Unfixable Ducati ST2, I don't think so! 4th time lucky 🤞

[@volvogt21]

I think you give other bike mechanics way more credit than they deserve. The reason I watch you is because you're cleverer than any bike mechanic I've been to. Well done for not just throwing parts at it. And yes bmw were famous for overtightening cable ties and creating tension where tension shouldnt exist.

[@SuperbikeSurgeryTV]

Thanks for your positivity mate, it means more than you probably realise 👍

[@volvogt21]

@SuperbikeSurgeryTV you're welcome. I just wish you lived in Australia. They two bmw specialists I use for my collection of bikes have about 20% of your skill-set. Great blokes but they don't have that thirst for knowledge that you obviously do.

[@bananabrooks3836]

​@SuperbikeSurgeryTV Doctors have it easier, their patients don't just sit there and shrug when asked "Whats wrong?"

[@paullyons4624]

@@bananabrooks3836I’ve always said this, diagnosis would be better/quicker if your patient could talk. The level of equipment like mri and X-rays that techs don’t get to use

[@Near2Future]

Cable ties are my pet peve! They hook upto the protective part. Which rides up the wires making them exposed. It can also act as a sack to collect water.

[@munter10]

Awesome content Jim, I’m a car mechanic of 35 years and just completed the last 5 years at a Suzuki BMW franchise (bikes) here in NZ. I’m a Suzuki guy but watched the BMW tech working and I can tell you now there was very little support from the dealership’s management as far as technical training and support went… he was a talented mechanic and it was only that he was bright and tenacious that helped him solve some of the electronic faults and issues on the BMWs he worked on. Suzukis… a walk in the park compared to Beemers on the over complicated electrics/electronics they put in to their bikes (and cars) I’m now retired and spend hours watching you work and solve problems as you do… really enjoying it! Keep pumping out the content Jim… a lot of mechanics around the world are watching and gaining knowledge thru your work. 😊

[@SuperbikeSurgeryTV]

Thanks Mate, they are really kind words and very much appreciated 🙏

[@firestorm755]

Years ago I had an issue with my firestorm. It would cough and fart coming out of rbts and 2nd gear corners. I tried replacing all the parts I could think of over an 18 month period. Ignition pick up, ECU, TPS, carbs, coils, leads, plugs. Nothing worked until I changed the plug caps. I kid you not there was a crack on the front one under the rubber seal. Changed it and the feeling of having fixed it was just the best!!

[@llewvirtue861]

Dont ignore the resistor inside the caps,they can create havoc

[@basilwatson1]

good call on the compression test

[@shakespearetiger800XR]

Dude, nobody care what you look like or Smell like. We are here to learn! Thank you Christopher

[@nockianlifter661]

I had the ST4s which suffered from a myriad of faults that were intermittent. Somebody on the Ducati forum suggested I have a look at the big multi-pin plug on the left hand side under the fairing. It looked fine to me and I reported back. He asked me had I looked at the backside of the plug which I hadn’t. Gawd 😮 it was a green mess of decaying cables. I was quite surprised it ever ran. I removed the multi-plug and soldered all the cables instead. Bike ran fine after that.

[@SB-vb8ch]

Don't know these systems specifically but it looked like the common connection is actually the signal ground which will supply all of the sensors, the raw 5v is generally for APS, MAP, & TPS. Most temperature sensors have the pull up to 5v inside the ecu so the variable resistance of the sensor forms the other half of the potential divider & therefore gives a voltage proportional to temperature.

[@scotw67]

More video gold! I’ve learned so much from your clips. You don’t know how much I appreciate all the time and effort you put into making them.

[@stevecmason-rs6vf]

Great to see a video where someone actually knows how to approach diagnosis of faults.

[@craigkessler7350]

Owner of 1998 st2 bought new and 2002 st4s bought used. Love the St2. St4s will cook your legs in the summer and run very hot. Had to add a manual switch to turn cooling fan on. Great videos. Not much love given to these less than popular models.

[@dawdawes]

Don't get bored watching Jim, love your honesty and the non PC way way you go about it.

