Ducati Sporting Club UK > Model Specific - Discussion, Technical Problems and Help > Sport Touring: ST4 / ST3 / ST2 > new ST4S owner

[drunkinvegas]

hello all,

I have just changed my 748 to a ST4S and am not getting on very well with it first thing in the morning! It will turn over ok but will not start, pops and spits 5/6 times before firing up. Makes no difference choke or no choke. 748 used to fire up first time everytime. Can anyone tell me is there anything that can put this right or is this going to be the norm. also is it possible to bi-pass the side stand cut out switch its driving me up the wall.

[rockhopper]

Well its not normal Sir. Get it to a dealer and let them set it up right for you. If your within a few hundred miles of Derby then you should really get it to Cornerspeed (click on the link below). My ST4 starts up hot or cold without the fast idle no matter how long it has been standing within about two or three turns of the engine.

Nelly can also sell you a side stand bypass gizmo.

[Rushjob]

Mine used to do this until I swapped the battery cables to heavier guage ones, this immediately had it spinning over faster & starting much easier.
Another possibility - are you aware that the immobiliser activates within about 10 seconds of you putting the key in if you don't immediately start the bike?
Andy

[drunkinvegas]

Thanks for that Rushjob no i wasn't aware about the immobiliser that has certainly been the problem some off the time as it takes me longer than ten seconds to get the old girl out of the garage but other times she is still a no go.

Thanks also Rockhopper will be ordering side stand thingy bob asap and see about getting bike in at the dealers.

Sure i will have loads more questions to come........

[Jools]

Have'nt got a 4S but my bike seems to like what seems to work for most Dukes. It needs just a tiny tweak of the fast idle when cold (none when hot) but I never touch the throttle when starting.

Found out that if you do it just spits and pops at you. Leave the throttle alone until it's warmed up (that'll be good for getting oil flow to your rockers as well)

[chrisw]

I have also gone the route of fitting better gauge starter motor wiring. Also, try starting with the idle advance lever on full (it's not a choke lever) and do not touch the throttle. As already said be aware of the inmmobiliser cutting in after 10/15 secs. Thumb the starter and see if she fires up.

[lemans]

Hi
I've just got an ST4s and have similar hit and miss on starting from cold. Sometimes it's first time and sometimes its six or seven goes. I find the bike tends to start better with no fast idle.

I looked at the starter cables and thought they were quite up to the job. all the connections to the battery were slightly loose so I tightened them up at the weekend which seems to have improved starting - but still not what I would expect from an 18 month old bike.

I may go down the route of bigger gauge cables, but the ones I have seen for cars don't look that much more beefy than the ones I have already. What gauge do people use if they replace the cables?

[Rushjob]

Try Powerlet

Although they don't show the heavy duty starter leads on the website at the moment, this is the company both Chris & myself used - superb quality & total cost was about £23 incl. post.

Drop them an enquiry - they should be able to help

Andy





[Edited on 3-11-2004 by Rushjob]

[chrisw]

Found the link

http://www.powerletproducts.com/prod...ter_rewire.php

Works out at just over £14.00 plus delivery

Top quality product, excellent fitting instructions and fast delivery from the states. Well worth the effort fitting. Get a side stand bypass kit as well and take the opportunity to fit it whilst the fairing is off. I got mine from

http://www.bike-gizmos.com/bikegizmos/index.html

in Australia, £22 delivered. However, from other posts Cornerspeed are also doing them.

[lemans]

Thanks guys
I was thinking of getting a couple of the power plugs from Powerlet. So I can get the battery cable at the same time. £14 doesn't sound a bad price - it would cost me that to make up my own cables!