I searched, but did not see this problem anywhere, not exactly anyway. Just bought this bike last week, has been running good although with the weather here in WI, I haven't had a chance to ride it much. Went out to start it tonight, the battery is good (on a tender, bright lights), hit the starter, get the whine of the fuel pump and...click,click,click,click (with the fuel pump whine) and with that the low fuel light blinks with every click. It has a half tank , so any ideas? Thanks in advance for any advice.
It sounds like a bad connection or a bad starter solenoid.
I'd clean all the cable connections and if it still clicks it would be time to jump the solenoid.
Is the engine turning over when you try to start it? If it isn't, I'm experiencing the same problem with my 696. It's probably something electrical. I'm taking mine in for warranty work. If it's anything remotely similar to the problem I'm having, you might want to have the shop check it out.
Could be a bad battery too, particularly if it is the original battery. Fully charged and good are not always the same. Try jumping with a known good battery. If the bike starts, re charge the battery and take it to a shop to be load tested. If the battery tests bad, replace it.
Thanks all, I'll be trying out those things tonight. [coffee]
Almazing, no the engine does not turn over at all, just click, click ,click.
If it's not the solenoid, I saw a chap on the Brit forum who seemed to have the same issue and it turned out to be vapor lock.
My wife is kinda doing the "I told you so" thing about buying a Duc over another Jap bike [bang] It's an '03 with 4900 miles on it, what could possibly go wrong?
It's supposed to be a whopping 50 degrees here on Friday and I want to show off the new Duc to the coeds at the U I work at.
If you are sure the battery is good, then it must be dirty connections or a bad ground (likely at the solenoid).
I just got my 696 back today. It was a faulty starter solenoid.
It appears as though the real culprit is that my new battery tender from Sears shows a fully charged battery, that is not fully charged. So last night I thought I'd pull out my quick charger and when I hooked it up, it showed the 100% battery (according to the Sears BT) at about 75%. I ran the quick charge to 100% and it started without a problem. But the battery is probably shot because it's only good for 2-3 starts before I get the clickity, click. Well, time to take back this battery tender and probably get a new battery. I could ask the former owner, but the "Bikemaster Platinum" isn't the OEM battery, is it? It's an '03 that was ridden for 1500 miles between 03-07, so I imagine this is a cheapy that was thrown in around 07, making it due for replacement in the harsh climate of WI.
On a side note, where is the freakin' tank stand? Is it an attached part or detachable? I couldn't find it and don't think I have one :'(
I'm still going to do the once over with the dielectric grease, ain't no Italian electrical gremlins going to make me a fool in front of the wife! [drink]
Quote from: gregrnel on April 02, 2009, 07:09:28 AM
It appears as though the real culprit is that my new battery tender from Sears shows a fully charged battery, that is not fully charged. So last night I thought I'd pull out my quick charger and when I hooked it up, it showed the 100% battery (according to the Sears BT) at about 75%. I ran the quick charge to 100% and it started without a problem. But the battery is probably shot because it's only good for 2-3 starts before I get the clickity, click. Well, time to take back this battery tender and probably get a new battery. I could ask the former owner, but the "Bikemaster Platinum" isn't the OEM battery, is it? It's an '03 that was ridden for 1500 miles between 03-07, so I imagine this is a cheapy that was thrown in around 07, making it due for replacement in the harsh climate of WI.
On a side note, where is the freakin' tank stand? Is it an attached part or detachable? I couldn't find it and don't think I have one :'(
I'm still going to do the once over with the dielectric grease, ain't no Italian electrical gremlins going to make me a fool in front of the wife! [drink]
The tank prop came attached to the underside of the seat.
AGM batteries don't have the longevity of a standard lead acid battery, regardless of brand,in my experience.
I just went through this on the same bike. It's the battery. You've probably got an internal short/ open in the battery, leading the tender to think it's at 12.6v (which it probably is) but in reality, you don't have the amps there to turn the bike over. I'm thoroughly convinced that the cheapo China-made batteries sold as "replacements" don't last a year (did one on dad's Harley last year, mine this year, and 2 on a coworkers between last year and this year), so if you can find yourself a decent OEM battery or at least a Yuasa, go with that.
Thanks, it really scares you when you have a problem like this when you just get the bike. Even though I had it inspected, I was still thinking the worst. All my Jap bikes either weakly turned the starter, or did nothing at all with a bad battery. Had a great 15 mile ride yesterday in the lovely 40 degree weather, it rained on the way home yet you couldn't peel the smile off my face....... [moto]
A load (capacity) test will tell you if your battery is good or not, which can be performed by any semi competent bike shop, no need for guess work. Often batteries are replaced due due a bad connection.
i have the same issue with my 02 620ie. I have the same sears tender that says the battery is fine. Ill probably get a new battery before trucking the bike to BCM Ducati for a new solenoid. Let us know how the new battery treats you!
Quote from: ducaticop on April 05, 2009, 08:59:58 PM
i have the same issue with my 02 620ie. I have the same sears tender that says the battery is fine. Ill probably get a new battery before trucking the bike to BCM Ducati for a new solenoid. Let us know how the new battery treats you!
All the tender is telling you is the battery is charged. Charged batteries and good batteries are not the same. Open cell voltage and capacity need to be tested. Also, many chargers out there will not fully charge AGM and gel batteries.
So far, with the new battery, so good. I took my quick charger to the new battery and it read 100%, as it with my new tender, (the last time I used the old tender, it read charging and charged at the same time, obviously a defective unit) while the old one just keeps losing charge sitting in the cold. It would make sense that an '03 that spent a lot of time sitting would be on it's 3rd battery now in the the harsh WI climate.