ColoMotoChick Posted May 22, 2012 Share Posted May 22, 2012 HI Guys, I'm needing some help (after being stranded for a second time!!). My 2003 (with 54K miles) has been giving me some electrical troubles lately. I seem to loose all power (battery drains) and only a jump can get it started. The first time it did this I immediately replaced the battery thinking it was bad. Now, if I don't keep it on a tender at all times, it will start and run fine, but then the first time I shut it down, it will not restart (completely dead - clock resets, and can only hear the starter relay switch clicking). My BF and I have spent time testing the battery & RR voltages at idle, 2,500 & 5,000 RPMs and all seem within limits. Cold - Off 12.95V 2,500 RMP 13.88 5,000 RMP 13.91 Warm 2,500 12.59 5,000 13.05 We have NOT tested the stator ohms (we had to remove a charred connector a few years ago and hard-wired the 3 yellows from the stator). Just being lazy on this one. As one possible solution, we cleaned all major connectors with dielectric grease. On another note, not sure if related or not, it has started loosing power when I shift from 2nd to 3rd just after starting/riding the bike. It takes about 3-4 tries (while coasting) to restart. So....I am wondering if I have a stator and/or RR. I hate to just start replacing parts, but I'm at my whits end. Any suggestions?? Thanks much in advance. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer Cogswell Posted May 22, 2012 Member Contributer Share Posted May 22, 2012 You didn't mention if you've had the wiring harness recall done. If you're not sure, plug your VIN# in to Honda's website and it will tell you . . . http://www.ahm-ownerlink.com/SEO/HondaRecall.asp?recallStatus=NO%20VIN&recallId1=NO%20RECALL%20IDS The voltages aren't horrible but they are a bit low (especially "warm"). My 6th gen reads 14.6 volts no matter the rpm. Since the voltage with the engine warm is lower than cold, my $.02 is you need to dig in to the stator more, especially when warm. Even if you test the stator per the FSM, there's nothing like putting eyeballs on it to view its condition. If it looks like it spent some time on your barbeque, it's due for replacement. That still wouldn't rule out the R/R however. Also, di-electric grease does not promote conductivity (but does seal out moisture) - for that you need something like Oxgard. Also, you might consider the VFRNess for it once you get the trouble sorted - check out TIghtwad's website: http://www.wiremybike.com/ Some searching through the maintenance forums will turn up many threads on these issues. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer MBrane Posted May 22, 2012 Member Contributer Share Posted May 22, 2012 Those running voltages seem a bit low to me, and the battery static voltage seems high. You need to test voltage between the legs of the stator. Should be around 60 VAC at 5K. Often when a stator goes bad the voltage will drop, but the current will increase which causes the R/R to overcharge the battery. Stators tend to go around 50K miles give or take. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer mello dude Posted May 22, 2012 Member Contributer Share Posted May 22, 2012 +1 with everbody in that unfortunately you are gonna have to get at your stator for test. Voltages are def goofy. -- -- Really you are going to need to do the Drill.... as below before you can get a full picture on which way is up. What is the mileage on the bike? The drill….. assuming you have gone thru connectors for burnt leads ---Go through this starting point list. You will need a multimeter too. Steps: - Recharge battery overnite - then to take it to Autozone or simular to load test. -- Good? Bad? – An iffy battery can fake you out and act like a bad R/R. - With good battery fire it up. These are R/R quick checks--- do first.. --- With voltmeter at battery get voltages -- idle volts? 5000 rpm volts? Whats the nunbers? - Check stator - 1. pull connector apart. Set meter to resistance. Check pin to pin, 3 yellow wires, A to B, B to C, C to A. Whats the numbers? 3 separate readings --Should be less than 1.0 ohms. - 2. Check continuity from each A,B,C pin to ground, -- -should be infinity - nada nothing. no continuity. -- 3 separate checks . - 3. Crank it back up. Do another pin to pin thing, but set meter on AC volts. idle and 5000 rpms. What's da numbers? Should start 15 -20ish and climb 50ish and more. Again – 3 readings 4. Repeat hot. If you need to dig deeper check this chart. http://www.electrosport.com/media/pdf/fault-finding-diagram.pdf Good luck Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bad Boy Posted May 22, 2012 Share Posted May 22, 2012 50k miles is typical life of a stator. Cut wires and test stator as noted above when engine is warmed up. Use this connector between stator and RR, better than OEM connector. To reconnect. http://www.wiremybike.com/product_info.php?products_id=693&osCsid=9a395a5367c986a13ddd4d5ee1a58b19 Replace stator if fails tests Check voltages at good battery with new stator Also check the 30amp fuse next to the battery for overheating, a common problem. