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I Thought They Fixed This? '07 Electrical Crap


marriedman

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I specifically wanted a later model 6th gen for two reasons. Tweaked VTEC engagement and electrical gremlins to be worked out. I was getting ready to go for a ride with my favorite group of hooligans tonight. I told them I would meet them, I just wanted to run home to change into a warmer jacket since my mesh is too light for the 64 degree July we are having. I also decided to get gas. After I fill up and go to start the bike, it sloooooowwwwwly turns over.

Clock is reset.

Tripometer is reset.

Lights are dim.

G------ it.

So I meet the guys and let them know that I am not going to risk it (they were literally a mile away from where I was) and I come home to park the bike. Beyond pissed at Honda at the moment. I know, I know... calm down. I'll do "The Drill" tomorrow, but tonight I want to piss and moan about it.

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Hopefully it's just a bad or low battery and everything checks out. I had two scares a while back, I kept blowing the fuse for the dash and headlights (same fuse), then another time my speedo went wonky. Both times it turned out to be something local, front brake switch was shorting out, blowing the fuse and it was actually the speedo sensor that went out. However, I did "the drill" both times and everything showed OK on both accounts. Good luck!

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Yeah mello, you crammed a lot of knowledge and gave me some confidence. I may call you up and ask some questions though. I wanted to have all the niggles done on this bike before I invited you over to take it for a spin. This just added some time to that. Plus I want new tires. Then maybe I can show it off to you. Don't forget, you have an open invitation to hang or have dinner over here!

Duc - I hope I have your luck. Like I said, I just feel like being pissy. My friends are finally going on a decent ride. Dayton to Cincinnati and around the Newport levee. Oh well.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Just a follow up to this thread. After replacing the battery and the R/R, I am also replacing the stator. Looks like it was a good idea!

post-25220-0-24456000-1407040820.jpg

Guess that explains the charging problem, eh?

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Hey Marriedman,

Sorry about your problem. I always hate it when it craps out, especially on a ride because it can be costly to get home if you're not mechanically handy. What was your mileage??

C

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Damn 6th gen stators. At 16,000 miles my '08 is starting to exhibit lower and fluctuating voltage. At cold start it's a rock steady 14.6v but when the engine temp comes up it drops in to the 13's and fluctuates between about 13.3v and 13.8v with an occasional reading in the 14's. I have a feeling this project is on my winter to-do list. It seems like there's no consensus on OEM vs aftermarket wound stators. One would think that there would be some wire with insulation that could better take the heat. All this technology on bikes now and they still can't figure out how to reliably generate electrical power for a reasonable number of miles. At the very least they could set up a spray system that shoots oil directly on the upper coils to slow the BBQing.

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Seems like they all eventually barbecue themselves to look like that after some miles......

Is there anything one can do to keep the replacement from doing the same??

There were some discussions here about possibly increasing the cooling oil flow and volume to the stator casing, but that discussion didn't seem to have gotten anywhere. The way it looks like half the stator is just not getting any cooling oil on it as the the difference between the burned parts and the still good parts are day and night.... Anyone ever figure out how to spread the cooling oil in there more effectively?

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They didn't improve the electrical system until the 1200.

Just look at the R/R, and all the charging system connections on the 1200.

Way beefier than anything that came before.

Speaking of the 800s, I would gladly live with 5 pounds of extra unsprung weight, and $300 higher MSRP if Honda would have only upped the wire gauge on every circuit on the entire motorcycle, and put in a bulletproof charging system/connectors, etc.

And I mean EVERY wire on the entire bike increased to the next larger gauge of wire. Overbuilt.

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14k miles is way below normal stator life. Average 6th gen OEM stators are lasting about 50k miles. This is not bad compared to other bikes. You have to figure they are a consumable item like spark plugs.

Fluctuations like in post #7 seem to be normal for the 2 6th gens I have owned. I got 48k miles from OEM stator and the replacement OEM was still working well 35k later when bike was sold.

I found there some weak links in the charging system that are easy to fix. Replace the 30 amp fuse holder next to the battery with a good automotive fuse holder. Replace the plug between the stator and R/R with this

http://www.wiremybike.com/vfr-specific-parts-2000-2001-vfr-parts-stator-hardwire-kit-p-693.html

If the charging voltage is low run the R/R monitor wire to the battery or fuse holder. I did these fixes to my replacement VFR before there was problems since I learned from 85k miles on the previous VFR.

