Jump to content

Recommended Posts

Sounds more like a temporary fix to me. :mellow:

The OEM ground connector worked and lasted 11 years and over 70,000km with absolutely zero upkeep and maintenance.

I figure if I clean it up now and grease it, plus check it semi-regularly, it should do.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 month later...
  • Replies 70
  • Created
  • Last Reply

So, after going for a ride yesterday, ashamedly, the first of the season, my damn FI lignt was flickering, and the bike shut down twice. :pissed:

So even though the grounding block was borked, and I cleaned all connections and replaced the orange block with one from my spare parts harness, that still did not fix the problem.

Tearing into the FI and engine stop relays, I found the FI relay connection to be perfect, but the Engine stop relay connection looked like this:

gallery_554_345_1154016.jpg

IMG 0078

gallery_554_345_1483715.jpg

IMG 0079

I cleaned everthing up shiny and nice with sandpaper, tightened the female spade connectors, and swapped the two relays around, for no particular reason, they are identical.

I figured I had it licked, but no, it's still randomly flickering the FI light, except the bike never shut down on me.

Next is to disassemble and clean the sidestand safety switch, and the kill switch on the handlebar.

Can't be the main keyswitch, as I JUST put a new one on, and the problem is still there.

MAYBE one of the relays I took off today is slightly flakey inside, I guess I should take them off again and test them with a multimeter, following the service manual.

I had that happen with a 15A breaker in my house. Was randomly tripping with no faulty equipment or wiring. Changed the breaker, problem went away.

Dismantled the old breaker and sure enough, it was in poor condition, probably 30 years old.

Did I mention I HATE electrical problems? :comp13::computer-noworky:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Yeah, I did some googling and found a thread on VFRw about a 5th gen with a bad pink wire from the ECU that was causing grief. Will check that plus a few other things.....

IIRC, the pink wire = speed sensor in Honda-land.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

You're late!!

BYC

OK so it's orange on the 5th gen... but I can now say "I warned yas allll y'all!!"

Don't bother trying to make that connector work, it is design impaired... FUSE THE LOT TOGETHER!!!! ...and using a soldering torch is fun!!

Maybe people will take note now and do the BYC/BOC mod, thing.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

OK, so I read the post by Snowdog, likely copied from the UKVFR site, which is great, the more info, the merrier!

I also tore apart the spare parts harness I had lying around, and traced all the grounds from the main fusebox, starter relay, battery and R/R connections aft to the ECU and taillight/signal light plugs.

There are three ground wires coming from the ECU, 2 go to the main grounding bolt outboard of the RH framespar, somewhat near the brake proportioning valve and 1 goes into the cursed orange block. That same single wire also hooks into ALL the taillight/signal light grounds and hitches a ride en route to the orange block on one SKINNY LITTLE WIRE as there is a hidden splice under all the wrapping.

:mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad:

Actually, there are a BUNCH of hidden splices all over the place which are crimped together and covered in blue tape, before being bundled an wrapped at the factory. Bad Honda, BAD! :pissed:

I tore apart the orange block, despite the repair I had done earlier, in which I THOUGHT I'd solved the problem, it seems it still was there.

SO, I grouped the connectors together in bunches of 6 and 8, like my earlier pic, with their original spade connectors hooked together and soldered each bunch to itself:

gallery_554_345_988465.jpg

I wrapped the wires in wet paper towel so they would not fry as I needed a lot of heat to get the solder to flow through the groups of 6 and 8 terminals. Used a propane torch, on very, very low setting as my electric soldering iron would never have enough jam to do the job.

From each group of 6 and 8, I then soldered and ran a 14 gauge wire to the battery negative terminal and attached with a ring terminal for each.

THEN, from the ECU, I cut each of the three wires that went to ground, and soldered/shrinkwrapped a new 16 gauge wire to each of them, bundled them together in some split loom, and ran them along the LH subframe, crossed over in front of the battery, and put 3 ring terminals on the wires, and thence to the main grounding lug on the RH frame spar.