[@kirkrafter5875]

I am amazed at how many mc tecies don't use a gas analyser, you'll know immediately it's running lean, rich or high hc's from a misfire. Once you get used to having one you'll wonder you ever managed without one. But you're 100% right about compression testing before thinking about any fuelling issues.👍🏼

[@waikanaebeach]

I had that problem of a little bit of corrosion in a connector and just by taking it apart and putting it together cleared it. Then after 6 months it reappeared. A good clean of connector and never had another problem…. That little bit of resistance made the difference… great work..

[@984francis]

There is a product called Deoxit that comes as both a spray and a liquid. It works. In vintage electronics, it's always connectors switches and tube pins first. I use it on my bikes.

[@LaLaLand.Germany]

The thing sounds like a clapped out tractor! All that banging at idle is painful to listen to, what a lovely clutch.

[@00Munki]

Fantastic again. Echo others comments, basically not all mechanics/technicians/ engineers are born equal! I often fall into the same trap assuming that others know what they are doing when reality is that they are just wininging it, throwing parts at a problem and jave no idea how to logically diagnose a fault. You comtinually demonstrate mastery of your craft. Wish i had guys like you working with me!!

[@stabes70]

Great job Jim, I own three Dukes and nice to see you working on them and using your magic to get em running right. The ST series are under rated and ride really nice.. Keep up the great work 👍🏻

[@sagecouncil]

I really like your logical approach to solving these problems..Excellent work again.

[@peterbee88]

There's no choke on fuel injection. It's a fast idle lever. It just opens the throttle a bit for cold starts.

[@TheRealPhilipK]

Been there, done that. Impossible problems, hours of diagnosis, and it is a simple plug and unplug. But you know what, it takes years of experience and high intelligence to figure it out. Most will not be able to. Good job broham!

[@tonymosley8676]

As a Ducati 907 owner this stuff is golden to me, same system with perhaps not even the barometric sensor, all inherited from the 851 I think, Ducati's first injection system... Mine has always farted occasionally at 3000 rpm, which unfortunately is where the engine stays 90% of the time, it recently decided to expand band of discontent that down to 2500rpm. In terms of things to fix that is far below replacing the cylinder head O rings...

[@stephencrowsen8537]

Very interesting. When I worked in a telephone exchange we called this type of fault an intermittent fault. The best way to find them is to see if you can replicate the "secret recipe" which causes the fault to appear. If you can do that then you should be able to fix the fault. In regards to the engine temperature sensor, I did wonder if the fault was related to the sensor's contact with ground. I had a motor bike where one of the indicator lights didn't work, and I found the problem was the manufacturer had painted the entire arm the indicator light was on, and of course paint is an insulator. The fault disappeared after I sanded away the paint where the indicator bulb housing was secured. In your case I'm wondering if someone had put some plumbing tape on the thread of the sensor, e.g. to prevent coolant from leaking.

[@minnesotatomcat]

I used to build and test brand new case ih sprayers and floater trucks and it was not uncommon for brand new wiring harnesses to have issues. Pins not pushed completely into their spot and when the big 120 pin bulkhead would be connected it would push the pins back out and you’d lose power to something. That could have been an intermittent issue from new and you pushing the pin fully in place was all it needed.

[@iancraig6070]

Eating breakfast and watching a mechanical/engineering genius at work. Mr Millard I salute you.

[@Crazeeetwins]

Extremely knowledgeable with passion Love it Subbed

[@RoobieRoo2]

Not a bike mechanic but video was super interesting from a diagnostic perspective. Thanks so much XD

[@shakespearetiger800XR]

Sometimes the fix is just that simple. 4 mechanics involved, sometimes they do Not want to believe a temperature sensor can cause a rough idea or loss of power. Keep us posted. Thank you

[@teamgas]

Another brilliant video going through your thought process! Diagnostic skills seem to be sadly lacking in most workshops.

