec to rule that out, go through every connection, cleaning and checking. have you checked all the coils and HT leads? 4 yrs is a effing long time to try and sort something as constant as this out. You must have the patience of a saint! matt
Thanks guys, yes I didn't think it would take me this long to resolve ! As a result I now rarely use the bike as it's just so unreliable. A new regulator will be my next step and when I renewed the chain/sprockets the sidestand etc was absolutely encased in old, hard chain lube, so it was given a very good clean and tighten. I guess I'll dismantle and clean the kill switch, but I'm not convinced there, but thanks for your sugestions so far.
- no, I have not checked coils/HT leads. Not had an issue with misfires etc, so is it likely a failure there would cause the engine to cut out dead ? I'm right in thinking there is a coil/HT lead for each cylinder ?
Make sure the relays beside the battery are in good condition, especially wher they fit into their bases. I had a cutting out problem which was due to the main relay becoming loose. Eventually cured by cable ties which located it correctly.
Reg/rec problems can be intermittent and especially so when the bike is used in stop/start traffic. Did you have to replace the battery because the old one failed?
Have you checked the main relay, the yellow one near to the battery - if it dies all the power goes off.
Thanks everyone. Some useful advice. I have been over the relays as I am pretty sure they are the source of the problems. I'll fit a new regulator, order some new relays and get back to you. Thanks again.
I think someone else has had a problem in the past with cutting out when the fan comes on, but, for the life of me, I can't remember who, when, what bike, or even if it was on 'this" forum, so no help at all am I !!!
as above plus - there are so many 'ignition related' junctions that could cause this, but as said it sounds as though a slight 'warming up' could be relevant. This could be a 'light corrosion' problem - going from memory only :- the knurled steel cylindrical loom main multi plug* that sits on the right just behind the water radiator is fairly high on the usual suspects list - clue will be if it's hard to swivel to enable disconnecting. As mentioned, the yellow square relay next to the battery can both house corrosion on the spade connectors but also go intermittent. There is a main fuse for ignition and the holder needs carefully checking (and possibly main fuse holder). It sounds obvious but the battery connections themselves although doubtful. The internal contacts of the cut-out switch on r/h handlebar and it's route and loom plug. The main injector loom connector (steel, cylindrical - scaled down version of *). I'm sure there are more - if you see any traces of green on any connector pins or spades then it could be 'bingo' time.
NZDave, I also recall the thread regarding the fan, I think it was on the other site most of the names here used to subscribe to ! Is the wiring on the fan connected in any way to the loom behind the headlamps as I think that was where the problem was found to be, although I'm not sure now. Chris, some useful pointers especialy the knurled connections, I wouldn't have thought to check those. I'll start it up to let the fan kick in again at the weekend. As has been mentioned it does seem heat related and I want to check this closer, one more time. Where can I find the part numbers and where will be the best place to get the new relays, particularly the yellow one from please?
Hi, First and foremost what part of the country do you come from? I had exactly the same symptoms on my 916 SP3. To say it was annoying is an understatement. I can only give you my symptoms and what finally solved it for me. It would stop and then after 10 to 15 mins would start and run fine. I had tried most of the stuff that the Guys have indicated in the thread plus some. When it threw the final tantrum and stopped dead, I found that when I turned the ignition off and then back on the fuel pump would not prime. On the 916 when you first switch the ignition on you hear the fuel pump run, I assume pressurising the system, and then stop. I left the ignition on and then thought it may be the kill switch which I gave a good wiggle but the pump would not prime. I then swapped the two engine management relays over which power the fuel pump and are connected to the ignition in some way assuming that only one would fail/go intermtittant at a time. However the fuel pump still did not prime. By the way these are the two black relays under the seat on the 916 SP3. Turned the ignition off and called the AA recovered home. Once home turned the ignition on, fuel pump could be heard priming the fuel circuit which then stopped as normal, pushed the button and bike started and ran as if nothing happened. I believed that I had exhausted all the other options so went and purchased two new engine management relays fitted them and have not had another issue in about 6000 miles. To be sure that I had cured the problem I opened up the offending relays to find a significant build up of what looked like carbon around the contacts that provide the power to the pump and ignition circuit. The reason I ask about what part of the country are you from is that you are welcome to borrow a couple of known good relays for a bit to see if it cures the issue before making a purchase of some new ones. Stick with it I hope that this may be your problem. Steve B
Youre right ,it will be a 2bob something or other.Being intermittant is a pain to isolate but keep at it.Then you can actually enjoy the bloody thing.
Guys, Thanks again. Steve B. I always thought the relays under the seat would be the root of the problem, so I carried two new spares. When it cut out I replaced both with the two new ones and off I went. This took about 15 minutes and I thought I had resolved it - but it cut out again, and again and again on the journey in to work, so back to the same problem with two new relays. Once it cut out I would have to wait 15-20 min to re-start. It turns over ok and the pump primes but doesnt fire. On the way home it was a nightmare, it cut out regularly after what seemed to be every five miles. Took me a while to get home that day ! I thought it could be the fuel filter or rubbish in the tank, so cleaned the tank out and replaced the filter and checked the hoses. I have not ridden it since, but have left it idleing on the drive. It will start fine and after a while 15-20 mins just stop dead. However, unlike on the road, where I have to wait 15-20 it will start again straight away, but then cut out every 5 min or so. That's why I will check the fan / electrics now. Speno. I've only experienced this recently and that was because the battery was left to go flat after I dumped the git in the garage after the last time. I jumped started it and the rev counter went crazy and I had a couple of backfires. I asume this was because of the flat battery, but that was the only time I had that issue. I have always had IL4's this is my 1st twin and I have always been in love with the 748/916 variants. I bought what I now realise was a shed but have lavished much time and not a few pounds on it and it now looks the business. It was difficult to adapt to, not least because of the shot chain and sprockets and tyres and the fact I use it for a London comute isn't something everyone agrees with, but it was either suffer the wrist/knee pain + burnt ar*e at a standstill or get something more suited. I'm happy to put up with the above, because when at a standstill, drivers and pedestrians take time to comment about it, when parked it always draws people to it, much the same as I would have a look before I got one and when it's going I absolutely love it, the sound of the Arrow pipes and the clutch - love it ! I just wish I could complete a whole journey in one go !
