Ducati Sporting Club UK > Model Specific - Discussion, Technical Problems and Help > 998 / 996 / 916 / 748 > Beat those iffy electrics

[crm250]

After the spain / france breakdown saga on the old 1995 916, we are discussing about doing spain again in may. anyway it was sugested that i should think about buying a reliable bike if coming next year, ie "you would have a better chance of making it on the RGV250" so this got me thinking they are right, the 916 is an electrical timebomb waiting to go off - so today i thought i would defuse this bomb

So what better way to spend a rainy saturday afternoon than stripping the majority of the loom out to inspect and clean.
I picked on the back end first then worked round to the front end and separated all the connectors, cleaned them up, used a brass brush to clean up all the pins, and a bit of contact cleaner before a light smear of vaseline on those exposed connectors to aid waterproofing.
Fusebox was pretty well spot on, as was all the the loom, i think i found the reason my tachometer was sitting around 4,000 rpm at times and the temp would be a bit eratic and i suspect it was the fact one of the multiplugs in the headlamp bowl was looking a bit green and furry.
Overall the loom and connectors were in very good shape, not brittle or bodged however the charging side was not quite a good.
Yet again (and after only about 500 miles) the gene wires (pair of yellows running over the motor between the barrels) were already looking and feeling a bit crispy after a brand new gene and rectifier, also the rectifier short loom again looking a bit crispy.
Now with the poor fit of the connectors it doesnt take much to work out that current over a poor fitting connector will generate lots of heat hence why the failures at alarming intervals. So i went to ducati mcr who had one is stock (bargain £27) tweaked and soldered the new loom to incorporate extra cabling to spread the load, and clean tight connectors.
Also ran a couple of extra earths, one from the rectifier to the battery, and another from the battery to the frame.
So maybe i will chance it again on the old 916 to spain, but if it fails one more it wont be coming back with me.
Now all i have to do is find whats vibrating when i have a pillion perched on the back

[rockhopper]

Believe it or not but Vaseline is quite a good insulator!!

I did away with the alternator connector altogether and just soldered the wires together.

[crm250]

Spoke to soon, wont start now. fuel pump spin, and it turns over but no hint of a spark. everything else is ok though.
Now i would put my money on the round metal loom connector on the right of the bike near the throttle body, was a bit green and furry in there. perhaps just dislodged something.

[madmav]

should have took mav with u !

[crm250]

going again in may mav, doing a bilbou - bilbou trip to avoid france this time and spend best part of the week in spain, i reckon the duke is better suited to moving smooth roads unlike the traffic jam wagon filled roads of france.
Still cant start the bike, reckon its the injector loom section now after bouncing of all 4 walls of the garage while checking for a spark !

[spinoli1]

Could it be your pillion that is vibrating???

[crm250]

I thought it may be the pipes touching the subframe, as they are pretty close, but even with a pillion on the back, the subframe doesnt move nor to the pipes.
I reckon its a radiator / motor vibe thing just around 4000 rpm, sounds a bit like goosed main bearings (which is what i thought it was at first till i worked out it only does it 2 up)

[monstermob 998]

sorry for butting in- youve probably checked any way- chain adjustment - too tight when two up?????- i experienced a noise and vibration on my SS after adjusting the chain -i slackened off the adjusters literally half a turn and all was back to normal - just a thought

[crm250]

You know what, i havnt. i will check this tonight and let you know. I hope it is something as simple as that.
Cheers for the tip