[@philc70]

disconnect and reconnect fix pisses me off, I'd sooner find a broken wire! good work fella

[@kevinsmith-dn1px]

Now that sounded rough! The only Ducati fitted with a Tractor Engine 😂

[@IDontWantAHandle101]

Hi, good methodical fault finding process. However i cant help myself from commenting that the suspect sensor housing showed a lot of paint bubbling commensurate with a coolant leak from the hose above the sensor. This might have been the overall cause of the fault. Good dose of chain lube in that connector would be a good idea.

[@apacherider7110]

Do enjoy watching your videos. 25 to 30 years ago I used to technical support manager for Caterpillar forklifts. I came across many issues engineers couldn't diagnose, when I visited them on site I found some of them used to go down the wrong path when diagnosising electrical faults, especially when it came to electric forklifts, these are perhaps some of the most complex machines to diagnosis faults, such as traction and pulse control hydraulics faults. I enjoyed showing them how to get back to basics, use your DVM and wiring diagrams and even make your own with notes to guide you through the process. It was only later we had laptops to diagnose faults but this caused more problems as they would plug them in and make adjustments and cause more faults. Start at the beginning was my mantra and never believe what the previous engineer said if we've been called back to the same fault. Start your diagnoses at No1. Any fuel.. diesel, LPG and check electric truck battery, you wouldn't believe how many this had caught out.

[@LongPeter]

There was once a Linux bug where Open Office wouldn't print on a Tuesday. That good bit of advice at the start put me in mind of that :p

[@presstodelete1165]

Reminds of an old Z750ltd I picked up cheap, arrived as a long standing non runner so I pulled the plugs and one of them was a lot longer than the others. I did a compression test and yes the plug had gone through the piston.

[@cecilwilson5442]

Seems like the others were complacent and don't have the tools or the knowledge about using them,, that's great news for the owner of the bike,, great video ☘️☘️☘️☘️☘️ from northern Ireland

[@motorcyclegarage2307]

I have a st2 and everything is fixable on it. Yes it took me 2 years to fix . Spark plugs are first thing replacement. All relays. Crank position sensor. O2 ADJUSTER ON ecu. Very good luck Jim .

[@stuwhite1969]

Just come across this channel, great video's! Looking forward to the R1

[@ritchsuk1840]

Love this video :) nice to see some methodical diagnosis and not just throwing parts at a problem :)

[@mowman7777]

Here in the states we call it a “parts cannon” instead of a “parts shotgun” and it takes a lot of self control sometimes to not fire it off.

[@Richie65afc]

Just found your channel in the last week and it is brilliant. You certainly know what your doing and great you share your expertise and a big thank you.

[@TheGizmoGarage]

Bought a BMW F800r, had weird throttle response and idle, turns out to be the engine temp sensor as well, as it was reading -40C causing ecu thinking I am near the arctic and puts idle up to 3000 rpm.

[@Patchesrepairshop]

I had two of these great bikes, both had that exact problem. It was the internal fuel pipe split due to partial blocked fuel filter. Both are internal in the tank. Great Chanel mate. 😊

[@PD-bl7xw]

We enjoy listening to you waffle Jim, Diagnostics is defiantly lacking in the motorcycle world and with the complexity increasing something that needs more focused training on for the next generation techs. some good diagnostic gear out there nowadays but not much use without knowledge. your skill and knowledge on how things work enables you to nut things out and a pleasure to watch. i youtube a lot of the automotive diag stuff which helps me use on motorcycles, a couple of good ones are pine hollow auto diagnostics and south main auto repair LLC.

[@johnpollock4257]

Top man great work and patience + experience

[@torstenpersson5629]

Good video! Thanks! I had an older ST2 with broken water temp sensor. I diagnosed it by switching the display and ECU sensor cables. Bought a sensor from FIAT. Much cheaper.

[@chancha1916ks]

I absolutely love your videos. Having only just found your channel I’m actively looking for shagged bikes that I think I can fix 😂😂

[@SuperbikeSurgeryTV]

😂

[@woodpeckerdrums6254]

Prone to very tight looms ....a bump on the road can knock electrical connections...but sounds much better .....

