2009 KTM 690 SMC won't start. Please help.

rrrdbw

rrrdbw

Well-known member
Hey shady tree mechanics I need help!!! I am in between employment and I cannot afford to take to dealer. Thanks in advance,

4 months ago, I was riding in the back roads. 3 hrs from home. The bike sputtered as if running out of gas or starved for fuel. Died on side of the road, and I haven't been able to get started since.

A little bike history: Valves were adjusted/oil changed less than 3,000 miles ago. The bike has 20K miles. 5 months ago, took to KTM dealership (Roseville) they cleaned out clogged fuel injectors. Symptoms: bike would start but will die after 15-20 seconds. Been putting injector cleaners every fill up since. Put about 1K miles since injector cleaned no issues.

Did research, fuel pump on 690 SMC regularly fail. I replaced fuel pump and filter. The fuel filter was dirty, and pump was working. Same issue. Won't start.It will attempt to crank but does not start.

I get good spark, I have checked the fuel injectors they are not clogged, they work and will shoot fuel when I attempt to start. I checked kickstand switch, it's working properly ,KTM dealership recommend I check it. I live 2 hours from nearest KTM dealership. I'm ready to push this damn thing off a cliff.


What else can I check/do?

I am gonna borrow compression checker to see if it's low. Low compression will that prevent from starting?

I can share a video of the bike not starting if it will be of help.
 
J

Junkie

gone for now
Low enough compression can keep it from starting, but it tends to require something catastrophically wrong. If you have fuel, you have spark, I'm assuming you have air... it sounds like either compression, wrong amount of fuel, or spark at the wrong time.
 
rrrdbw

rrrdbw

Well-known member
Yeah, I am starting to believe that the spark is not igniting at the right time. There is a module that controls that. The reason I think this. I took to a local small shop that does not do KTM. He bypassed FI by adding fuel directly to cylinder. Removed spark plug. Same thing would crank but not start.
 
J

Junkie

gone for now
I'd check the valves, that's about the only way that it can lose compression enough to not run without an otherwise obvious catastrophic failure.
 
Lunch Box

Lunch Box

Useful idiot
Hmmmm, are the valves in spec? Have you cleaned the tank, fuel filter and injectors again? Just cleaning the injectors once may not have been sufficient if there was all kinds of crud and some of it was getting past the filter. Also, how is your air filter?
 
anytwowilldo

anytwowilldo

Well-known member
Shoot some starting fluid into the air filter and crank. If it starts right up it is most likely fuel related, if not look at the ignition system. Do not run it on starting fluid for more than a few seconds.
 
fast4d

fast4d

Well-known member
no FI light or code?

do a compression or leak down. just to be sure the mechanical pieces are ok.
 
rrrdbw

rrrdbw

Well-known member
2 Wheel Wanderer said:
I had a similar situation last year. My bike died and I was stuck on the side of the road. Valves and battery were good, stator and rectifier were new. It turned out to be the wiring harness that goes to the fuel pump. The positive wire was barely soldered on. I posted what I did here on post #29. http://www.ducatimonsterforum.org/index.php?topic=68789.msg1272322#msg1272322
Click to expand...


Thanks, for the suggestion. I am gonna start looking into possible electrical issue. Issue still ongoing.

You have no idea of the frustration, when I go to garage and see my beautiful KTM 690 SMC in the corner covered with crap so I don't have to look at her.

I miss riding Supermoto so bad that I converted my street legal 450 EXC back to SM trim. I put her in dirt mode since I got the 690 SMC. I have more Hooligan fun with 450 and she is indestructible.
 
rrrdbw

rrrdbw

Well-known member
fast4d said:
no FI light or code?

do a compression or leak down. just to be sure the mechanical pieces are ok.
Click to expand...

NO FI light codes. I haven't done compression check just yet I am waiting till i move back to bay area to f*ck with this bi*ch. I have her on battery tender to keep battery charged.
 
JMardy

JMardy

More head - less ass
My 690 Duke died like that (half way through its first track day).
Spent a LOT of time chasing different shit, even put in a new fuel filter.
Turned out the 12v (LT) input to the coil had a shitty connection. Cut it off, sandpapered the terminal, put on a new connector and that was it.
 
S

steven

Well-known member
Symptoms: bike would start but will die after 15-20 seconds.

Last time I had the same symptoms on my SMC it was the spark plug. Give it a try, a new spark plug should cost less than $20 if I remember correctly :thumbup
 
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rrrdbw

rrrdbw

Well-known member
@Steven.. I resolved issue last year of 15-20 seconds running then dying. It was clogged fuel injectors. I've been adding stuff to every fill up to clean injectors since then.

I love my 690 when she is running. Unfortunately she has been down so much I sometime forget I have a 690 SMC. Why can't it be as reliable as my KTM 03 450 EXC street legal that I beat the sh*t out of, crash, tossed off cliff, Supermotoed, countless Stockton SM trackday, dirt tracked, she is bullet proof.
 
wsmc831

wsmc831

Well-known member
What map/exhaust combo do you have? I doubt the issue is with fueling, mine certainly has never hiccupped, even when doing 1700 miles in Baja with questionable fuel. Personally, I would start with evo1 map, then would check plug wire. A friend had similar issues on his second '12, replace the ecu with vortex and all fine after that, maybe swap ecu's with known good bike to check?
 
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