[Grandpa_Bambu]

2015 MTS Hard (Cold) Starting?

Have got an odd issue with my '15 Multistrada... Was wondering if any others with a '15 Multi (or any other Ducati) have experienced the same...

When the bike has been parked in the garage overnight and I start her up, she starts normally... When I leave her sit in the drive for a few hours on a sunny day, she is Very difficult to start. It takes several cranks to start. When she does finally start, she is slugish for a few seconds. Then she runs normal...

 

[Dave_K]

For the last couple weeks mine has not liked starting some of the time if left outside. It doesn't happen EVERY time, but when it does it's really annoying. It seems to me that it turns over slower... and it often takes several tries before it catches, and then if I don't give it throttle it'll often stall. It runs like that (poorly, no idle) for maybe 20 seconds then it's fine.

It seems like something is up with the cold start hardware (fuel injected equivalent of choke). I've never had an FI vehicle with cold start issues - but I've notified my dealer.

A couple other folks are having the same issue... one owner thought it might be related to humidity.

What concerns me is that the normal issues with cold starting on FI cars (tired fuel pump or spark plugs, bad fuel, etc...) just don't apply.

I did remove the evap canister but left the two throttle bodies connected (vacuum leak is one potential cause)... but I did that the first week I owned the bike and just started having issue recently.

 

[moorejr1]

I am also having the same problem. The dealer is guessing that it may be the break in oil, which I have been told is very thick, may be one of the causes. I will see what happens after the 600 mile service.

 

[Dave_K]

Mine didn't start doing it until well after the break in period (>2000 miles when it started).

 

[Grandpa_Bambu]

I'm at 4000km... second lot of oil (Shell Advance Ultra 4T Synth 15W50).

I highly doubt it is viscosity related...

 

[Smooshy Smoosherson]

I have a 2014 monster 1200s and just had the throttle assembly changed out due to problems. That might be a consideration for you since we share an engine. I believe in general there have been problems with the throttle assemblies on the Testaretta engine. Yes. I'm sure I misspelled that.

 

[Smooshy Smoosherson]

Oh. Forgot to mention. It kind of sounds like the engine is getting flooded. That would explain the problem with cold starts. I don't know if that would be a problem with fuel injection though.

 

[Grandpa_Bambu]

This notice (below) is on the tank cover... However, I've never 'overfilled' the fuel tank... but, 'possibly' to the point of causing problems...

 

[Grandpa_Bambu]

Best thing to do is to keep the bike out of direct sunlight... if possible.

 

[Smooshy Smoosherson]

Wow. That's the first I've seen of that label. So does that mean you can only ride on cloudy days or straight out of the garage and back?

 

[Grandpa_Bambu]

Wow. That's the first I've seen of that label. So does that mean you can only ride on cloudy days or straight out of the garage and back?

Fortunately for me, as I'm retired, the majority of my riding is for mental therapy... and I have a garage to store the MTS out of direct sunlight... However, for those that need to park/store their bikes in the heat of the sun, then they have a problem. Most obvious thing to do is to remove the Evap cannister...

I'm surprised that Ducati can't/won't rectify this issue/problem...

 

[Dave_K]

I've not had the hard starting problem in a while... but it was still occurring even after the EVAP canister was long gone.

 

[Grandpa_Bambu]

Just removed the Evap cannister... Slide off bracket, pull two hoses, and plug the smaller hose with a small screw.

 

[Grandpa_Bambu]

I've not had the hard starting problem in a while... but it was still occurring even after the EVAP canister was long gone.

Thanks for the info Dave...

Just removed my Evap can... will see how it goes.

 

[Grandpa_Bambu]

Let the bike sit in the sunshine yesterday afternoon... Two cranks and she fired up!

 

[Dave_K]

It seems to be less likely to occur for me over the last couple months (weather related maybe). It did happen once last week (first time since late June/early July), and I ride nearly every day. Bike fired, coughed and quit. After that I was able to get it re-started by giving it a little throttle (maybe 10-20 degrees) while it was turning over (works every time for me when it's doing this).

Only difference this time was that it threw a code. Thanks to Ducati's wrongheaded ideas about maintenance information I have no idea what the code is... but at least the ECU recognized something wasn't right.