1997 M750 Monster didn't like the rain

[Curious_George]

Coming down the Desert Rd a week or so ago in torrential rain and noticed the monster starting to surge a little. Thought it might have been carb icing (I was pretty dam cold myself) so flicked on the little cross-over for the oil to warm them up, but to no avail. After a few more k, it lost all power and began coasting to a halt. After a few seconds it picked up again, not rough or anything - just accelerated smoothly, then died again, this time for good. Still had just over half a tank of fuel and would turn over fine on the starter, just not fire. Checked all the controls, I hadn't advertantly knocked the engine kill switch or the key.

Had a mate who also rides come and pick me up and take the bike back to his place and I continued on home with another friend. Mate who picked the bike up put it in his shed for the night and tried starting it the next afternoon - kicked into life a little rough but warmed up and ran fine. I've since picked it up and taken it for a short ride, with nothing unusual happening.

I've taken quite a few of the connectors apart that I have easy access to and haven't found any water or signs of corrosion in any of them. The charging system appears to be working fine and the battery holds voltage.

I've had a search on the net but haven't come across too much like this. I have had the bike out in the rain before, but nothing like was coming down on me through the Desert. Short of running the bike up in the driveway and taking a hose to it bit by bit, I'm a little stumped. Any advice would be most welcome.

Thanks.

[ducatilover]

How long was the ride before it broke down and have you done rides that long before on it?
Have you checked you fuel filter and drained the carb bowls/cleaned the carbs?

[Curious_George]

Ride was from Hamilton down to Palmerston North - it was the return trip of the ride I'd done the previous day. Not the slightest hint of trouble on the way up.

No, I haven't done either of those things (yet!) I must admit I hadn't considered the fuel system to be a problem as the bike started the next day without anything having being changed except sitting in a mates shed over night. Possibly a little short-sighted of me, and I will go and do that after dinner :o

[vifferman]

I had a similar problem with the VTR1000; whenever I rode in the rain, the bike would cut out intermittently on one cylinder. Tried spraying all the likely electrical stuff )front sparkplug lead, boot, coils, etc.) with WD40 or CRC, but it made no difference. In the end, I came across a forum post on the Superhawk forum in Mrka from someone with the same problem, and it went away when he replced the front sparkplug boot and lead. So... I bit the bullet, replaced the sparkplug boot on the front cylinder and that fixed it. I couldn't see anything at all wrong with the old one, but when it was damp it was tracking along a crack or somesuch and misfiring.

[ducatilover]

Vifferman has a good idea, if you have any cracking in your leads and boots, even internal cracking, you may have all sorts of odd problems.
It could have been water in the petrol or shit in the petrol.
Did it just suddenly cut out and die, or splutter?

Does it have a fuel pump?
Is the fuel line in good nick and not getting hot or pinching?

[98tls]

My moneys on the plug in front cylinder getting wet,my TLS does the same when the rain get past the ridiculous.

[Curious_George]

A Small Update:

Drained the fuel tank - had around 10l of fuel in it, and about 250ml of water. Not cool. Drained the carbs next, lots of water and crap came out of there too. Fuel filter was poked, so changed that. Took the carbs off and cleaned them out with carb-cleaner and compressed air. There was still a little crap in the bowls, but othere than that no obvious blockages. Threw it all back together and, after purging everything, the bike started fine.

Out for a run but still not quite right. It will idle ok, and will accellerate fine, but doesn't seem to like keeping a constant speed - following in traffic for instance - it will run quite rough, missing etc. No backfiring, but not quite right. When the throttle is wound on while at a constant speed, it will hesitate a little before taking off although the accelleration still feels good.

I'm wondering of one of the jets is blocked and I missed it while cleaning? Or perhaps it's poked from having water through it? The spark plugs look fine, no obvious signs of damage or fouling.

Stumped again!

[ducatilover]

Change the spark plugs, or clean them.

[Curious_George]

A quick update - Cleaned the spark plugs, put them back in and it still wasn't right. Put a new set of plugs in it, and wow! like a new bike again. Stoked. I'm still a little concerned as to how that amount of water got into the tank, and am also a bit loath to take it out in that sort of weather again to test it - guess it's going to be the only way though.

Thanks for all the advice.

[G4L4XY]

Yeah i've had my hyo out in some pretty horrid weather, no good can come from it I tell you!!

I have this issue where in third gear at around 5500rpm it will "lag" for like 5 seconds, even when I try accelerating above it, I try releasing the accelerator but that doesn't help, even with recent servicing, new sparkies and cleaning of the carbs doesn't do anything.
It happens whether the bike is hot or cold.

[bsasuper]

This is why I stopped buying ducatis 20yrs ago, you WILL have electrical problems.I still have a 900 superlight gathering dust in the corner, just to remind me never to be tempted again.

[ducatilover]

This is why I stopped buying ducatis 20yrs ago, you WILL have electrical problems.I still have a 900 superlight gathering dust in the corner, just to remind me never to be tempted again.
I'll be more than happy to keep it dust free in my garage, just 'coz I'm a nice chap.

[willytheekid]

If you want to rule electrics out of the rain problem basket

Get some electrical grease!, its amazing stuff!
My guzzi had shot electrics when i bought her(messy loom and hated the rain)
Disassembled the loom, retaped etc and put electrical grease in all the connectors...never had a problem ever again (even in the worst downpours...except the air pods made her sneeze when they got water soaked lol)

http://www.crc.co.nz/Automotive-Corrosion-Protection--Coatings-Protective-Compounds/p1/DiElectric-Electronics--Electrical-Connector-Gre-i63ab51d7-9d29-4066-8f78-7a575986775f-6553.htm

I swear by the stuff! (And it lasted three yrs/winters...still working well)

[Macontour]

I believe that some Meths in the tank can combine with the water and allow it to burn in the engine.

[BMWST?]

many years ago i had a ducati and when it was first assembled the first thing the shop did was swap the spark plug caps for some platic ngk ones with a rubber boot that fit tightly onto the spark plug