Ducati Monster- Do you think it's the starter relay?

[Jonathan]

So I bought a really cheap Ducati Monster 750 for like 2k. I live in Seattle, so I didn't turn it over for quite some time. When a sunny day came up, I tried to start it up, but just got clicks and chugs. The battery seemed in bad bad shape. I tried to jump it, but in the end, no luck. You could tell the battery was dieing. Finally, the clicking stopped. The battery wasn't completely dead, but the ignition just stopped trying.

I then sent it in to Ducati Seattle. They did a diagnose on it. Put in some new spark plugs, washer, gasket, oil filter, new battery. Though they found out I had a tiny leak in my tank. So I took it to a welder and got it fixed. After I brought it back, they took about a month to do anything (stated something along the lines of filling it up with gas for 2 weeks and seeing if everything was ok). Though sadly, I had to do an immediate move to California (leaving tomorrow). So I picked up my bike this morning, threw it in a uhaul, and I am about to leave. I talked to the mechanic and he stated that when they were just about ready to turn it over and fix it up, I called them needing the bike back, so they couldn't get to it. Ergo, turning it on, the battery lights up everything beautifully (its new, so obviously), but no clicks. Not starting.

So I'm going to be in San Francisco in two days. Do you think it could be the starter relay? I contacted the ducati dealership there (monroe motors) to see if they have a starter relay that would fit, and luckily they do! The last thing I want to do is send it to another mechanic and wait quite a bit of time, if I could just do it myself (well, with my brother who know can actually pull off the project).

If you had to bet, would you think it's the starter relay? I've ridden the bike many times before this problem. But after trying to jump it a hundred times, trying over and over to start it, the clicking just died out. What do you think?

Thanks everyone!

 

[bikinkawboy]

Do as Tomcat said, but you can carrry it a few steps farther. This is assuming you have already verified that the motorcycle battery is good. It's where you want to start, always start with the most likely culprit. And this is also assuming that you hooked jumper cables up to the motorcycle battery posts and the same problem still existed. Just because a battery supposedly shows good, never assume 100% that it is. The jumper cables allows you to double verify the battery is ok. Hooking the jumpers up to a cart battery is ok, just don't start the engine.

If the starter doesn't crank over or just barely tries, hook the jumper cables up to another battery. Attach the + jumper onto the starter terminal at the starter and touch the - cable other onto some metal part of the engine. You should get some sparks, but the starter should then crank the engine over. If it doesn't, then you know for a fact it's the starter. Either a dry, galled bushing or worn brushes. If the 2,000 miles is correct, the bushings shouldn't be dry or the brushes worn, but you never know.

Now if the starter cranks over by touching the - clamp onto the engine, now touch the - terminal of the battery with the - clamp. If everything is ok, the starter should still turn over. If it now doesn't, then you know the problem is corroded terminals at the - battery terminal or where the - battery cable attaches to the frame. I believe your engine is bolted solidly to the frame, so the - cable may attach to an engine bolt or a frame bolt.

If the starter cranks over with the - clamp attached to the battery terminal, move the + clamp from the starter terminal to the starter cable lug of the solenoid. If it cranks over, then you know the connections between the solenoid and the starter are fine.

Now attach the + clamp to the + terminal of the battery. Supposing the starter now fails to operate when you hit the button, take a heavy piece of wire or even bare pliers and make contact with the two lugs on the starter solenoid. If the starter cranks, then you have eliminated the wiring and connections between the solenoid and the battery.

That means the problem is either the starter solenoid (there's ways to check it) or in the circuit that energizes the starting system. That can be anywhere from the ignition switch (yes they do go bad) to the kill switch (assuming the starting circuit is routed through the kill switch, Kaws are, old Honda's aren't, don't know about your bike), and yes kill switches go bad (personal experience), to the safety starter interlock switches to any of the wire connectors on the starting circuit. If your bike uses electrical relays (I'm not talking about the starter relay) like those used on cars, they can go bad. My big Kaw dresser is notorious for them failing and there's 9 of them on it. And their the same as used on older Datsun cars.

The secret to troubleshooting a problem is to always start with and check the simplest and most likely areas. And never start buying expensive parts until you have narrowed the problem down. And like I detailed above, you want to positively and systematically eliminate one potential cause at a time. The more things you know it isn't, the fewer things it can be. Were it me, I'd be focusing in on potential corrosion problems in wire connectors, wire connections or cable connections. First off, the bike has lived in Seattle, a damp climate and if the bike spent much time near the coast, salt corrosion, both of which promote corrosion. And if the bike set outside a lot, it was exposed to the wet climate most of the time. Good luck.

 

[Philip P]

It is a ducati
take it to the shop.
your ducati should have an auto start facility in that once the key is on you press the button once and it will crank the engine automatically for 16 seconds; if the bike does not start, then you have to turn the key off and wait30 seconds then try again.
the problem is that if you re press and hold the starter button in you can burn out not only the starter solenoid but also the starter motor itself too.
secondly due to the age of the timing belts and the fact that your bike has been static for some time hence the fuel leak flat battery and other faults, it is possible for the belts to get moulded to their shape, the effect of this is that should you press the starter without replacing the belts after a very long lay up it is likely that the belts will fail stripping teeth and causing the valves to hit the pistons. this will lock the engine up totally and cause serious damage.
I can't say that this has happened to your bike but there is a high probability and if the garage you took the bike too had not checked it out and had not attempted to start the bike it could have gone un noticed.
you could be up for a bill into 1000,'s so don't play games and get it fixed by a reputable dealer

PS irrespective of mileage Ducati timing belts should be with out fail replaced every two years

 

[Tomcat]

If you can turn the ignition switch on, and all the instruments and lights, light up-then take a jumper wire of heavy gauge or you could use a jumper cable and clip it on the + post of the battery and then take the other end and touch the stud sticking out of the starter where the red lead bolts up.This will bypass the solenoid and should make the starter engage.Make sure the bike is in neutral and the kill switch is in the run position when you do this.This will tell you 2 things-if the battery has sufficient juice to pull the starter-and whether or not it is the starter itself or the solenoid.Oops that's 3 things.