Ratface931 Posted May 27, 2017 Share Posted May 27, 2017 Hello, if this is the wrong section, sorry. My 2003 Vfr has just died on me in Marquette, Michigan leaving me two days from home. I believe it may be stator or r/r related. I believed i had a bad battery as it is a few years old and gave me issues recently. I replaced it with a brand new Agm today and made it an hour before the bike shut down on the highway. Nothing happens when the key turns. Fuel pump doesn't make a sound. I kept the old battery so I tossed it back in and the pump engaged but not enough juice to start it We stripped the bike, checked all connections and fuses, appears in order. Reading online suggests the charging system is pooched. So I'm stranded in North Michigan on a long weekend and nobody has parts or is open to look at it. If anybody here has ideas, or magically, parts in their garage In north Michigan, I would be thrilled for the help. Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
squirrelman Posted May 28, 2017 Share Posted May 28, 2017 grab a multimeter, and start testing after you load a wiring diagram onto your phone. Hope it'snot raining . carry a small multimeter if you're riding far from home. it's a Honda motorcycle, ya no search "charging problems" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer Grum Posted May 28, 2017 Member Contributer Share Posted May 28, 2017 Are you able to start your bike and quickly measure the charge (or no charge!) voltage? Should be well above 12v but no higher than 15.5v at 5000rpm. Failing that, the highest failure item of the charging system on a bike your age is the Alternator Stator. You need to get a multimeter, unplug the connector to the Reg/Rect that has the three yellow wires, on the non Reg/Rect side measure the resistance to frame(ground), if any of the three measure low ohms to ground your stator is cooked, a short to ground is the most common fault with the stator. Between the three yellow wires you should read low ohms to each other BUT not from any wire to ground. You're going to have to remove your Right Side fairing to do this. Hope this helps - Sorry but Australia is a bit of a long ride to come and help!! Good Luck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer Cogswell Posted May 28, 2017 Member Contributer Share Posted May 28, 2017 If allowed just one guess on a 6th gen, I would take the stator. If that's the issue, that's going to be a difficult repair in the field. You won't get it done with the factory tool kit, even if you had a new stator on hand. If you're lucky, it might be a connector. If you can obtain a multi meter, and trace it to the 3 yellow wire connector or maybe the fuse on the starter relay, you might - maybe - be able to rehab them enough with some Oxgard to get you home. Oxgard can usually be found at a True Value or Ace Hardware. That's a long shot though. You're not the first to have this issue on Memorial Day weekend - I recall a couple of years ago a member that this happened to in NorCal over Memorial Day. It really sux. You might have to hunker down until Tuesday when you can find some service assistance or someone to come with something to haul it home. Best of luck with it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ratface931 Posted May 28, 2017 Author Share Posted May 28, 2017 Thanks for the help. We picked up a multi meter and by following the steps above and other guides it does appear to be the stator. Luckily I managed to find a open uhaul so we will be hauling it back into Canada for repairs. Unfortunately this has killed my trip to Alaska, along with a lot of non refundable booking, but maybe I'll still make it to Banff. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Auspanglish Posted May 28, 2017 Share Posted May 28, 2017 Whatever it is you should future proof the bike. The 6th gen has a number of endemic electrical weak points. Particularly the front wiring loom (special mention to shite yellow, sometimes orange, common ground bus connector), as well as the big blue connector near left radiator (again usually the ground wire but not exclusively), and you should attend to the feedback wire between R/R and battery. Fixes are described somewhere on this forum. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graves Posted June 1, 2017 Share Posted June 1, 2017 Well, At least i wasn't alone in broke down book. My 03 VFR800A also died on memorial day but only 30 miles from home. The battery that was in it was likely 8-10 years old (I'm religious with my battery tender when parked) So I went ahead and bought a new one, charged it and installed it. I did a Voltage test while it was running and it came back 13.47 +-.02 at idle and a steady 13.5 at 3500 rpm. This seems a bit low to me. Is it? My bike is also 100% stock with Only 13,000 miles. Sorry to thread jack but but the symptoms were the same. Going to do an Ohm test on the stator next as well as checking all the suspect connectors and grounds. A link the the feed back wire thing as mentioned above would be nice too. Thanks everyone! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ratface931 Posted June 1, 2017 Author Share Posted June 1, 2017 Thanks all for the help. We did confirm it to be the stator. It was removed at Honda and was a lovely shade of burnt copper and smoke. Due to a screw up by Honda and and it being my vacation, I'm now the happy owner of an African Twin and my not so faithful Vfr has gone to a new home. