Picked up bike from service and stopped off somewhere after quite a few miles. Would it start again? Would it f... So I managed to paddle it to a hill and bump started it. Stopped off in Lausanne expecting the same thing (but Lausanne is very hilly) and I was right. No way to get it started on the button. Another bump start (in traffic). The battery turns the bike over, but it won't fire. It did a couple of small farts, but wouldn't catch. Battery seems to indicate about 13.7 vols (though it drops to 12 point something when you're cranking the motor). Battery was new last year (although bike has sat over most of winter). It'll start happily from cold. Motor wasn't that hot - it was showing 76° the first time it refused to start. Obviously I'll be ringing the garage in the morning but was just interested in case anyone had a bright idea. Remind me of the extra thick lead from battery negative to some bolt or other mod again. Would that help? All quite strange (and a bit annoying). Switzerland is a hilly place, but you can't always guarantee to park up next to one. Has garage failed to connect something, or pinched a tube or whatnot. Bike works fine once it's going.
Hi Glid First I know fek all about 999s, so lets get that out the way first. If its like the 1098s then you can run additional cables; battery to solenoid, solenoid to starter and battery to earth point. This helps reduce the volt drop to the starter motor which should give the motor more oomph and spin it faster. That said I doubt that's the problem. If its starting fine cold then that's the time the motor has to work hardest, turning viscous oil. So if it was a weak battery or electrical fault that's when it would probably show. The starter is turning over when hot its just not catching, from what I can gather. Doubt it's starter or battery related and cannot be anything too serious of you can bump it and it then runs. Garage do anything to fuelling, plugs, air filter etc: I think its probably more related to these than any electrical or battery issue Sorry can't help more, be interested to know what the problem is if you find out John
Earth wire mod is about 6" lead(I used thick stranded copper house wire) from battery -tve to the starter motor fixing bolt which you can just about see. That will give you an extra .3-.4v charging and faster cranking. I don't think that's your problem though. I have 05 999 that was a pig to start and on recommendation from a Ducati tec I removed the shim from under the crank position sensor. A lot of bikes around 05 were shimmed too high. That might be your problem. remove the single allen bolt holding CPS, raise the CPS and slide out the shim. Its a brass horseshoe shaped thing. You can't do any harm doing this.
this may be of no help whatsoever but I see no-one has mentioned the coolant temp sender/sensor(s) that I am pretty certain that you would have on your bike talking directly to the ECU? From memory your symptoms would often be caused by a fault relating to this sensor on most 'late' Italian cars I worked on.
i know we're years apart techwise/modelwise but my st2 does this and mostly its due to throttle position i think as if i turn it when spinning her up warm it finds a magic spot and fires no problem. at zero throttle position and engine warm, nothing, just spins,not even a fart. in fact the duc is the only inj engine ive ever had where i need to take the throttle up from rest to start the damm thing.
I am collating all these excellent ideas and will put them to the mechanics concerned. Thanks all. I shall also be ringing my Ducati guru - he who started the garage that the bike has gone to for the last 20 years or more. He has forgotten more stuff about Ducatis that most people ever know. He sold the garage to his mechanics when he retired, but he is still an obsessive Ducati tinkerer.
Curious. But interesting. I thought the self-starting process on the 999 was: stab the button once and leave well alone.
fuel pump relay? I had the same thing a couple of years go on my 749 and always keep a couple of spares in my fool box.
The self start process is indeed as you say Glid. But, there is one variable under your control- That of the cold start lever, which some people incorrectly refer to as 'the choke'. When used, it opens the throttle butterfly's a tiny amount . All bikes require different usage of this control, have you experimented with yours?
As Jerry mentioned, at the first sign of any starting issues, change the fuel relay, it doesn't cost much and once replaced will eliminate those issues that can be potentially caused by a dodgy relay,ie fuel pump not pumping, no supply to ignition or injectors! Do you hear the normal whirring of the pump when you fist turn on the ignition?
I had an 04 999S that could be a twat to start. It turned out to be a tired start motor which took me ages to suss out because it seemed to be turning over ok. It just didn't quite have enough umph.
Pre 2004 999's did not have the one-press starter system. Early models (like mine) require that you hold the starter button down until the engine catches. +1 for a TPS reset. However, another option is a dodgy crank position sensor. I have one of those which makes it harder to start mine up than it needs to be - but it still starts. Maybe your crank sensor is more far gone.
@Loz, I agree re the CP Sensor, but that wouldn't have 'just failed': the problem would have been apparent for some time.
True Jerry. Glidd hasn't mentioned any "spurious" engine warning lights or other tell-tale signs. If he has noticed any of these though, it's a possibility.
