sting32 Posted May 31, 2005 Report Share Posted May 31, 2005 Posting on this thread to suggest any of those experiencing this problem in the Pro models.... GOing back to my thread about the float needle, I fought hard starts (hot and cold) and a bunch of wierd running (but seemingly slight) problems, the fix was a new float needle... The bike was starving for gas as it seems my early 04 300 Pro, Mine came with a spring loaded float needles that I assume were a bad batch. When the replacement shows up, it is completley solid version... the spring loaded part was undoing itself from the main part of the needle, thus closing the fuel off in the carb completely (was the final symptom on mine anyway) until that failure stoped my bike cold and was finally forced me to figure what the problem was, the bike ran like hell slowly getting worse and lean on Loop runs... Hard to start at anytime, even warmed up. On mine, we replaced this part, it is like a whole new bike, starts easy now, especially warm. was minimum 5 kicks cold, now usually 2. Your Milage May Vary, but IMHO is worth looking at. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jtt Posted June 17, 2005 Report Share Posted June 17, 2005 Must say I just received my new 2005 300 Pro and had the same starting trouble that Ian mentioned earlier. It could be started the odd time, with a VERY aggressive kick. That kind of kicking would make short work of a kickstarter or mechanism. Set about solving the puzzle. Started with the basics of richening the jetting (as this is something that seems to be common for us here anyways, way lean from factory)...nothing. Checked the needle valve as Sting mentioned, nothing. Checked for spark and it seemed that the spark was somewhat intermittant...turns out it was just that at lower rpms (turning the starter by hand) it wouldn't fire. Changed plug cap and plug just to be sure, still nothing. Started to realise that if I spun the motor quickly by kicking it with the plug out, that I got a nice strong spark...hummm Just for arguement sake, I then removed the top end and added an extra thick base gasket to lower compression with the hope of being able to spin the motor faster on startup...voila! It started!! Still too far too hard a kick though for my liking, more like a slap at the starter, which again is far too hard on the gear. Started looking into why it too so much rpm to generate spark. It takes a certain amount of voltage to be generated at the stator to build energy for the spark, it also takes voltage to initiate the spark from the pickup. Since there was no way to change the air gap between the flywheel magnets and the stator windings, without major surgery, I decided on the off change to check the gap on the pickup. Loosened the mounting bolts and adjusted the gap between the pickup and the flywheel to .002". There is enough slack in the bolt holes to give you a significant range of adjustment (when talking in .001" increments) Check again for spark with the plug out...strong and easy to spark, even with hand stroking the starter. Buttoned all back up...and bang....starts everytime! Almost always on the first kick. No more whacking the kickstarter, just a solid single stroke, like always. So, for anyone experiencing this problem, check that air gap before kicking yourself and your machine senseless. Can't guarantee it will work for all, but certainly worked for me, and would explain why some have no trouble and others nothing but trouble, simple slip when assembling the electronics and not verifying gap. Most electronic ignitions I've dealt with over the past years have not been too sensitive to this gap, so it is normally not even considered. Clearly Ducati ignitions are more sensitive. NOTE: this is only on 2005 300 Pros, the 250/280s use a different ignition system entirely. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jools Posted June 19, 2005 Report Share Posted June 19, 2005 Good thinking JTT My 300 had that problem with the poor spark, but i just tryed disconnecting the Kill button (on the tatty standard light switch) and then it had a perfect spark. Must remember what you said though for the next one Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sherpa325 Posted June 20, 2005 Report Share Posted June 20, 2005 JTT do you have to take the flywheel off to do this, not exactly sure where this pickup is, any chance of a photo, by the way do all pro's have the same flywheel puller or are the Ducati ones different CHEERS Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jools Posted June 20, 2005 Report Share Posted June 20, 2005 Yeah the Ducati has a different flywheel extracter to the Kokuson Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jtt Posted June 20, 2005 Report Share Posted June 20, 2005 Sherpa, I don't have any handy, but as r2 said, it's pretty apparently when you remove the cover. It is external to the flywheel and accessable without removing the flywheel. Rode the bike in a trial yesterday and worked flawless all day Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sherpa325 Posted June 21, 2005 Report Share Posted June 21, 2005 Thanks for the prompt reply Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
petec Posted July 11, 2005 Report Share Posted July 11, 2005 Hi I have an 05 300 that is a pig to start when hot, either one kick or twenty, JTT when you moved the pickup I assume you moved it closer to the flywheel, is it the electrical box that is held on by one allen screw and the case mounting 'stud' ? cheers Pete Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jtt Posted July 11, 2005 Report Share Posted July 11, 2005 Hi I have an 05 300 that is a pig to start when hot, either one kick or twenty, JTT when you moved the pickup I assume you moved it closer to the flywheel, is it the electrical box that is held on by one allen screw and the case mounting 'stud' ? cheers Pete Yes, that's the one Pete. I just took a feeler, placed it between the pickup and the flywheel and moved it dow till it touched, then retightened. Be sure to rotate the flywheel around by hand to make sure it doesn't actually make contact anywhere before buttoning everything back up. Also check your fuel screw setting Pete, as if it is only doing this when hot, it may be just a tad rich on the very bottom. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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