Hello. New member here with a Ducati 749s. I’m having problems and is hoping you can point me in the right direction. After it had been standing a month, I tried to start it up a week ago. With the battery charged up, I push start and the starter turned the engine for a couple of seconds and stopped. Since then, all I get is a click from the solenoid. Battery has been replaced with a new one and all electrical connections has been cleaned without success. Still just a click. I tried to jump the solenoid with a plier, but not even that turns it, why i guess the problem is mechanical, either starter or starter gear. Also, the fuel pump doesnt prime now. Can that be because of it beeing primed before without starting? All help is mush appricated. Nearest Ducati mechanic is far away. Per
Yes does sound rather strange. For me I would take the plugs out and try turning the motor over by hand as the belts might have jumped and caused a lock in the engine, this should be your first port of call then when you are clear that no mechanical issues are stopping the engine from turning over then look at the electrics.
Andy’s bang on, I’d take the battery out and carefully remove the holder, ECU and associated cables. Check them over for any fraying, heat issues or breaks etc and clean up the ends of the starter/solenoid cables. Even if it’s not the source of the issue it is a worthwhile exercise.
Man, this forum is really alive. I thought facebook had killed all forums. Love it! I don’t have the tool yet. The engine turns fine when rolled in gear. Is that an earth-lead to the ECU or passing it on it’s way to the rear cylinder? I have cleaned all contacts I have seen so far. When holding the left dash button and turning the key, no fault codes is displayed - I go directly to the ”normal” screen.
No, just a click from the solenoid and voltage drops. Bypassing the solenoid does not turn the starter motor either so I guess the solenoid isnt the culprit.
Depends how much money you want to spend, but I would start with; New battery (although you say it’s already been done) Replace/upgrade starter power and rather leads (https://www.ducatiforum.co.uk/threads/999-749-exact-start-electric-cable-kits.34560/) Remove plugs and see if you can get it to turn over without any compression It’s not going to start for a while anyway if you have been turning on and off a lot as it will be flooded. It could be the starter that has gone, but normally the leads and earth are the common problem area.
Relays can be a problem on these, especially the hard to get to one behind the battery box. Replacing it or all of them is cheap and worth doing even if they are not culprits either. Did you check the starter motor connections? Did you check and clean the fuses and give them lots of wiggling to clean the fuseholder contacts too?
The fuel pump relay was full of muck. I have cleaned the terminals and soaked the holder in oxide clean. All contacts including starter connection has been cleaned with electrical oxide clean and sandpaper. I hooked up a car battery with no luck. And the new battery should be ok. I have contacted exige about the cables. The bike beeing EFI should not be spraying gas into the cylinder when the engine isnt turning, should it? As of now, the pump isnt even priming. I will remove the spark plugs tomorrow to see if this eases the use of the starter.
every time you turn the ign on there will be a pre injection spit of fuel so yes it does remove the plugs to dry them out you need to undo the black plastic battery casing get it away from the frame, behind the heat shield is the ecu where that bolts to the plastic is a fly lead from the loom that earths the ecu undo that clean that and lube..
this piece of junk see the silver heat shield behind the black plastic the ecu is hidden between that and the black plastic this piece of junk
Yes I have removed that one enough times the last days that I now can do it blind folded! I will take a close look att the ECU tonight as well as removing the sparkplugs. Thank you all so far in replying!!
@Per R If you cant fix it I would not worry too much about having to make a long journey to a Ducati garage. In my experience there are plenty of very good mechanics in other places and many will have regularly worked on Dukes. Might be worth calling a few local garages to see if any seem happy to help and confident.
Love your spelling of Sweeden, so much better than the original. They should adopt that. Not taking the mickey there, I genuinely mean it. I was surprised a couple of years ago when I checked around within 30 minutes of home , I discovered 5 independent mechanics/ garages all with regular experience of working on Ducatis and all very happy to help. Got to be worth checking out as he may be lucky.
You are quite right. I should mention that I have rebuilt a couple of bikes in the past and feel confident in doing the spannering myself. The mechanical issues is seldom a problem, but electrics is an other ordeal. This is my first ECU-bike though, and right now i miss the carbs on the earlier bikes, even though jetting / and doing sync can provide its own difficulties.
