Electrical Riddle

[MBrane]

Or you could simply re-tension the Hitachi connectors, treat them with some DeOxit, zip-tie them together, and to the subframe. It's worked for me for 4 years, and 50K miles.

I tried to get the pins out of the connectors on my GF's 2000 and didn't have much luck. I checked hers a couple of months ago and they were nice and clean too. Apparently I don't have the release tool or just wasn't doing it right.

When I pulled mine apart this week, I had apparently zip-tied the connectors together several years ago when I installed the VFRness. Went looking for DeOxit at Advance Auto and couldn't find anything except Dielectric Grease. Where do you buy DeOxit?

You don't need to pull the female contacts out of the connector housing to re-tension them. You can reach in there with a small flat blade screwdriver or pick, and put a little pressure on the curved parts to tighten them up.

I get my DeOxit at the local Fry's. Most electronic suppliers should carry it or something similar.

[wera803]

I found DeOxit at Radio Shack!

[wera803]

Okay, part 2 to the riddle.

After cleaning and checking all of the connections, the bike has run without issue for the past few weeks. I left Georgia for MotoGP in Indiana yesterday and got about 1.5 hrs from home before I noticed the voltage dropping. I decided to pull over and get something to drink and let the bike sit a minute. I also unplugged one I the headlights. Got back on and it was charging again.

About 30 or 40 minutes later, voltage started dropping again. I rode for a little while like that just keeping an eye on it. I finally decided I didn't want to stop again so thought I would try something when it got below 13 VDC. While going 60 mph, I pulled the clutch in, turned the engine stop switch off allowing the engine to quit (key still on), then turned the switch back on and released the clutch. The engine restarted and was charging again. I did that 2 more times before I got to my dads (about 4 hrs from my house).

This morning I decided to go ahead and replace the stator and regulator since I brought them with me. The bike ran the next 6 hrs to Indiana without ever having a charging issue, so I think the stator was starting to go, but I've never heard of a failure like this before.

When I get back home I plan to take it back apart and clean up some wiring stuff. I left extra wiring in place and only could crimp the connections (instead of soldering). I used to get 14.1 VDC pretty regularly and I am currently only getting 13.9 VDC with the new (rewound) stator and new R1 regulator.

[Mac Morgan]

Seems like our venerable VFRs are always having electrical glitches and in my 68 year-old post-cardiac arrest mind, so am I. Went on a 1000 mile jaunt across PA last month with a friend. While riding to his house I thought about checking the battery terminals out which quickly left my brain. Later on the way up north I noticed my clock and odometer had reset and temp gage was doing funny things. At a stop sign, the bike just stalled and everything went dead. Pulled the seat and battery cover and immediately saw the problem - the 6mm bolt at the neg. terminal had worked itself loose and caused a bit of overheating of some near-by wiring, namely the BatteryTender lead and GPS lead. It was a quick fix and then back on the road.

I am one one who is constantly looking at things on bikes that need attention and recently found the bolts holding the passenger pegs/exhaust hanger bracket on the sub frame loose. Some of the motor-mount bolts were also slightly loose. Good idea to take a torque wrench to fasteners from time to time. One day while on a ride the bike started to slow down. I pulled off the road as nothing was working only to find out later that I had left the RR connector disconnected! How could I have been so absent minded?

I am currently knee deep in 3 other projects for friends: a 89 VTR250, 75 CB400/4 and a 83 XS650; all with some kind of issues. These bikes all suffer from some sort of long-term storage issues such as rusted gas tanks, plugged-up carbs, deep-seated electrical problems and general lack of parts availability. Luckily there are a lot of self-flagellating types like myself out there who have gone before or who are still going and looking for the truth (in old motorcycle repair/restoration) offering up suggestions, help and mis-direction.

Somewhere out there is the answer to our never-ending quest to the evasive "Where did my electricity go" question. If and when one of you find it, you will have discovered the "Holy Grail!"

Let's keep looking!

Good Luck

Mack Morgan