HELP! Stab in the dark but...

[Satansfist]

For anyone here with a knowledge of Ducatis:

I have a 2001 Ducati S4 Monster.

My bike was left out, uncovered, in a couple of nasty downpours over the last two days. I rode it two days ago and no issues whatsoever. Now, there is obvious water condensation inside the guages.

Today I got ahold of it.

Everything works normally in the start-up procedure...the bike will turn over but won't kick into life. It gives a couple of chugs like it is about to start but doesn't. All switches are in their correct positions, the stand was up.

The "check engine light" is on. Also the immobiliser indicator light is solid during the cranking period.

I have used all three keys (including the holy red key), checked the fuses and currently have the battery on charge...just in case. I have had the tank up and looked in the airbox, there was a small puddle of water in the front left corner, gathered there as the bike leans on the sidestand. I cleaned that up.

The bike is now in the living room with a fan on it to hopefully dry up any remaining dampness.

Is the situation with the immobiliser light a major issue?

Is the water in the clocks a major issue?

Will the S4 dash display "error codes"?

Is there anything else anyone can think of that I should be doing?

Any help before I have to drive to work on Monday will be gratefully received...price of fuel these days....mumble grumble....

http://i54.photobucket.com/albums/g115/Satansfist/clocks.jpg

[niicksey]

wat yr is the bike mate? warranty
.. in my opinion it should be able to last in the rain.. Gauges etc should be water proof.

Dont ride it if you dont need to as u might burn something else out.. get somone to come look at it son

they should dry out on thier own.. Just wait and see

[ATTNSEEKR]

I have a 2001 Ducati S4 Monster.


wat yr is the bike mate? warranty
.. in my opinion it should be able to last in the rain.. Gauges etc should be water proof.

Dont ride it if you dont need to as u might burn something else out.. get somone to come look at it son

they should dry out on their own.. Just wait and see

there ya go.

not sure with bikes, but do they have a distributor? check leads etc

[Satansfist]

Thanks guys, appreciated but off the mark.

I've had the fans blowing on the sucker since about 1pm. Maybe helped maybe didn't.

The Ducati Monster is very "open" to the weather, lot of exposed wires, nooks and crannies for water to get in and do something nasty. My mistake was leaving it out, especially in the heavy showers we had.

Either way it seems the problem lies with the immobiliser, there are 3 keys, one of which is the "master" key that syncs with the ECU so that they recognise each other and the immobilser will deactivate. The other two keys are day to day keys. Seems like the one I normally use has somehow become unsynchronised with the ECU making it think someone is trying to nick the bike.

After a lot of fiddling around I've managed to get her started with the red master key and sync the "spare" black key.

Don't know how it happened but the normal key seems fcuked.

So, cheers, and thanks for the suggestions.

[Road Warrior]

Bloody Ducatis :lol:

It's a pet peeve of mine when bikes are left out in the rain, because driving rain gets into the switchgear and clocks and can wreak all sorts of havoc. Sounds to me like some water got deep down inside the ignition barrel and immobiliser and when you tried to crank it over, the bike's ECU didn't like it and erased the chip in your key.

[Satansfist]

Yeah, that's my take on it too, something along those lines. Nothing's ever straight forward with the beloved Ducati!

Serves me right really for leaving the sucker outside, even when it was pissing down I was sitting inside playing GTA IV and thinking I should probably bring that in...