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spud786 Posted May 22, 2012 Share Posted May 22, 2012 If your jumping the battery and it works, that pretty much says, the battery is just too weak to turn it over. Do you have a battery charger, will a fully charged battery turn it over? With a fully charged battery, turn head lights on high, run to 5000 rpm, should be over 14 volt. If not then you''ll have to desolder the stator and do the ohms check on a Mega ohm scale, each yellow wire to ground. everything originates from the stator so start there, and any voltage is meaningless if it cant pass the Ohms test. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer Knife Posted May 22, 2012 Member Contributer Share Posted May 22, 2012 If you want to make sure everything is working properly, replace the Stator, R/R and battery, and cut out the shitty connectors and solder the wires directly together. A bit pricey, but that should cover all bases. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ColoMotoChick Posted May 27, 2012 Author Share Posted May 27, 2012 Good news...my stator is fried!! Just popped the cover and took a peak. So I have a new R/R and stator on order at wiremybike. Hopefully this will fix my electrical demons!! Thanks for all the advise! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tinkerinWstuff Posted May 30, 2012 Share Posted May 30, 2012 I'm in Windsor if you need any more help. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Forum CEO HispanicSlammer Posted May 30, 2012 Forum CEO Share Posted May 30, 2012 Oh I was going to point you to a new stator, but you already found the cause, fried connector and low output, the voltage is being regulated so I would have popped open the stator cover too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer Polarbear Posted May 30, 2012 Member Contributer Share Posted May 30, 2012 Good news...my stator is fried!! Just popped the cover and took a peak. So I have a new R/R and stator on order at wiremybike. Hopefully this will fix my electrical demons!! Thanks for all the advise! What, no vfrness at the same time? Good luck and please keep us informed if it solves your problem. C Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted May 31, 2012 Share Posted May 31, 2012 You didn't mention if you've had the wiring harness recall done. If you're not sure, plug your VIN# in to Honda's website and it will tell you . . . http://www.ahm-owner...1=NO RECALL IDS WOW, that's awesome, thanks!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ColoMotoChick Posted June 20, 2012 Author Share Posted June 20, 2012 Demons are back! Bike died today while shifting from 1st to 2nd. Clock resets and battery appears deader than dead. Luckily I was on a hill and bump started it. I have the battery on the charger now and will take it in for a load test tomorrow. It's new, but I guess could be bad?? Any other thoughts or ideas on what is going on here? I have a big trip in 6 weeks...must get her running! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillyZ Posted June 20, 2012 Share Posted June 20, 2012 Could have killed the new battery with the bad stator. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beck Posted June 20, 2012 Share Posted June 20, 2012 Cheak all grounds first. tighten and clean them up as needed. If the battery is brand new, it unlikely that it's the problem, but I'll check that next in case you have defective cells in it that knocked themselves out of action fromn vibration and/or heat. Third, I'd go over the whole charging wiring harnes and connectors to see if anything is loose or melting. Then if that does not reveal anything, re-test your stator. who knows, it might be defective from the factory and you have a break prematurely develop in the windings. Beck 95 VFR Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer ki-speed Posted June 20, 2012 Member Contributer Share Posted June 20, 2012 I'm definitly going to watch your journey on this situation. I have new stator and R/R in hand just waiting for new battery to arrive. I may start the repair process this weekend. Did you have the wiring harness recall done. If not it may be causing your continued problems. My wiring harness issue caused me to breakdown in Cortez, CO several summers ago. Had it towed to the Honda dealer there. They let me pull it into the shop and I did the temp. fix based on info from this (vfrd) web site and I was on my way. Before I buttoned the bike back up their tech's had me show them what I did. A few weeks later the offical recall came out from Honda (it was already in the wooks due to the high volume of failures). Good luck. Mark Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ColoMotoChick Posted June 20, 2012 Author Share Posted June 20, 2012 According the Honda website, my status is "fixed" for the harness recall. I do have the VFRness in hand, so if I can get that installed (ie: put boyfriend to work) I will. We already checked EVERY connector, cleaned it and greased it. I will test new stator to make sure it's a good one. Regarding the battery, I'm using an Interstate Battery, Cycle-Tron Plus (YTZ12S). Is this the right one?