Started the bike up, no FI light, but that doesn't say much because it only came on intermittently before, and usually when using the tunsignals, or decelerating. Even then, it only flickered randomly, and never really stayed on steady for any amount of time, so only several good long rides will tell.

Frick, I hope this is the end of the problems, or else I might be looking into a whole new wiring harness. Hell, I've replaced EVERYTHING ELSE on the bike, that's about the only original part left! That, and the motor, LOL!!!!

I also ordered two NEW relays, fuel cut and engine stop (they are identical) off EBAY, for only $8.50 each plus ship. They are the exact same brand that Honda uses, same plug, same P/N, etc.

I figured for that price, if one of mine was weak, why not change them?

Oh, and I phoned my local Honda dealer to ask about the pricing on the two relays, and they quoted me like 38 and 52 bucks each, even though both relays are identical!!! :comp13:

So no sale, sorry.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

One of the two new wires going from the defunct orange block right to the battery negative, the other one is nearby:

gallery_554_345_845484.jpg

IMG 0080

3 new wires from the ECU to the main ground on the frame spar:

gallery_554_345_1318129.jpg

IMG 0081

You can only see two of the three wires coming out of the ECU here, tough to photo once it's all put together:

gallery_554_345_886172.jpg

IMG 0083

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'm thinking about tying them all together, soldering and routing straight to the batt just to give a better path to ground and not rely so much on the original path, in case there are other weak points.

Eh.

I did that, 'cept mine all looked hunky-n-dory. I ripped 'em all outta the orange thing, bunched 'em all togetherer, wrapped ''em up in some flat copper strip I have for reinforcing stained glass, and soldered the crap out of them. Oh - and I also added an extra wire to the bunch, and connected it to the frame.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Wow, weird... I don't even recognize where or what that is... :huh:

Orange grounding block, left of the battery, wrapped in the wiring harness.

I suggest you run, don't walk, and check yours before your next road trip is ruined. :fing02:

Nice toast, er, post, Veefer, I'll be checking it soon.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 4 weeks later...

Quick update: no issues since the repair.

Fi light is quiet as a church mouse.

I can say the same since doing the same (yellow) one on my VTEC... I reckon this connector has been well overlooked...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 6 months later...
  • 2 months later...
  • Member Contributer

- Still working out ok? -- I like to follow your stuff as my ride has lower miles than yours and I can see what may be in future woes...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

3 new wires from the ECU to the main ground on the frame spar:

gallery_554_345_1318129.jpg

IMG 0081

Rob, be SURE you have sanded ALL the paint/pc away from undwer this bolt of gound wires. It needs FULL contact with the frame for a positive ground!

Many vehicles have issues because of paint under ground points.

BR

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Yes Kevin, there is no paint under that connection. It was masked off before powdercoating.

I plugged all threaded holes in the frame with cheap hardware store metric bolts and flat washers, then lightly tightened them before it went in for powder coating, then removed all that hardware before installation, and used the OEM bolts where they belonged.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

- Still working out ok? -- I like to follow your stuff as my ride has lower miles than yours and I can see what may be in future woes...

Electrical mods as shown in this thread are still working out fine. I recently put in a new stator (over the winter), not because it wasn't charging, I was still getting 14+ volts, but just because of time/mileage/peace of mind, I decided to bite the bullet and throw one in there.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 month later...

I should check this out on my now down Vtec, but I guess the new Main harness will take care of it.

Like I said in the other thread (BYC Kentucky Fried Connector), you are better off dealing with this connector sooner than later... prevention is better than cure.

I have had zero electrical issues since doing this mod. Solid stator read outs and no blown tail lights... surging issues disappeared... you can only gain from performing this mod.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Member Contributer

I love the post heading "Urethra...." lol = body part. I think you were thinking Eureka....Lmao damn spell checks.,

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.


×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

By using this site, you agree to our Privacy Policy.