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Faulty Regulator Symptoms are???

Posted: Sun Jun 17, 2007 9:19 pm
by mach5er
Only my charge light and the oil light come on when the ignition key is on. They used to all light up. Now the bike cranks over but won't start. Does this sound like a regulator problem. Is it normal for only those two cluster lights to come on when a regulator is wasted??


Freakinn Ducati.... :sad:

Posted: Mon Jun 18, 2007 7:53 am
by persempre907
When the regulator faults, the battery lamp is always turned on, with the engine running too.
Does the bike crank well? The engine would start also with the regulator broken, only the battery will not be charged.
Try starting the bike with another battery.
Ciao

Posted: Tue Jun 19, 2007 1:25 am
by mach5er
I have tried a different battery-same thing happens. Just before the no starting problem happen, it blew the headlight lowbeam. I then put on the highbeam and it blew that too. soon after, it stop running abruptly and only the two lights mentioned would come on and then engine would not turn over (current condition).


Also, the wiring from the engine is pretty old and weak. I replaced it all the way to about a foot away from the altnator side of the engine. How easy is it to replace the (3) wires all the way to inside the engine cover? Do I need to drain the oil, get flywheel pullers, etc..? Are my CDI's wasted now?? Freaking Ducati.....

Posted: Tue Jun 19, 2007 2:30 am
by jcslocum
There are about 50 things that could be wrong. Do you have a volt meter? what's the voltage of the battery?

If and when the regulator fails, the battery goes FLAT/Dead since it controls the charging.

So, you turn the key on and then push the start button on the handle bar and what happens? nothing? Can you hear the solenoid "click" closed when the starter button is pushed?

Posted: Tue Jun 19, 2007 12:27 pm
by mach5er
allright, don't flame me to hard....

The battery had been getting weak. The trickle charger was not helping any. Whenever I wanted to ride, I would have to use my sears battery charger. I would put the positive lead on the positive battery terminal and the negative charger lead on the ducati's frame. I would use the 40 amp setting to start it usually. I may have used the "engine start" mode (200 amp) from time to time. This worked fine for a long time.

So now, whether on the charger or a new battery slipped in place, it does not fire up. It cranks fine.

I have four running bikes and batteries are always a pain in the arse. Sometimes it is easier to jump'em... :oops:

There , I came clean. :sad:


freaking ducati.....

Posted: Tue Jun 19, 2007 3:11 pm
by persempre907
mach5er wrote:allright, don't flame me to hard....
Don't worry,
it can happen...
Ciao

Posted: Tue Jun 19, 2007 8:34 pm
by ducapaso
mach5er wrote: I may have used the "engine start" mode (200 amp) from time to time. This worked fine for a long time.
Thhis might be the origin of your trouble:jumpers or starters have a too high voltage for CDI units.
Unscrew a spark-plug and put in the HI voltage pipe; leave the screw touch the engine and crank the bike: no spark means TROUBLE :eek: (NEVER DO SUCH WITHOUT SPARK PLUGS AND DO NOT TOUCH IT WHILE CRANCKING!!! :eek: :eek: )
You really need a volt meter (even low cost will do) to ceck voltage in orange wire and impedance in other wires!

Posted: Wed Jun 20, 2007 12:30 am
by mach5er
ducapaso wrote: Unscrew a spark-plug and put in the HI voltage pipe; leave the screw touch the engine and crank the bike: no spark means TROUBLE :eek: (NEVER DO SUCH WITHOUT SPARK PLUGS AND DO NOT TOUCH IT WHILE CRANCKING!!! :eek: :eek: )
You really need a volt meter (even low cost will do) to ceck voltage in orange wire and impedance in other wires!
Clarify that Hi voltage pipe / leave screw touch part please. Yes , I do have a voltmeter also.

Thanks.

Posted: Wed Jun 20, 2007 1:47 am
by jcslocum
Unscrew spark plug and reconnect the wire (pipe).

Make sure the threaded (screw) section of the plus is touching the engine and crank it. You should see the spark JUMP across the gap. It helps to do this with the lights off at night.

See spark? See spark run??

Let us know....

Posted: Wed Jun 20, 2007 2:57 pm
by Finnpaso
Happened to my 750 Paso friend some months ago: Regulator failed=> too high voltage to Kokusan boxes=>"burned", too high voltage to coils=> coils "burned".... new(spare parts from wrecked Paso) coils, ign. modules, regulator and "viola", function now, like "trains toilet".... :evil: :laugh:

Wake up ignition experts!!!

Posted: Fri Sep 14, 2007 5:31 am
by Marinus
I need to wake this thread up again.

I had just been getting into the swing of my ride yesterday :D and while I was cruising along a strait at 100k The bike missed and popped a few times. :eek: I turned for home and it ran reasonably good all the way home.

The ignition light came on weakly and stayed on on the ride back. I have looked under the seat and all looks well and doesn't smell.

The other thing I notice (maybe unrelated) my oil temp gage is barely moving up at the moment.

It would be great to compile a check list of the order and how to check the parts and voltages in the ignitions system. :thumbup: Or are there to many considerations? :confused:

I have the Digiplex S2 system.

I have not done the relay wiring upgrades.

M :cool:

Posted: Fri Sep 14, 2007 5:38 pm
by ducapaso
The other thing I notice (maybe unrelated) my oil temp gage is barely moving up at the moment.
This might mean that somewhere there's a ground wire untighten and maibe some rost :umm:
This can cause some wrong working in electrical plant or in upgrade

How do I test the Regulator?

Posted: Tue Sep 18, 2007 9:12 am
by Marinus
OK. So I soldered all the earth wires I could find and restarted the bike.

Now the battery light stays on properly. So dose this mean that I now have really good earths but my regulator is stuffed?

I had about 12.7v at the battery before I started the bike and while it was running it sat at about 12.5v. When I revved it it didn't go up or down. I thought it would go up with a good reg and down with a bad one. It didn't even change when I turned on the 100w lights.

How do I test the Regulator?

Posted: Tue Sep 18, 2007 10:34 am
by paso750

Posted: Sat Sep 22, 2007 7:47 am
by Marinus
Thanks Gerhard :thumbup:

Now I think it is probably the generator.

Cheers M