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beck Posted June 20, 2012 Share Posted June 20, 2012 According the Honda website, my status is "fixed" for the harness recall. I do have the VFRness in hand, so if I can get that installed (ie: put boyfriend to work) I will. We already checked EVERY connector, cleaned it and greased it. I will test new stator to make sure it's a good one. Regarding the battery, I'm using an Interstate Battery, Cycle-Tron Plus (YTZ12S). Is this the right one?? If things still don't work after your BF works on it, I guess you know what to change next........;^) Beck 95 VFR Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer MaxSwell Posted June 20, 2012 Member Contributer Share Posted June 20, 2012 Beck, are you suggesting she change her BF? Pretty radical! Is this a new fix for VFR electrical gremlins? And does it apply to GFs? And what if a person has neither a BF or GF? Inquiring (sick) minds want to know. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beck Posted June 20, 2012 Share Posted June 20, 2012 Beck, are you suggesting she change her BF? Pretty radical! Is this a new fix for VFR electrical gremlins? And does it apply to GFs? And what if a person has neither a BF or GF? Inquiring (sick) minds want to know. Don't blame me!,.....Dutchy's my mentor!..... ;^D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Auspanglish Posted June 20, 2012 Share Posted June 20, 2012 Yes... the YTZ12S is the right battery... I'm assuming you have now swapped out: battery, stator and R/R... The "new" battery may have suffered in the time it took you to "discover" the stator was bad and swap it out together with the R/R... of course if you haven't swapped out the R/R as well, this would obviously be the culprit of your ongoing problems. All this aside... what often happens when opening connectors and applying dielectric grease is that the fast-ons (male and female terminals), are worked open and on reconnecting, no longer make a tight connection... it is good practice to clamp the females a little so the males fit nice and snug in the females. Also you should do the following mod, but do it well, no bodge jobs: http://www.vfrdiscussion.com/forum/index.php/topic/62525-byc/page__p__732215__fromsearch__1#entry732215 http://www.vfrdiscussion.com/forum/index.php/topic/66045-urethra-i-found-it/page__st__30__hl__+byc%20+kentucky#entry843357 Also.. I wonder about your original stator... it probably was fried and that is the first thing that came into my head as I read you oroginal post... but only proper multimeter readings can really verify that... and the tests are relatively easy to perform... surely there's a how-to thread on this forum somewhere... Perform all these mutlimeter readings and have your battery load tested to discard battery, R/R and Stator.. perform the Kentucky Fried Connector fix and also the Blue connector fix... (someone please provide a link to the Blue Connector Fix)... Check out all wiring for signs of overheating and if you still have an R/R with the black and white feedback wire, buttonhole a wire into this decent guage wire close to the R/R and run it straight to the battery so the R/R is getting decent info on the battery's condition... (someone please clear up whether an in-line fuse is needed here)... One of these days I should do up a How-to with all the fixes in one document and thus be able to provide a link straight to the whole fix-it enchalada package. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ColoMotoChick Posted June 21, 2012 Author Share Posted June 21, 2012 great recommendations, thanks! I found the link to the blue connector fix... http://www.vfrdiscussion.com/forum/index.php/topic/34394-6th-gen-blue-connector-ground-fix-how-to/ I'll keep you posted on my (hopeful) success! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ColoMotoChick Posted June 22, 2012 Author Share Posted June 22, 2012 OK, had load test on battery today. Only showing 130 CCA (should be 210). Guess I will have to replace it (again) but am worried that whatever is going on is draining my battery. Checked black/ground wire from battery terminal to the frame and all looks solid. What I did find was that my BF forgot to secure the gas tank - no screws on either end!! Yikes! Anyhoo, I checked my blue connector, and with the recall, only have 1 green wire exiting on the right side (none coming in on the left). So I guess this means I don't have anything to do here. As for the yellow connector (BYC or Kentucky Fried)....I'm embarrased to say I can't find it. Where should I be looking?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer Cogswell Posted June 22, 2012 Member Contributer Share Posted June 22, 2012 The connector is white on the gen 6 - it's the 3 wires that are yellow. You'll find the connector on the throttle side, just above the rad hose where the wire exits the frame to continue forward above the rad to the R/R. It will have a clear boot over it. You can also follow the 3 yellow wires back from the R/R (just in front of the rad cap) and you'll find the connector prior to where the wires pass through the frame. This thread has a good photo of a BBQ'd connector with the boot pulled back. The photos further down are from a gen 5 which has the connector on the opposite side of your 6th gen. http://www.vfrdiscus...have-a-problem/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ColoMotoChick Posted June 22, 2012 Author Share Posted June 22, 2012 The white connector you are refering to is the one bt. the stator and R/R...right? I know where that is. I'm trying to do the BYC (Big Yellow Connector) fix mentioned above. This is the bundle of 12 green ground wires. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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