Ducati Sporting Club UK > Model Specific - Discussion, Technical Problems and Help > 998 / 996 / 916 / 748 > 916 - no headlight / rev counter / temp gauge

[crm250]

Greetings all, well the 916 has just started something odd. when riding with no lights etc etc all is fine, put the side lights on and all still fine, put the low or high beam on and no lights also the rev counters dies and temp gauge goes off the scale.
Any ideas ??
also it is still charging ok (makes a change) and no fuses are blown (but then again its a 1995 916 so could have melted half the loom before it pops a fuse)

Cheers all

[Jasper]

Is this why you want a new Fireblade?Check the earth connections,it sounds like the dials and gauges are using the earth from the headlight or vice versa,as soon as you put the lights on,the earth is not available.

[crm250]

Yeah it's one of them, also it's crap at carrying a pillion (bikes not - but wy wrists are)
it does sound like an earth i think and something daft like that. Shame really it's just spolied it's faultless 6 months record and 4000 miles. oh well once tracked down i am sure i will fall back in love once again

[antonye]

Aren't these all on the same multi-plug connecter that is down by the headstock?

Sounds like it may have popped off at some point?

Worth checking...

[nelly]

Or the regulator is on it's way out/connector melted??
You might be getting the voltage reading to indicate a charge but the loading of the lights might be dawing too much current than the system is actually supplying?
Try measuring the voltage across the battery with and with out the lights on?
Just a different slant on things??

[crm250]

Ah - it now has a new twist, with side lights on the indicators are also on very faint, put the indicators on and the side light starts to flash like a nasty 70's disco light.
Fookin el, this sack of junk now resembles an old ford orion with shorting out lights when indicating. I give up. Funny thing is, i actually dont give a toss about the ducati and find all this dead funny (well you gotta laugh otherwise you will end up crying) now if it was my NC30, YSR or CRM250 that would be a different story.
It's funny how a bike worth more than the others can actually mean far less to me, where as most people dream to own a ducati, where as i dream to get shut of it.

[JPM]

CRM....

You only live a few miles away from Ducati Manchester, why not give them a quick tinkle, see what they say, it'ss gotta be something or nothing.

[crm250]

Problem solved, Bill Langton will be collecting it this week to fix, and then have the outer engine cases repainted too at the same time (they look a right flakey corroded mess)
I suppose at the same time put a new side stand on it (non bent item with any luck) and replace a few of the bolts around the bike (original items seemed to be made from a material owned by kawasaki called "Krappite" which turns to powder when a spanner goes within an inch from the bolt right before your eye's)
Perhaps i am being a bit hard on the old 916, but i do find this hillarious when most would be brought to tears. At least one thing, the parts are dirt cheap compared to Honda / Yam prices.
The actualy cond / mileage of the bike is very good for a 95 (far better than most i wen to see before i bought) but it had 2 old guy owners who didnt seem to care for it much, but they did chuck loads of cash at it and didnt skimp on servicing. but in the last 9 months i have put on around 6000 miles (only had 12 when i bought it) and with any luck another 2 - 3000 over winter, i expect to see a few niggles but the electrics seem to be the main thing (had a new loom only 4 months ago - see "Red sky at night, Ducati wiring loom on fire" thread)
Ah well, fun and games eh, at least i can trust my good ole 2 strokes to keep going

[crm250]

Interesting fault, simply lift the seat to fix !!! i reckon as i was carrying a pillion on the day of the alleged fault in question, that his lardiness had caused a wire to earth / become dissconnected / trapped and lifting the seat and checking all the block connectors seems to have fixed the problem (for now i suspect)
So when i get some room and have put the NC30 back in the house and the motor back in the TZR chassis i will strip the 916 and check and clean all earths, and contact clean all block connectors etc etc to avoid a repeat performance next time some lard arse pillion is being propelled though the air faster than their body should !!!