Relays are miniature solenoids. Did you test them for actually switching with an audible click and then getting continuity across the switch? Even then, you know the engine will start but not continue to run, so testing may not show anything up anyway. Relays are electro-mechanical and can suffer from internal corrosion. Many people treat them as consumables and replace them regularly as a matter of course. They are very cheap, so replacing them is probably prudent anyway. Having said all that, you say you swapped them over, so that should eliminate them as your immediate problem. I have had lots of trouble with fuses, especially with the 90s SS I used to have. I found that you didn't need obvious corrosion to get problems, just light oxidation was enough to get poor contact. Also, I found it was essential to have a totally flat fuse. Any twisting of the fuse will seriously reduce contact area and give problems. In my case, this gave problems starting at all but maybe in your case, the increasing current draw that DtD describes is loading and exposing a poor connection that then breaks down.
yip i mentioned before about the car that spent six months off the road with a fractured fuse that broke down under load. a relay, connection,what ever can appear ok with a meter until the circuit is loaded. in my place i don't go with the throw parts at it mentality. i like to prove it first.tho sometimes it is cheaper if yer paying for workshop time to throw a fuse or relay at it first. personally i dont charge for initial diagnostic if it where me and i suspected the fuel pump circuit, i would launch the fuse. if the relay is easily accessible i would check there then the pump connection for corrosion or burning. if all good i would get the meter out and fuel pressure gauge. if no pressure gauge testlight and meter. bobs yer uncle. but, the the downside of disconnecting and reconnecting, pulling wires here and there is you can inadvertently resolve the problem but not actually repair it permanently.
have you also checked the Side stand switch and the right hand switch gear?? also a source of starting and cutting out sporadically
Morning All, Popped up to the MOT station this morning, turned the ignition key and the pump started ... although there was a slight graunchy noise when it first fired up. Turned ignition off and on again ... and nothing! Put 12v across the pump and nothing. Looks like I have a definitive diagnosis ... feck'd pump. Thanks for all the help and great suggestions gents, I'll close off when I *actually* get the beast up and running. Cheers, John "Ripface"
Its a pretty easy fix. Swapping pumps over. 1hr job. I can't remember anything special needed during its replacement. Someone else will tell you here. I do find it handy to keep spare o-rings that fit the quick fit fuel connectors though. Ive split a couple accidentally.
They do but I have found if you leave them to dry out thoroughly, they shrink back to normal and with a smearing of vaseline will go back on fine. I've reused a few and not had a leak yet...
Hi All, Took the tank home, and pulled the fuel pump assembly this afternoon. Bit of a faff but not too bad. Removed the pump itself from the assembly, and out of interest hooked it up to my 12v power supply. Hmm, pump seems to run fine. I've already ordered up the new one, but I'm presuming that as there is no fuel in the pump it might run ok as no load on it. Seem reasonable? I'll fit the new pump when it arrives next week, time will tell!! Cheers, John.
just moving the pump can shift whats left of a sticking brush or more likely a worn bushing. probably still goosed.
if you are happy that you tested it ok previously then no need to look back. Pump could stop intermittently for several reasons, you are almost certainly on the right track now.
Thanks Chris/Finm, New pump is due on Wednesday/Thursday. Will post back when I've done the deed. Hopefully it'll result in a working bike ..... Cheers, John.
Woo Hoo ... Pump arrived! Fitted pump into pump assembly. Piece of Piss!! Connected up the hoses. Easy Peasy!! Popped the old pump assembly O-Ring in place. No Problem!! Started easing the whole thing into place .... Feck! Guess I'll be buying a new pump assembly O-Ring. Stupid thing appears to be at least 2cm too big. As per an earlier post I tried to dry it out and hoped it'd shrink back down, but there's no way that baby is going to fit. : ( Ho hum .... eBay here I come .....
O rings can be bought from Polymax. Steve https://www.ducatiforum.co.uk/threads/what-did-you-just-buy-for-your-bike.1258/page-77#post-261644
The saga continues ..... Got my new fuel pump assembly o-ring today, seated, tightened and all good. Took the newly assembled tank to the MOT station and connected up all the gubbins (technical term). Insert key and turn on .... no pump! WTF!! Remove tank again and took it home. 12v across the pump reveals it's a good 'un. Back to MOT station and a meter across the pump connector reveals ... no 12v. Further checking shows 12v at the relay connector feed, but nada at the nether end. Seems I have an intermittent break in the feed wire between relay and tank. So now I don't know if the pump was the culprit after all. Tomorrow I'll hit the MOT station with soldering iron in hand and run a new feed from relay to tank connector. Hopefully *that* will put an end to this one ... watch this space! Cheers, John.
Complete guess here so should be viewed as such Has this bike ever had an alarm fitted and then removed? I ask as many alarms connect into the fuel pump for the immobiliser part of the function. Not all of those alarms are removed correctly and so may cause shorts where the alarm was scotched/soldered into the loom. Have you checked the loom front to back for any breaks or exposed wires?
Hi All, @Old rider There is 12v at the relay feed when I switch on the ignition for the priming cycle. Relay is good, checked it with a meter as well. @noobie My Meta alarm failed last year and I wired it out myself. The fuel pump was not implicated, only the started motor and the ignition coils ... but good call. Heading out with soldering iron in hand. Cheers, John.
Did you check it was actually switching? Don't forget the relay is an electro-mechanical switch. The solenoid inside has to physically move and establish a contact inside the relay in order to pass the current on. As I understand it, you can't test a relay with a multimeter without supplying it with some current to move the solenoid
Rip, a small detail that would have been good to know earlier. One of the usual Meta alarm (357T or 357tV2) circuit splices is on the the blue/orange wire feeding the fuel pump relay switching coil and is a key element of the ecu control. You can see that wire in the rectangular 10 way connector just forward of the front rhs of the seat. You might want to check that cable splice. They are usually done below the tank but could be anywhere on the circuit back to the rh switchgear. It comes from the start/run switch