As connectors age and corrode these weak spots start to heat up as resistance increases. Ox-Guard or WD40 the connectors between the the stator and battery to cut down corrosion. Also maintain the negative ground wiring.

With this preventative maintenance I hope to extend stator life a bit further.

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Speaking of the 800s, I would gladly live with 5 pounds of extra unsprung weight, and $300 higher MSRP if Honda would have only upped the wire gauge on every circuit on the entire motorcycle, and put in a bulletproof charging system/connectors, etc.

And I mean EVERY wire on the entire bike increased to the next larger gauge of wire. Overbuilt.

Testify Veefer! Amen!

OP's stator appeared burned, as they all do after running in that hot environment, but I didn't see where he confirmed it was bad via testing output and grounding out.

Yeah, I skipped that part of the story. After replacing the R/R, we were still getting low charging at the battery. Retesting the stator showed leg 1 55+, leg 2 55+, and leg 3 30-ish. Bad leg, bad stator.

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  • 4 months later...

Hi Guys,

First time poster on here, but have used the wisdom on here before for various issues. I have a 2002 800, and it has been a nightmare nearly since I first got it about 40,000km ago. For the last little while I have had intermittent missing/starving going on and have tried just about everything to fix it. For a bit of background, the bike has done just over a 100,000km and since I have had these on going issues I have tried problem solving using second hand spares over a period of time. The bike has a powercommander with a custom map, staintune pipes, 02 Eliminators, and the parts that I have replaced are as follows: Fuel pressure reg, injectors, fuel pump, TPS, v R/Rec (X2 now) and it has killed a few batteries along the way.

I thought there was two separate problems initally, with the electrical one being the R/Rec given I found the connectors from the stator to the Rec to have melted themselves out, and replaced the R/Rec. Also put a new battery in at the same time. After this the bike still will not charge over 13.2Volts max. It has also had the wiring sub harness recall done. So this time, I figured the aftermarket R/Rec I had put in might have been faulty, so ordered a new one from Ricks along with a new stator, as mine was looking like the one in the post above once I took it off. The problem I have now, is it seems the 02 VFR's had a different size stator to any of the other models from 03 onwards, and unbeknown to me, I recieved an 03 onwards one, which is about 6mm bigger in diameter or so. So the question I have for the very knowledgeable people on here is... Since I can not seem to easily, and reasonably priced, find a replacement stator that will fit the 02 model, is it possible to fit the 03 model, if I get a Rotor off a later model one? Is the crank the same diameter to allow the larger rotor to fit? Otherwise I am stuck back at square one again, with a spare 03 onwards model Stator.

The other problem which I thought may not have been connected, but now having had so many things ruled out think might be part of the same problem, is the starving off at a constant throttle position. Not the normal way they starved off due to emissions control leaning it out for the European models, this is more like lurching and cutting out. But as soon as you wind the throttle on and accelerate its fine, and accelerates normally. Its just when not putting in any extra throttle, and can be very awkward/dangerous when lent over in a corner and starts to carry on. Has anyone had anything like this before? Or does anyone think this could all relate around the electrical issue with the stator? Its got me to my wits end, and nearly to the point where I am ready to push the bike in to the swamp and forget all about it, as I have not been able to have a decent ride on it for over a year, and none of the bike shops around the place have been able to sort it out and given it up as too hard basket. I am based in Tasmania, Australia so not a lot of Honda specialists down here, let alone VFR guys.

Any help at all, or a direction to look in, would be greatly appreciated. Especially advice on the Rotor/Stator combination from a later model fitting the 02 model.

Thanks in advance.

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First of all, welcome.

Sorry about your troubles. VFR's are great bikes so don't give up on it. There will no doubt be plenty along shortly to help. Since you seem to be working two distinct issues, it would be good to work one at a time so you can track changes. IMO I'd get the charging voltage where it needs to be and then move on to the ridability issue. If the stator & rotor replacement does not get you in to the 14+ volt area, it would probably be worth a can of Deoxit to clean all connections and grounds in the system and see if that helps. This thread talks about '02 stator and flywheel replacement issues vs '03 and later models.

http://www.vfrdiscussion.com/forum/index.php/topic/35062-replace-stator-and-flywheel-how-to-with-pics/

Once you have known good electrics, the rest could be as easy as remapping the Power Commander. There are free maps you can download here under the downloads tab. Keep us posted.

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