Ducati Monster Forum

So, I'm driving down the highway on my 2000 Monster 750 with only 3500 miles on it and the damn thing dies with no warning. I pull to the side of the road and the starter is cranking away...odd, I turn off the key switch and it's still cranking. I push and prod every button, yep still cranking. Finally I pull a bunch of fuses, still cranking. She kept cranking till the battery went dead. Got a ride home picked it up with the trailer, got home and put a charger on it, starter immediately engages. I put the key in it and no lights light up, and yes the starter is still cranking. I'm going to dig my way down to the starter relay (starter solenoid) to see if I can diagnose some sort of short.

I would love any suggestions. The bike is bone stock and hasn't ever given me any trouble aside from a sticky starter switch (it wasn't stuck when I had this problem)

Thanks

Tony

Starter solenoid locked up...

Yep, the solenoid seems to be "locked up" it has an open circuit allowing the starter to keep running :(, but that doesn't explain why the engine died and why the bike doesn't "power up" when I turn the key on, unless it shuts everything down while cranking, but I would think that would be controlled at the switch, not the solenoid or starter.  [bang]

Anyone have any thoughts about replacing the solenoid with anything other than the stock one?

Tony

You can buy a Yamaha solenoid fro Chris Kelley,  http://www.ca-cycleworks.com (http://www.ca-cycleworks.com)
Same solenoid different (better) connectors, less expensive.

As far as your "powering up" problem, there are four common causes, main relay, safety relay, side stand switch or a break in the harness coming down the head tube on the right side.  Your first step should be a new solenoid, just to get that out of the way.  More information would be helpful, like do the idiot lights on the dash come on, head light and tail light work, etc.

When I turn the key switch on nothing comes on no lights on the dash or headlight, etc... I am very sad.

First check #1 fuse, the 30 amp one.  Don't just look, use a meter or test light.  If that is good, check that the main relay (under the seat) is getting power.  if you have the original relay it is yellow.  If not, you will see three relays, the red circled one is it


You should have power at the red/yellow wire at terminal 87.  If you have power there, take a jumper wire and go from that wire to terminal 30.  If the bike now powers up, make sure you have power at terminal 85 when the key is on.  If so, you have a bad relay.  I think that is enough work for you now.  If you do not have a wiring diagram, download the owner's manual here:   http://www.ducati.com/en/bikes/service/manuals/2000.jhtml?family=manuals (http://www.ducati.com/en/bikes/service/manuals/2000.jhtml?family=manuals)

Fun, now I have something to do tomorr [thumbsup]ow!

Okay, I have an interesting development. I was getting no power at the yellow/red wire, so I figured I'd disconnect the starter relay so I could see how far I could track the power on the bike. Once disconnected the dash and lights all came to life!

So, that's weird. What I can't understand is why everything does dead with the starter powered up. I would think things would stay powered up because that's how the bike starts, engine turning over and power to the ignition etc... I have a new starter relay on order, but I don't really think that's going to fix the underlying problem that the bike dies. Is it possible that the starter has a short in it that is grounding out the entire electrical system? Seems kind hard to imagine. All of the wires are in excellent shape, no wear marks or splices that look bad.

Any thoughts???

A couple of my bikes have something that kills power to everything that doesn't need it (headlights, dash lights, etc.) while the starter is running to, I suppose, make all the power available to the starter.  I'd follow Howie's advice and fix the starter and go from there.  Perhaps it's all that's wrong.  Maybe that AND the relay.  But take it from me, troubleshooting with components that you strongly suspect are iffy is really frustrating and can get expensive.  Fix everything you KNOW is bad first, then move on.

My 2000 750 shutdown the whole electrical system after 2 minutes of riding for a while...finally traced it to the front brake light microswitch. The whole wiring system on the 750 is pretty easy to trace though if you have a wiring diagram.

Looks like I'm back in business, replaced the solenoid, and found a fried ignition fuse.