[@virtuosomuso]

Thanks Jim ,I thoroughly enjoyed that video , makes me want to go out and spend 1000's on tech lol , keep em coming

[@thediddly]

You may find that the map sensor is insind the dashboard, integrated into the circuitry..absurd i know but there it is...well at least it was for the 999 onwards. It looks like a vented mushroom cap made of rubber on the back where the plug is.

[@SuperbikeSurgeryTV]

Think that's the baro sensor (AP) not The (MAP) 🤔

[@thediddly]

@SuperbikeSurgeryTV ok, not 100% on the st2, the later models, i have: 749, 999, 1098, and 1098sf, they have air temp sensors in the nosecone, headlight support etc, and the pressure sensor in the cluster measures absolute pressure going by jpdiag software. There is no intake map sensor in that generation of ducs that im aware of in the inlet tract or airbox, which indeed is a shame as the value may very well be different inside the airbox. So i cant say for certain but good to know regardless. Thanks for your videos. I currently have a tps issue on my 999, and now fixed blocked injector(it stood for 5 years) and found via tuning software no tps value was recieved. Found it was an open wire with a continuity test to ecu. Why im saying this because with your videos of your process of diagnostics i was able to identify and now hopefully fix my issues. Cheers mate

[@thediddly]

@SuperbikeSurgeryTV yep i re ready your comment, its indeed AP

[@kwakgreen]

Another Great Vlog Jim.👍👍👍.

[@samagasi87]

You are artist. It ain't trade but pure art.

[@andrewhansen4179]

The stock temp sensors may be the French made ones that aren't that reliable. Change over to new Bosch sensors. That worked wonders on my 1999 ST4.

[@truthboomertruthbomber5125]

It may just be the microphone on the camera but even after the repair the idle seemed terrible. It would be interesting to check the throttle body sync.

[@frankguernier2280]

I bought a new 2000 Ducati ST4. Rode it for 40000klms trouble free. But the fuelling at or below 4000rpm was very piggy. Always had to feather the clutch at roundabouts etc The pleasure or pain of owning a Ducati.

[@grahamjohnson7934]

a very knowl...eable and honest guy

[@anthonywilson4873]

Bad connection oxidised. Pulled off and pushed back scraped oxide off. In a few cases the oxide is not obvious cleaned and fixed.

[@905orange]

I use the Texa system at work on highway tractors, I'm not a huge fan of some of its functionality and quirks, I understand that these issues may not exist across all supported platforms. I also do quite a lot of work on motorcycles in my spare time and am currently looking for a scan tool. How do you like it as a bike scan tool, have you used any others?

[@josegoncalves9477]

Another great video top man!! Thanks and keep the good work. PS: what is the diagnostic tool you use on the tablet?

[@SuperbikeSurgeryTV]

It's a TEXA TXB Evolution 👍 www.texa.co.uk/products/navigator-txb-evolution/

[@SleepyBoBos]

Great Vids. Love how you work the problem

[@stonelemon03]

you don't have to have corroded contacts for a reading to be wrong ... they can polish the contacts to the point they no longer pass current ....a quick spray of Wurth Contact OL ( not oil, a cleaner) does the trick. if you looked at the diag page you will see a temp of -67 degrees , this is startup temp , to richen the mixture from cold , once running it shows actual temp. those sensors IMHO have rarely failed , if they do they hold at a set temp ( usually -55 degrees) .

[@jiyushugi1085]

Generally, the more mysterious the problem the simpler the fix.

[@lold6130]

My cousin owned a ST2 in the 90's & the wiring burnt through & it caught fire.

[@sgomez3047]

Enjoyed the vid...but man...i felt that i was taken through the scenic route

[@juiceterry5330]

Love your style brother, just subbed

[@TheDervMan]

You’re a bike fixing legend 😎🔧

[@dalemeadows225]

You’re a top bloke. You know what I’m trying to say 😅

[@dongraham1559]

Looks a nice bike, even better when running right! 👍

[@midnightspecial3827]

Best put a new set of points in it, and maybe the condenser is stuffed, hope this helps

[@drewsmith6066]

Interesting chap keep up the good work 👍

[@alistairmorrish8613]

The red wire there? Is it the HT for the spark-plug? Could be interference leaking out? EMI?

