Greetings everyone...
So I managed to get a battery (thanks!) but still haven't managed to land a job yet... (ugh). The bike IS due for service but because of the battery, I've been able to run little odd jobs here and there to try to get by...
Until today.
I go work out. Come home for no longer than 40 mins. Go back out... Turn bike on.. wont' start.
And I mean won't even crank.
Yellow light is on. From my understanding, this means this is an engine lock out. But why? I JUST used it. I CANNOT take it in the show (i.e. get it towed). I HAVE to figure out what is going on myself.
Any ideas? I said I wanted to learn to work on my bike properly, looks like now is as good as any. Hoping I don't need to take the gas tank off as the tank has expanded and it's a pregnant dog to get on. I just don't understand how it could be fine, then 40 mins later, not fine.
Any assistance you can provide would be greatly appreciated.
Note.. you'll have to show me a picture if you want me to look at something as I don't really know what many of the parts are called. Don't hate... at least I am saying that I am willing to try to do this myself and learn.
Thanks!
Questions to clarify:
When you turn it on, do the gauges sweep?
Does the fuel pump prime?
Is the taillight on? (this means the fuse blew... which means that a little wire rubbed through the insulation and grounded somewhere... find the wire fault, dab it with liquid electrical tape, replace the fuse and go on your way)
Is the yellow light on the lower par of the instrument cluster (the same one that blinks when the bike is parked)?
If so, what is the sequence?
Does it blink with the key on?
Have you tried your other keys?
Do you have the code card? Try it?
Also all that Dirty Duck has mentioned.
Sorry for all the questions, but the more info the better.
One more though, do you have the the owner's manual to read up on the immobilizer? If not you can get it here:
http://www.ducatiusa.com/services/maintenance/index.do (http://www.ducatiusa.com/services/maintenance/index.do)
Went to look at the bike to answer the above questions. Here is a video of this morning:
http://youtu.be/Jj3uu8nkW14 (http://youtu.be/Jj3uu8nkW14)
Hear that click? It wasn't even doing that yesterday and now the immobilizer light is off. I could lift the tank (oh with is being swollen, that is such a pregnant dog) and put the tender on for an hour or so to see if she'll turn over. But seriously, ran the bike yesterday for less than 10 mins to gym. Worked out an hour. Come home. Walk dogs, shower, eat... 40 mins there.... come back to start bike, no crank, immobilizer light acting weird. Yadda yadda...
With the click now, and the fact the immobilizer is acting correctly, should I stick it on a tender?
Can't hurt.
If you just replaced the battery and you're having troubles again you need to figure out why the bike isn't charging the battery...assuming that's the issue.
Naw... battery has been in since May... no problems until yesterday.
still could be the regulator or stator
i had though i had battery issue, then regulator, ended up being the stator
there are stages to check.
So I have it up on the tender now (thank god I learned my lesson over the winter and put in the little leads.. I still needed to lift the tank but I have black velcro from my IT days so that I will trace the leads somewhere more easy for me to access without having to lift the tank.. also I want to use my GPS on it or charge my iPhone- I recently took a 300 mile trip-not suggested on that bike but hey.. poor- and I needed a GPS.. my phone ended up working on the housing but but I needed to stop at a MickyD's half way for a recharge... so I got the cig lighter adapter connector... not installed yet so that isn't the problem, but I digress).
The tender has a solid red which means charging. Not blinking red which means not charging.
My paranoia now is that the battery is so dead, I will need another... Also, I need to figure out why I am having random electric problems anyway... Since the summer before last, battery is dying eventually or its fine for months then suddenly this. What happened over the winter is 100% my fault and I learned from that (hence why now I have the leads on the battery so when it gets cold, I'll just put it on the tender over the winter).
I'll check on her before I go in about two hours... I doubt it will be charged up by then if it is even charging... but I'd like to see green blinking.. which means 80% charged. Though I thought once you get the battery, you'll never charge it back up to 100% again.
Quote from: MsTek on July 22, 2013, 07:02:53 AM
Come home. Walk dogs, shower, eat... 40 mins there....
You're a woman and can do that in 40 minutes :o
In that case I'm not worried - you'll fix this blindfolded...
Expect it to take more than 2 hours. +1 on the charging system check. Got a multimeter? If not you can get a cheap enough one from Radio Crap. You want to see 13.5 - 14.5 volts across the battery at about 3K RPM. Here is a guide if you get are not within specs. If you don't feel comfortable a shop should not charge a lot for a basic check.
Link to guide?
And if there are instructions which are clear, I can do it myself. I work in IT... worked my way from the bottom. Manager now but I still have no fear of getting dirty if there are clear instructions. :)
Yeah... reading up on multimeters... how do I check the battery and rev the engine at the same time? I'll need a friend, won't I?
Where can I buy one of those? ;)
Friends are cheap... :P
Some multimeters come with a little alligator clip adapter for the pin leads...
in case you can't buy a friend. ;)
Just ordered mulitmeter and clips off Amazon - They'll be here on Wednesday so I can try to take a gander at what is going on then.
