Electrical problem?

[apfelbaum]

Hello all, I have a quick question (again) that I am hoping one of you will hopefully have a magic answer for. I just finished doing major maintainance on my 05 Ducati M S4R (996 motor) and put it all back together, and wouldn't you know, I keep blowing the 15 amp lights fuse on the damn thing. More frustratingly, this fuse shares power with 2 others in the box. I can't really find anything that is unpluged or has gotten damaged. I ran a multimeter thru the fuse box and that fuse is the only that gets power (13. Volts). Anybody have any suggestions for an easy fix, without having to pull the whole damn thing apart.........again..... Thanks in advance.....

P.S. I did NOT use a power drill to re-install my parts though I know you guys are wondering

[apfelbaum]

Ok, just to further amuse people. The work I did was a timing belt change, valve check (no adjustments necessary), oil and filter change, oil screen cleaning and shock service. I avoided moving around or disturbing the electrics as much as possible (I have heard, though not confirmed, that Duc's can have serious problems with electrics). Everything that I had to pull off (most of the bike) was re-installed carefully. There are no open connectors anywhere and nothing seems to be out of place.

Further checking in my manual and the shop manual shows that I should have one blue-yellow wire coming out of that terminal, but I have two solid blue wires. When I looked at the end where it was supposed to end up, you guessed it, I had a blue yellow wire????

If there is a working fuse in the fuse box, the bike comes up like normal for a second. Then the fuse blows and all is dead. The fuel pump, immobilizer and radiator fans still come on, but everything else is dead. I don't even know where to start on this because the fuse box wires that lead to the fuse share other wiring from other fuses. Ugh......

[El Gladiateur]

Perhaps that could help:
fuse keeps blowing on my S4

[motoxxx79]

sounds like a pinched wire. It may not appear to be damaged, but wires can short between each other in the sheathing of the harness. Check the routing of all wires, especially around where they pass near the tank, timing belt covers, or where you put the seat on. 9 times out of 10 this is the culprit.

[apfelbaum]

#3 (permalink)
Today, 11:57 AM
El Gladiateur



El Gladiateur, thanks, I don't quite know why I didn't find that post, it is exactly my problem, and I did search Thank you!

Yes, I will try, first method one, unplug all suspcious culprits and then move on from there. First up, take down the radiator and check that electrical connector, since it is the most suspicous and hard to see, get to, for me.

I just have to say, this is so disheartening considering, I directly avoided touching the electrics as much as possible, and overall, the Ducati self-service experience was difficult at best. Obviously I am a virgin to working on this bike, for that matter, a modern watercooled bike (last water cooled bike I worked on was a 85' Ninja 600r). As with all bikes and cars, the vehicle designers intentions are always present in the service protocol, so in this case, my inexperience with Ducati has been a good source of frustration. And then, to have this problem, when I thought I was all said and done.......well, you can only imagine the curse words .
Thank you gentlemen, I'll try and see what I find. I can't wait to do the service on my RC51 and see how that fat pig develops, I'll fill you all in....

Might change my mind on how much I love the Duc (it is a blast to ride). Of course, each bike is completely different in purpose, but similar motors (size and configuration). Though, the service protocol is a lot longer on the Honda.

[El Gladiateur]

Apfelbaum, have you found what was wrong?

[apfelbaum]

Hi guys, sorry was gone for a week for work so no worky on the bike. Since I have been back I did fix the problem, just not exactly how. The culprit was the rear light/signals harness. But what the actual problem there was I do NOT know. Oddly enough, I undid the whole harness, undid the taillight, checked continuity on all the wires, everything checked out, no faults found, no crossed wires, no singed wires, nothing wrong. Plugged the harness back in, bike fires and runs fine. I will, of course, be running around with spare fuses just in case there is something wrong there, but for the life of me, I could not find it.

On a more positive note, my first foray into Ducati maintainance went well, no smashed valves or leaking engine, so at least on that note I feel pretty good about things. The next time this baby needs work, I won't be as apprehensive.

Thanks again for all the help guys, it is trully appreciated.