[jnymdnyt]

Hi All,

I need assistance from an experienced Ducati owner who has gone through the same or might have a better insight of my situation. I've tried searching forums but their situation was either different or a different model. I'll try to be as detailed as possible with symptoms and what I have done thus far. Thank you in advance.

I recently bought a Monster that sat for a while and after cleaning the carburetor I got it up and running along with fork seals, tires, oil/filter change, cam belts and spark plugs. While going through a tune up I noticed that the front (horizontal Cylinder) is not getting warm at all. I pulled the plug to check if I was getting a spark and there was non. Here's a list of what I have done so far:

1. Check compression 145 & 140 PSI on both cylinders.
2. Swapped the plugs, plug wires, Ignition Coil and Ignition control unit to see if it would transfer the spark
from the vertical cylinder and it still did not transfer.
3. Swapped the plug wire with the spark to the one w/o the spark but still did not fire.
4. Tried moving wires to see if there was a lose connection.

Trying to locate the "pick up" but don't have any clue where it is located on this model.

Thank you.

 

[Buhgaboo]

You need to remove the plug and ground it while cranking to confirm weather or not its firing... No fire; Electric problem... yes fire ...Air or fuel. . . the timing is different from H to V so swapping one for the other may not do it... do you smell fuel? do you smell fuel at the exhaust? is the plug wet when you remove it? How many miles on the bike? when did it last run Properly?... How long did it sit? ...did it run before you swapped the belts? ...Just giving some ideas

 

[jnymdnyt]

You need to remove the plug and ground it while cranking to confirm weather or not its firing... No fire; Electric problem... yes fire ...Air or fuel. . . the timing is different from H to V so swapping one for the other may not do it... do you smell fuel? do you smell fuel at the exhaust? is the plug wet when you remove it? How many miles on the bike? when did it last run Properly?... How long did it sit? ...did it run before you swapped the belts? ...Just giving some ideas

Thanks for the response.

I did removed the spark plug and grounded it to the frame, that's how I found out it did not have spark and confirmed it is electrical. Good point on whether the pug is wet or not - it is not. I do not smell fuel at the exhaust. The bike has 22k miles and when I bought it the Horizontal cylinder wasn't firing already and I believe it sat for 2 years. It was running the same when I swapped the belts.

 

[Buhgaboo]

If you got a spark after criss-crossing wires on the opposite cylinder than the problem is in that pathway...if it didn't spark on the opposite than the problem is up stream from there...crank position sensor or something of that effect

 

[Mister Ducati]

Your problem is either a bad connection at the pickup coil terminal or the pickup coil itself.
A quick test would be to simply inverse the two pickup coil connectors - this should now give you spark at the horizontal cyl. and no spark at the vertical cyl.
If this test works - then you should check for continuity at both two wire connectors ( this test should result in the same readout for both)
The pickup coils are separate for each cylinder (two separate units with the wires in one cable ). The pickup`s are inside the left side engine case cover.

Note - if replacing the pickups is necessary - the ignition timing will need to be adjusted.
This is the same units on all the old carb model 600-750-900cc models

the pickups are #19 in the schematic - and #29 in the parts diagram

the original part number is 26010011A for the two pickups and is still available

 

[sean.ruffell]

Hi jnymdnyt,

I hope this helps and I had the same issue affect my 2004 M1000, different bike hopefully this will help.

I was on a ride, the bike had been performing well for about half an hour when suddenly there was a sudden big drop in power, varing throttle didn't find any improvement. Pulling over letting the engine cool for 15/20 minutes I restarted the bike with the same results, I could hold the forward header without any heat coming from it without any signs of physical failure so I knew would likely be electrical. Removed the tank and pulled HT spark plug caples and swapped between coils and started, no change, I then swapped spark plugs, still no good. Then I swapped coils and restarted, no change. I inspected the wiring loom from ecu and all looked good. Eventually I rode the bike back home at low rpm finding the best rpm range for load. Once home I swapped out the Marellu ecu for a spare I had been remapping, fitted the spare ecu, started and had full engine sound and heat in the forward header.

The issue was a failed ecu fixed by replacing the ecu for another with fuel/timing tables to suit the bike.

Hope this helps.

 

[ronski]

I agree with Mister Ducati, check the pickups, they were prone to failure. Had same issue old carb 900 monster, yes, front cylinder spark went. Not difficult to replace.

 

[jnymdnyt]

I know it's almost 2 years since I last posted but never late than never and hopefully it helps someone else. I was finally able to isolate and fix the problem which was very simple. Mister Ducati nailed it on the head.

Your problem is either a bad connection at the pickup coil terminal or the pickup coil itself

It was a bad connection at the pick up coil. I secured it properly, fired it up and it sounded like it should. Couple of days after I took it out and T-boned a car that was making an illegal u-turn from a parked position in a residential area. and that was the end of my monster.

Thanks to all that responded.

 

[ronski]

At least your still with us, I hope it wasn't too painful. Bikes can be replaced but not body parts.
Cheers,

 

[jnymdnyt]

At least your still with us, I hope it wasn't too painful. Bikes can be replaced but not body parts.
Cheers,

Very true.