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer Grum Posted June 1, 2017 Member Contributer Share Posted June 1, 2017 7 hours ago, Graves said: Well, At least i wasn't alone in broke down book. My 03 VFR800A also died on memorial day but only 30 miles from home. The battery that was in it was likely 8-10 years old (I'm religious with my battery tender when parked) So I went ahead and bought a new one, charged it and installed it. I did a Voltage test while it was running and it came back 13.47 +-.02 at idle and a steady 13.5 at 3500 rpm. This seems a bit low to me. Is it? My bike is also 100% stock with Only 13,000 miles. Sorry to thread jack but but the symptoms were the same. Going to do an Ohm test on the stator next as well as checking all the suspect connectors and grounds. A link the the feed back wire thing as mentioned above would be nice too. Thanks everyone! Your fully charged new battery would have a voltage of 13 - 13.2 volts so provided your charging voltage is above this BUT below 15.5v. things should be o.k. However I would do an ohm check of the three yellow wires from the Stator, 0.1 - 1.0 ohms between pins (coils), with open circuit resistance pin/coils to frame/ground. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graves Posted June 1, 2017 Share Posted June 1, 2017 The Stator Tested fine. .4/.5 Ohms across all three yellow wires. Nothing when going to ground. Here is the kicker, I turned the high beam on and at idle the Volts dropped to 12.8V and slowly worked back to 13.0V. With the engine at 3,500 rpm it would pull back up to 13.40V. With the above mentioned I think the R/R might be on its way out. If I had heated grips or a power port running something I think I would be dealing with a dead battery again on a long ride. Bike has had the harness recall completed, The blue connector is fine, No scorching. and the 30 amp fuse does not show any signs on getting too hot either. The Yellow wires on the R/R side of the Stator wire connector are showing a bit of discoloring like they are getting hot. The pins on the connector separated easily without signs of arcing. Thoughts? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer Rice Posted June 1, 2017 Member Contributer Share Posted June 1, 2017 I would test the RR first and replace it if bad. Retest the Stator with engine off and on. Clean and tighten all grounds to the frame. Open, clean and dielectric grease all plug connectors. Add a ground wire from RR directly to frame at the RR mount point Solder Stator connections to the RR Do the Monitor Wire mod. I did this a number of years ago and never had another electrical issue since (knock on wood). Still running the original OEM RR. I did have to replace my stator at the time when I had same issue, but yours appears to be OK, so do check your RR. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graves Posted June 1, 2017 Share Posted June 1, 2017 Is there a test other than the diode check for the R/R? I'll re-test the stator with the engine running and see if the voltage increases with engine revs. Thanks for the link I was looking for that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer auggius Posted June 2, 2017 Member Contributer Share Posted June 2, 2017 18 hours ago, Graves said: Is there a test other than the diode check for the R/R? I'll re-test the stator with the engine running and see if the voltage increases with engine revs. Thanks for the link I was looking for that. Are you doing the tests on a cold or warm bike? Sometimes the symptoms don't show up until the bike is warm or even hot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VFRpwr Posted June 3, 2017 Share Posted June 3, 2017 Look up "The Drill" - an excellent troubleshooting method that many have used to sort out charging system issues. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graves Posted June 3, 2017 Share Posted June 3, 2017 It was cold when I did the tests. But. . . I did do the Monitor wire thing and I did adjust the spades on the stator connection for snug fit. Between those two items the volts at Idle returned to a more acceptable 14.2V and 14.4V at 3,500 rpm. The high beam on causes a momentary drop but it climbs back up to 14.2V. I ordered a volt gauge to mount somewhere for future monitoring. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VFRpwr Posted June 3, 2017 Share Posted June 3, 2017 Voltage meter is one of the best things I've added to my bike for peace of mind away from home. Can see the resting voltage before startup 11.8-12.6 VDC (at the ignition switch) +/- 1500 rpm idle = 13.ish volts 2500+rpm = steady 14.6-14.8 volts - actual readings depend upon where in the charging circuit, you are tapped-in for your meter as well as the meter itself. YVMV. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
squirrelman Posted June 3, 2017 Share Posted June 3, 2017 good voltage monitor led lights on Harbor freight's "alternator tester" @ about $5 ! sorry, no photos Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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