Hopefully I can run the bike before then. I'm supposed to train people tomorrow at 7 AM and well.. I need the bike to get there.
I'm kind of pissed off about having no ride, but I am also excited about learning something new and being better able to take care of myself and understand my bike and motorcycles in general better.
Thanks for the tips. I'll keep you informed. :)
Quote from: MsTek on July 22, 2013, 09:24:25 AM
Link to guide?
http://www.electrosport.com/technical-resources/library/diagnosis/pdf/fault-finding-diagram.pdf (http://www.electrosport.com/technical-resources/library/diagnosis/pdf/fault-finding-diagram.pdf)
While you wait for your multimeter to arrive, take a look at the connector between the three yellow wires from the stator and the leads to the regulator/rectifier. It's probably behind the plastic side panel. Those have a habit of developing a little corrosion, heating up and then melting to a crispy mess. It's good preventive maintenance to clean and grease those contacts now and then. If the connector is darkened and you can't pull it apart, it might be melted together and that could be the origin of your charging problem.
If your battery is run down really low, it could easily take 24-48hrs for the tender to fully charge it, so leave the tender on for as long as possible.
I keep my tender lead zip-tied to the frame so I can access it without raising the (swollen) tank. If you choose the R side, just be sure it can't flop around and get caught up in your throttle linkage.
BK
Quote from: BK_856er on July 22, 2013, 12:09:37 PM
While you wait for your multimeter to arrive, take a look at the connector between the three yellow wires from the stator and the leads to the regulator/rectifier. It's probably behind the plastic side panel. Those have a habit of developing a little corrosion, heating up and then melting to a crispy mess. It's good preventive maintenance to clean and grease those contacts now and then. If the connector is darkened and you can't pull it apart, it might be melted together and that could be the origin of your charging problem.
If your battery is run down really low, it could easily take 24-48hrs for the tender to fully charge it, so leave the tender on for as long as possible.
I keep my tender lead zip-tied to the frame so I can access it without raising the (swollen) tank. If you choose the R side, just be sure it can't flop around and get caught up in your throttle linkage.
BK
gt
LOL.. I don't know wht a strator looks like or a rectifier.. etc... Is there some kind of shop manual PDF I can dwld?
Quote from: MsTek on July 22, 2013, 09:24:25 AM
Link to guide?
<snip>
Oops :-[
Quote from: zooom on July 22, 2013, 10:23:10 AM
http://www.electrosport.com/technical-resources/library/diagnosis/pdf/fault-finding-diagram.pdf (http://www.electrosport.com/technical-resources/library/diagnosis/pdf/fault-finding-diagram.pdf)
Thanks Zooom!
Quote from: MsTek on July 22, 2013, 01:16:18 PM
gt
LOL.. I don't know wht a strator looks like or a rectifier.. etc... Is there some kind of shop manual PDF I can dwld?
Probably, but you can also search this site for "stator wires" etc. to get visually oriented. The left side engine cover will have three yellow wires coming out of the front edge through a rubbery fitting, wires will be mostly covered in protective black vinyl sleeve. Follow these up and to the rear of the bike. Remove the seat - that grey metal thing with cooling fins and electrical connections is the regulator/rectifier. The three yellow stator wires lead to the regulator/rectifier via a white plastic in-line connector. See if that connector looks crispy. Might need to cut a ziptie or two to get at the connector. This will be part of the charging trouble-shooting, but you can get a visual head start now while your multimeter is in transit.
BK
Quote from: MsTek on July 22, 2013, 01:16:18 PM
gt
LOL.. I don't know wht a strator looks like or a rectifier.. etc... Is there some kind of shop manual PDF I can dwld?
One step at a time. Let's see what the charging voltage is first. Anyhow, brief, hardly complete, the regulator and regulator are in one unit. The rectifier's job is to turn the AC output from your alternator (automotive term for AC generator) into the DC your bike wants. The stator is the winding under the right side engine cover and part of the alternator. A large magnet (rotor) turns with the crankshaft and AC current is created in the stator. Go here http://www.ducatiusa.com/services/maintenance/index.do and download the parts catalog you can see where the parts are located on your bike.
BK_856er,s advice about the three wires is great, and I would inspect that connector as preventative maintenance, but I think it is good to check the charging rate first so you know what is going on.
Howie's right, but it took me forever to find a picture of the left side of the bike, so I'm posting the damn thing ;D
Stator wires in the circle, follow them to the possibly toasted connector
(http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7302/9347084370_3e30959a66_z.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/23081877@N02/9347084370/)
Thanks guys!
Nice pic Ddan.
Here's a good read, with some great info from Brad.
http://www.ducatimonsterforum.org/index.php?topic=60122.0 (http://www.ducatimonsterforum.org/index.php?topic=60122.0)
Howie's one-step-at-a-time is good advice.
BK
Just want to throw something simple to check out there real quick. If you can charge your battery, and run your bike, but it then dies about a day (or short ride) later... it might be that your 40amp Main Fuse has blown...
Give that a check. It's a big make the beast with two backser inside a plastic housing to the left of the battery area, under the tank.