Hi Guys Recently my monster has developed an issue overnight. I have tried to search the forums but could not find anything related other than issues with slow cranking. Mine is a bit different. So I have parked up my monster, came back to it a week later and it would just not start. Once I pressed the button the starter would very slowly spin around half the turn (if that) and than just stop as if something was holding it back. I though oh well maybe the battery even though i did not get any clicks from the starter solenoid. Jumped the bike still nothing. Started looking at forums and many people having issues with the wiring so I jumped the starter motor itself and the issue was still the same. I had to ride the bike to work that day, I push started it thinking maybe it could somehow still be the battery. Rode it to work for 40min which should give it plenty of time to charge up. Has anyone seen this issue before? Definitely not battery/starter cable related. To me it sounds like the starter itself has given up only after 7k miles, or something inside of the engine has failed and is dragging like the starter clutch. Any info would be much appreciated
Sounds as though you diagnosed right about the starter but you could try running an earth (jump lead?) from somewhere on the engine direct to battery earth just to rule this out, although unlikely.
I don't know if there were any quirks peculiar to your bike, see what others say, I would think you are right..
Might be worth checking all H/D starter leads plus checking if battery terminals are loose while you're there, it's another possibility.
Yes, most likely the starter. The gear on the starter (1) engages with the intermediate pinion (10) which in turn engages with the starter driven gear (2. This sprag clutch transmits this rotation to the flywheel and it flange (13&16) and hence to the crank. A worn sprag clutch can slip so that engine doesn't turn over at full speed but it can't stall the starter. The only case where I could see that happening is if the intermediate gear has seized on it's spindle (8) but I think that is very unlikely. I once suffered an apparently seized starter on my Scrambler but what had actually happened was that a piece had broken off the gear change return spring and got carried round by the flywheel where it became lodged between the intermediate gear and the driven gear effectively locking the starter, but the starter didn't turn at all, not even slowly.
Have you eliminated the possibility that the battery is the problem? A simple check with a voltmeter will give some indication, jumping it does not necessarily rule it out.
I will take a video of how it turns. It is almost as if something was holding it back. its strange as it just happened overnight. Not as if the starter got weaker and weaker and eventually got here
Just checking, jump direct to the starter + and an engine ground from another battery? Does it spin over any better with the plugs out?
definitely sounds like starter from all the tests you've done although odd/unusual considering the mileage. Have you owned from new? if not, maybe a previous owner had let the starter labour repeatedly.
No but i know the previous owner who had it from 3k. I must say the starter switch sometimes needs a good hard press to get the starter going. Perhaps due to this the starter was just getting small pulses every now and than and just burned it self. Its just strange seeing that it was working perfectly and would just go bad the next day.
starter switch is sometimes the culprit, you probably know, but you've bypassed this. If a previously behaving starter stops that suddenly then could be brushes at end of life/have reached full travel. If you have a hide mallet, you could try a few medium weight taps near brush end to see if starter magically recovers momentarily, mixed results from this though.
it's up to you, current price I believe is approx £140 so could rebuild yours as a spare or just repair, would be a blessing if brushes only. eg:- (need to check it fits but all similar) https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/starter-...418176?hash=item3b2ec03240:g:3nwAAOSwk-9bqOnK
listed for up to 2006 so might not fit but its hard to know with ducatis as most parts across the range are interchangeable
It should fit. As far as I'm aware there are only two starter from the late eighties to the present time. Those like yours with 3 screws securing it to the LH crankcase and those with an additional screw fixing it to the RH crankcase like this: There have been various changes to the starter motor pinion so you'll probably have to swap it over.
