[brucelindholm]

My 1999 900 ss has a problem that has gotten gradually worse until now it is not reliable at all. It started by suddenly quitting while riding, then starting right back up. At first I just thought it was bad gasoline or something. It then quit on the interstate, wouldn't start, finally started but ran very poorly. I made it off the interstate and waited for about 20 min when it started right up and ran fine for the next 200 miles. It has gotten to the point now that it starts, runs a couple miles then quits. If I wait 15 or 20 min it will start again, runs fine for a short distance then quits. When it quits it just dies, no spitting, sputttering, nothing - just stops.

I had a ducati performance ecu so thought that might be the problem, so I swapped it out with the stock ecu - no change.

Help!! Thanks for any thoughts you might have.

Bruce

 

[ENGAKATS]

When was the last time you took it to your mechanic for a service??

What about the fuel filter? When was the last time you changed it?

Also, check all battery, ground, fuel pump and any other connections I cannot think of now.

Are all your fuses alright?


Nobody can tell what's wrong just by staring at the bike



Let us know your findings.

 

[Punch]

Sidestand switch

Early on I had exactly the same problem. In my case it was corrosion in the connector just up from the sidestand.

When the stand is up, the sidestand switch is closed and this closed (low resistance) signal goes to the ECU and says OK to start/run.

When down, the switch is open (infinite resistance) and the signal is do not start/run.

Corrosion increases the resistance and gets to a level, even when the stand is up, that the ECU thinks the stand is down, so no go!

I shorted the two wires together so I can start it with the stand down and let the bike warm up whilst getting on my riding gear.

Richard

My 1999 900 ss has a problem that has gotten gradually worse until now it is not reliable at all. It started by suddenly quitting while riding, then starting right back up. At first I just thought it was bad gasoline or something. It then quit on the interstate, wouldn't start, finally started but ran very poorly. I made it off the interstate and waited for about 20 min when it started right up and ran fine for the next 200 miles. It has gotten to the point now that it starts, runs a couple miles then quits. If I wait 15 or 20 min it will start again, runs fine for a short distance then quits. When it quits it just dies, no spitting, sputttering, nothing - just stops.

I had a ducati performance ecu so thought that might be the problem, so I swapped it out with the stock ecu - no change.

Help!! Thanks for any thoughts you might have.

Bruce

 

[DesmoDisciple]

Really does sound like a grounding/short issue somewhere. Go over the wiring with a fine tooth comb. Wiggle all your connectors and make sure they are snug.

 

[BrazeauRacing]

Bruce,
I had this exact same problem with my 2001 900SSie. It frustrated me for over a year and i was reluctant to ride it and then get stranded in traffic. I finally traced it down to the ignition and fuel injection relays under the tank to the left of the ecu (mounted in a rubber strap). At the time, my wife had a 2002 750 Sport that i swapped the relays with and the bike ran flawlessly, so i ordered two replacement MotraTech relays for both bikes. The problem has not returned since the relay replacements.

http://www.motratech.com/MGR-C20.html

 

[bradblack]

the little fuel pump relays can be quite unreliable. you could jump it using a wire with the right end terminals to eliminate it as a possibility.

 

[Kwacker]

Check the fuel ines inside the tank. My 98 748 was doing about the same thing, my lines were wasted from soaking in fuel for 10 years.

 

[corygt]

Check the kill switch

My bike has a funky kill switch... some times it will not start until I move it . when it happens i need to put in in off position and then push it in and then switch it back and forth... I never changed it because it still always starts.. it has never died while running though... ???

still your problem sounds like a broken wire inside the insulation or a loose connection..

 

[nynor]

sounds like a plugged fuel filter. your pump gets hot then dies. then it cools and the bike will run again. i had similar issues, but the filter was causing the fuse to pop, believe it or not. i found the filter to be chock full of crap.

d.

 

[Punch]

Progress?

My 1999 900 ss has a problem that has gotten gradually worse until now it is not reliable at all. It started by suddenly quitting while riding, then starting right back up. At first I just thought it was bad gasoline or something. It then quit on the interstate, wouldn't start, finally started but ran very poorly. I made it off the interstate and waited for about 20 min when it started right up and ran fine for the next 200 miles. It has gotten to the point now that it starts, runs a couple miles then quits. If I wait 15 or 20 min it will start again, runs fine for a short distance then quits. When it quits it just dies, no spitting, sputttering, nothing - just stops.

I had a ducati performance ecu so thought that might be the problem, so I swapped it out with the stock ecu - no change.

Help!! Thanks for any thoughts you might have.

Bruce

Bruce posted this over a month ago and there have been many very sensible/plausible suggestions. Bruce, can you tell us what you have tried and which if any were successful so we can either continue to try to help or put this one to bed as resolved.

Richard

 

[SilkMoneyLove]

I am going to guess

My guess is that since it is -5F outside and snowing that he has not ridden the bike recently.

Given that it will start again after a good cool down, I am going to add my guess that it is fuel filter related.

Or, he has bad blinker fluid or a worn out muffler bearing

 

[brucelindholm]

still trying

When I posted it was the dead of winter in South Dakota. So, it was so cold I didn't work on the bike. I checked the temp sensor on the horizontal cyl, seems to be working fine with a check via an ohm meter, I dont have a sidestand switch - apparentlu they did not have them in 99, the plugs we gaped a bit large, but not too bad. I ordered a new fule pump relay - not very expensive, so will try that when it gets here. I don't think it is a sensor problem as the manual says if there is a sensor problem the ecu reverts back to a default setting - at least it will still run. I have not checked the fuel filter - maybe I will just get a new one. I want to thank everyone for the suggestions - I miss riding!!!

Bruce

 

[Ducatierv]

My 05 MTS1000 has just started to do the same thing although it ran fine while at Daytona for bike week I filled up with gas there and didn't run it again until last week. I'm going to look at the fuel filter first as it runs for 2-3mins that dies , won't start and then after several minutes it does.

 

[brucelindholm]

900ss ie spark problem

my 99 900ss has a problem where it runs for a short while then quits. I replaced the fuel pump relay and the fuel filter. No change. I did discover that there is no spark when it is not running - any ideas? It will start after a while and run for a bit.

thanks

bruce

 

[nynor]

i am not an expert with the SS. however, IME with cars, this sounds like a problem with a relay or the computer itself.

 

[brucelindholm]

I should have mentioned I have the stock and ducati performance ecu - makes no difference to swap them...

 

[nynor]

coils?

 

[PieceSeeker]

How about ECU inputs

Now Bruce states that the bike cuts off instantly, no spuddering or bucking. I think that would rule out a fuel filter or pump, those would tend to make the engine spudder and lose power and then die. It has to be electrical or electronic in nature. How about ECU inputs, if this bike has fuel injectors and the ECU controls spark, what is the main input for this.....rpm (crank sensor). It certainly is common for this to be the cause of these exact symtoms on cars. Can't tell you how many I've replaced on all brands of cars....OK, I will tell you...Lots of them! OK, I don't know much about Ducati's (still waiting for my new one to come in ), but computerized engine controls are all basically the same just like all internal combustion engines are all basically the same. They operate on the same principles, some people just go about it in slightly different ways.
My experience has been that usually a relay will fail to close contacts internally upon initial use. They seem to tend to stay energized once they have been "turned on". There are always exceptions of course, but testing usually finds the culprits.