[@kingkong180280]

Do you do a video on that R1 you mentioned at the end of the video ? Cheers Ronnie

[@dogpaw775]

To consider scrapping a machine for electrical or fuelling problem, what have things come too. Go to guys like this, not fitters.

[@johnridley5507]

I had an st2 rough running found on a forum try new sensors and it was sorted, got them from eBay come from germany

[@michelbrown1060]

Do bikes have the same problem with jobber engine electronic parts as cars do ? ? ?

[@FREE_PUREBLOOD333]

Jeez those dry clutches sound crap.. nice work as always..love the way you problem solve. 👍

[@johneley5680]

Mate its not boring likening to common sense Love ya videos

[@WilliamCrean-gr2iq]

Thanks you've given me some pointers for my dodgy dash temperature readout. What diagniostic system are you using for the bike, Is there a nanocom type device for the ST2 do you know?

[@flegolas3296]

What Software do you use for Diagnostik and how did you set it up is there a special cable you need to Connect the usb for the 6pin? How do i find such a cable?

[@rodneygunn788]

Correct you can’t tune a worn out engine always check compression

[@jou-ma-se-produkte]

Good day, what scan tool are you using to scan the bikes please

[@kamil19951]

Have you ever tried measuring relative compression using your oscilloscope? I think it would show compression problem like you explained about GT750, but you wouldnt have to remove spark plugs etc.

[@SuperbikeSurgeryTV]

I have 👍 it's a really useful tool when the plugs are a nightmare to get at. kzbin.infoiBpxsLsADzQ?feature=share

[@spatchist]

How about pointing an infrared thermometer at the header pipes ? I'd think the lower compression cylinder would make less heat ? Anyhow , love this type of content having 'enjoyed' my share of tricky problems on motorcycles .

[@MartinMcMartin]

Bloody Ducati's sound like a bag of hammers at idle.

[@alvaromateosfernandez-maqu5772]

Este vídeo ha sido de gran ayuda, gracias!

[@patthewoodboy]

waxoyl all connectors , both inside and out

[@maartenadmiraal9148]

That's one healthy starter motor.

[@OldDirtGuy]

What's the software you are running on the Toughpad?

[@rafaellastracom6411]

I´m here for the waffling.

[@banditnev]

Often even new bikes can have bad connetions out of the box Jim.

[@curtisclarke3589]

Do you know anything about turbo bikes ?

[@tommy46055]

Great video Jim, can you remove the logo from the screen 👍

[@stevekirk6399]

so informative cheers.

[@ianlawrie919]

Goodness me🤦‍♂️ it’s all black art to me 😂👍👏👌

[@rafaellastracom6411]

Well, not really although on modern bikes with so much electronics it becomes difficult to trouble-shoot even the most minor faults. Jim does a great job of dwindling down the trouble-shooting ladder and arriving at the root cause quite quickly. He´s very, very good.

[@firebird14420]

Can a diagnostic tool go onto a 95 Yamaha Virago 535?

[@SuperbikeSurgeryTV]

Depends on what you mean by Diagnostic tool? There is no facility to read any information from the ECU in the modern sense. You can measure absolutely everything with a Scope, though.

[@TheMattzki]

That bike sounds like my dads 1970's transit van........

[@allanweseman5433]

I'm beginning to think maybe we should stop washing motorcycles or even riding them in the rain. The problems I have seen in fuel injected cars with corrosion from water entry leads me to believe we are asking for trouble with our bikes.

[@johnridley5507]

ST2 cylinder number 3 ?????

[@diggy-d8w]

That's called, "Tunnel Vision"...... I know what that's called but I'd call You if I needed help ! That's all I know & I'm sticking to it !

[@sthildas4857]

As much as the simplicity of the fix seems easy, finding any intermittent fault needs to be happening to find it. As much as any have electric continuity, any connection itself can potentially be faulty. Finding is the issue.

[@apx5777]

Sounded like a diesel tractor at idle😮

[@geraldgoodman9324]

Clutch fluid needs changing.