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rough idle and no power

Started by samuraibiker, March 29, 2015, 03:50:17 PM

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samuraibiker

March 29, 2015, 03:50:17 PM
hey guys

nearly 1 year of 1997 monster 400 ( i live in Japan ) ownership under my belt...love the bike, no issues until...rode on friday, all sweet....saturday morning bike didnt want to start ( kept in a warm dry garage, has started everytime on colder mornings ), wouldnt idle when it did start. finally got it too idle but i could hear the engine noise was totally different... more of a wimper than a growl. tried to ride her... was like riding a honda cub .... one cylinder not firing i thought...then suddenly she roared into action.... went home... tried again a few hours later and the same problem..she doesnt want to idle and no power.... could she be not firing on one cylinder? as a vespa owner, I do not have such issues and have no idea where to start? fuel filter? fuel lines? cdi? carb overhaul? a trip to the ducati shop is expensive so i hope it is a fixable issue that i can do myself...any help/ ideas really welcome.
monster 400 evolving into a 900; vespa px150, vespa gs 150, suzuki grasstracker 250 60s custom tracker, honda cbr1000rr

ducpainter

#1
March 29, 2015, 04:22:54 PM
It sounds like it's running on one cylinder.

Check the plugs.
"Once you accept that a child on the autistic spectrum experiences the world in
 a completely different way than you, you will be open to understand how that
 perspective
    is even more amazing than yours."
    To realize the value of nine  months:
    Ask a mother who gave birth to a stillborn.
"Don't piss off old people The older we get, the less 'Life in Prison' is a deterrent."


samuraibiker

#2
March 29, 2015, 07:43:01 PM
thanks

checked the horizontal cylinder and looks good... i think though it is that cylinder that is not firing...

will pull off the ht lead from either cylinder and see if the bike runs..

ht lead problem? cdi? gas shortage?

any ideas how to troubleshoot ?

big thanks in advance

mike

monster 400 evolving into a 900; vespa px150, vespa gs 150, suzuki grasstracker 250 60s custom tracker, honda cbr1000rr

memper

#3
March 29, 2015, 08:17:39 PM
Quote from: samuraibiker on March 29, 2015, 07:43:01 PM
thanks

checked the horizontal cylinder and looks good... i think though it is that cylinder that is not firing...

will pull off the ht lead from either cylinder and see if the bike runs..

ht lead problem? cdi? gas shortage?

any ideas how to troubleshoot ?

big thanks in advance

mike


How did you check the cylinder? Did you test for spark? Did you check the health of your spark plug wires? Check connections to coils, grounds, and igniters? Do you have an ohm meter?
"Calling a bikini fairing on a monster a fairing is like calliing a girl in an actual bikini proper work attire....unless shes a stripper." -He Man

-----------------------------------------
Important: always check your battery filter and regularly change your headlight fluid.

SpikeC

#4
March 29, 2015, 08:56:05 PM
 If one cylinder is not firing the exhaust pipe will not heat up.
Spike Cornelius
  PDX
   2009 M1100S Assorted blingy odds and ends(now gone)
2008 Bimota DB5R  woo-Hoo!
   1965 T100SC

samuraibiker

#5
March 30, 2015, 01:07:00 AM
hey guys

thanks for your input...much appreciated

i removed the plug from the cylinder and connected it to the ht lead, then earthed the plug and turned the engine over...no spark in the gap ( dunno if this is the best way to do this for a ducati but its a tried and tested vespa way )

i got the engine running again and disconnected the ht lead for the vertical cylinder...bike died
did the same for the horizontal cylinder...bike didnt die

next idea...swap over ht ignition coils and see if it is a simple ht lead problem...i had the same problem on my vespa actually which was cured with a new ht lead. it is a 1997 monster with original electrics etc so i wouldnt be suprised if these problems come up now and again. My vespa is a 1962!!!! model but is soooooo reliable!

again, your help is greatly appreciated

mike
monster 400 evolving into a 900; vespa px150, vespa gs 150, suzuki grasstracker 250 60s custom tracker, honda cbr1000rr

ducpainter

#6
March 30, 2015, 03:38:27 AM
Swapping parts is a great way to isolate the problem.

