The F'n Idle Again - Ducati.ms

Suigeneris · Mar 17th, 2009, 1:06 pm

Over winter and riding in cooler temps my idle was just fine but, now that temps are above 60 it seems my bike dies every time I come to a stop. And its about to get me killed or ruin my starter. I've had her at the dealer twice and don't understand that, "turn the f'n idle up" doesn't seem to register with them. Anyways, I remember reading that there was a fix for that? Some electronic gizmo I can hook to my bike and do it myself? Because I don't think I'll let the dealer touch my bike again. Any help is much appreciated!

MarksFriggin · Mar 17th, 2009, 1:18 pm

Unfortunately it's not as simple as just "turn the f'n idle up." That isn't fixing the problem.

I don't know if there have been any updates since my bike was in for repair last summer.... but there was a test procedure that Ducati N.A. had for the dealers to diagnose and possibly fix the stalling. My dealer did that 3 hour long process and had my bike running perfectly.

I only left the bike stock for another 500 miles or so after that. In that 500 miles it didn't stall once.

I eventually installed a Termignoni slip-on ECU and Leo Vince exhaust.

MotoDuc · Mar 17th, 2009, 7:46 pm

As Markdfriggin said, I too took my hyper to the dealer with the same stalling problem that nearly got me killed taking off from lights when it would stall during decel/branking. THe dealer was pissed about having to go through the 3 pages of diagnostics but in the end it ran great afterawards. My salvation from the constant stalling was the fatduc 02 manipulator that i was able to tune to make my stock bike run right. after playing with the idle/air screws a bit I was able to get the bike running great, but have since gone to the DP ECU for the 2 into 1 exhaust. Seems the bike runs too lean even while stock and ducati NA wouldn't throw in for an ecu upgrade. Somehow my dealer got the bike to run even better with no stalling, but i questioned how well it was really running given the limitations of the stock ecu. It ran better with the fatduc 02 manipulator while stock, but runs better with the DP ECU, exhaust, and filter.

Basically go with the fatduc until you decide to upgrade the exhaust and/or ecu...

unfast1 · Mar 17th, 2009, 7:51 pm

I have had my bike in the shop ELEVEN times for this. They finally sent the heads to Melli Moto (sp) to have some work done. Something with valve guides or something. I can't remember. They said the compression was low. They have torn my engine apart quite a few times.

Unfortunately South Carolina has no lemon law for motorcycles.

sconly · Mar 18th, 2009, 5:24 pm

all I have to say is wow! tearing apart an engine for an idle problem, someone is getting raked.

Monstaman · Mar 18th, 2009, 5:51 pm

I small adjustment on your air bleed screws will go a long way but the fact is they are set so lean to meet EU3 emissions that they don't operate correctly as you have found.

Fatduc or DP ECU is the best cure.

unfast1 · Mar 18th, 2009, 6:22 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by Monstaman

I small adjustment on your air bleed screws will go a long way but the fact is they are set so lean to meet EU3 emissions that they don't operate correctly as you have found.

Fatduc or DP ECU is the best cure.

I know that and my dealer says the same thing but Ducati won't allow the performance ecu under warranty. My dealer has tried and got denied.They told the service dept it's off road only. But if I buy it it's OK. They just want money from me.

This is my first and last Ducati.

Think I'll try the Fatduc next.

Suigeneris · Mar 18th, 2009, 6:54 pm

Thank you all for your constructive responses. Got the Termi slip-ons with performance ECU. What a bitch that was to install! I hate allen bolts ever since.

dave2riff · Mar 18th, 2009, 7:32 pm

With that new ECU you should still need to do the standard adjustments for
Ducati EFI-- reset the throttle position sensor (TPS), idle air bleed adjust, and
tweak the fuel trim using an exhaust gas analyzer CO measurement. Dealer
should be able to do these in short order, since they do them frequently and
have the equipment. The zero point for the TPS and the fuel trim numbers
are stored in the ECU, so a new ECU would not be correct, having defaults
and never having been adjusted.

dhc8guru · Mar 19th, 2009, 12:35 pm

Recently with the warmer weather,I have only had the engine quit a couple of times idling after start-up. A few times during break-in the engine quit right after I pulled in the clutch with the engine RPM's heading towards idle.
I am using a fat-duc which is great. I may need to change it up a bit now that warm weather is around.