If you swap the black boxes be very careful. The connectors and pins are pretty fragile.
"Once you accept that a child on the autistic spectrum experiences the world in
 a completely different way than you, you will be open to understand how that
 perspective
    is even more amazing than yours."
    To realize the value of nine  months:
    Ask a mother who gave birth to a stillborn.
"Don't piss off old people The older we get, the less 'Life in Prison' is a deterrent."


Howie

#7
March 30, 2015, 04:58:00 AM
Constant no spark horizontal cylinder?  Got an ohmmeter?  Pick up coils (under alternator cover) should read 95-105 ohms.  You will find the wires attached to the ignition modules in a  2 wire connector. 

The coils should read:
Secondary circuit, tower to ground - 13.5 K o ±20%.
Primary circuit, small terminal to small terminal 4.5 0 ±15%.
Resistance of the terminal cap should be 5 K o. ± 10%.
The high tension lead may permanently attached to the coils. 

There is a test procedure foe the ignition modules, but best and easiest is just switch them.

samuraibiker

#8
March 31, 2015, 12:02:18 AM
hey ducpainter and howie

thanks for the advice

i dont have an ohm meter...sounds like i should get one!

monster 400 evolving into a 900; vespa px150, vespa gs 150, suzuki grasstracker 250 60s custom tracker, honda cbr1000rr

samuraibiker

#9
April 01, 2015, 05:59:57 AM
deffo an electrical problem....

swapped over ht leads tonight...fired up the bike and

BANG..THE biggest ever backfire I have ever ever heard ( in a small garage )... I fired a handgun at a gun club once but this was louder... people from domino`s pizza next door came running in to see what had happened!!!!
monster 400 evolving into a 900; vespa px150, vespa gs 150, suzuki grasstracker 250 60s custom tracker, honda cbr1000rr

ducpainter

#10
April 01, 2015, 06:07:01 AM
Did it run on both cylinders, or just clear all the fuel out of the horizontal and still run on one?
"Once you accept that a child on the autistic spectrum experiences the world in
 a completely different way than you, you will be open to understand how that
 perspective
    is even more amazing than yours."
    To realize the value of nine  months:
    Ask a mother who gave birth to a stillborn.
"Don't piss off old people The older we get, the less 'Life in Prison' is a deterrent."


samuraibiker

#11
April 02, 2015, 03:44:46 AM
hey ducpainter

now it wont start!!!!

a dreaded trip to the ducati shop looms large on the horizon
monster 400 evolving into a 900; vespa px150, vespa gs 150, suzuki grasstracker 250 60s custom tracker, honda cbr1000rr

samuraibiker

#12
April 02, 2015, 11:04:29 PM
i got 2 new ignition coils and ht leads.... standing at the back of the bike , looking towards the front, which coil ( left or right ) goes to the vertical cylinder and which one to the horizontal one?

thanks

mike
monster 400 evolving into a 900; vespa px150, vespa gs 150, suzuki grasstracker 250 60s custom tracker, honda cbr1000rr

memper

#13
April 06, 2015, 06:23:33 AM
Just follow the coils and their leads to the cylinder it's going to. Also, just to check, what coils did you get? What's the ohms rating?
"Calling a bikini fairing on a monster a fairing is like calliing a girl in an actual bikini proper work attire....unless shes a stripper." -He Man

-----------------------------------------
Important: always check your battery filter and regularly change your headlight fluid.

samuraibiker

#14
April 11, 2015, 05:22:28 AM Last Edit: April 12, 2015, 04:25:58 AM by samuraibiker
hey memper
i read on a topic on this site that the left coil goes to the vertical, right to the horizontal

i picked up 2 new igintion coils and ht leads... will have time to install them next week.

fingers crossed

monster 400 evolving into a 900; vespa px150, vespa gs 150, suzuki grasstracker 250 60s custom tracker, honda cbr1000rr
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