VFRnGTP

If you're running Silverstars or the like, it's entirely possible that the filament looks fine and both bulbs DID go out at the same time. Are you running standard bulbs or Silverstars? How old are the bulbs?

Happened to me with my car. Cost me something like $60 for the dealer to run the diagnostics and tell me I need new bulbs. I run Silverstars all 'round.

If your battery drains while sitting disconnected, it is bad. 2004 or older for a battery is pretty darn good, I would replace it and test from there.

...I'll update my post, but for my '04, I replaced the battery in January (or thereabouts) of this year (2009) because my original was done. I've done some amount of reading here, and I have it in the back of my mind that I may have helped toast my charging system trying to keep the old battery around, charging a dying battery and all...

What a convenient thread. I'm having the same problem with my '04 ABS model. I'd have to go back and re-take all my readings, but basically, I've got 2.5mA draw (spec) with the VFR off. I can ride it every day and nothing is wrong. I can leave it sit overnight or for a day or two and it won't start; sometimes a week will do it. I had the battery tested by two shops, and they both said the battery was fine. 1.0 ohm spec resistance across the stator wires last I checked, which was a while ago.

I'm thinking that my R/R is going. I do notice that my Vdc reading while running will go down to ~12Vdc while at idle sitting at a light with the cooling fans on. I stopped riding around with High-beams and I unplugged my Stebel a while back to see if those were the problems and it just prolongs the inevitable.

Any thoughts on this? Seems like the same issue TMG is trying to solve...

Cheers,

VFRnGTP

edit to add: my battery is circa Jan'09 model YTZ14S Yuasa brand. Old battery was just plain dying/dead.

WillianM:

The brake lights are dual-filament bulbs, one for "always-on" and another for "brakes" modes. I've had the latter go out on me, so it's feasible that one of the filaments may have gone out on you. Start by checking the bulbs by pulling them then looking at the filaments to see if one is gone. You can always double-check this by trying the turn-signal bulbs in the brake-light positions to double-check it's not the wiring. All 4 at the rear are the same bulb, or at least are in my '04!

Good Luck!

-VFRnGTP

This is an interesting thread.

I am now having the same issue. Here's my history: I bought my '04 VFR in '05 from a MA dealer when I lived in MA. The stock battery (ytz12s) worked well up until this past winter (I moved to San Diego 2.5 yrs ago, and now have a LONG riding season.) The battery gave up the ghost about 2-3 months after I got the wiring harness recall performed on the VFR. Battery shot, I managed to score a deal on a ytz14s from the LBS and dropped it in the VFR after leaving it on the BatteryTender for a day or two.

This battery issue happened in about January. Since then, I've had to re-charge the battery about 4 or 5 times.

Fast Forward to this AM. I rode the VFR to work on Thursday (~5 miles to work, but I take the "long" way home to go up/down the coast instead of the fwy, so ~10 miles home.) Bike freshly rode on Thursday, now today being Monday, I shouldn't have a problem right? WRONG. I gear up this morning, go down to the VFR, stick the key in, turn...weak prime. FOOK. hit the starter and it *wants* to turn over, but just not enough juice.

What's going on here? Did Mother Honda turn a bad wiring problem into a worse wiring problem? I had fewer problems with the electrical on this VFR *BEFORE* I had the recall done.

At this point, I'm going to drop the battery on the Tender for a day or two, then bring it to Batteries Plus for a load test to see what's what. Until then, any thoughts from the general public here? I could use some help with this one, as I'm sick of getting the VFR in the morning and not being able to ride because over the weekend my battery died.

Notes, I do not leave anything power-related on and the only mod I have is a Stebel air-horn mounted under the triple-tree that has never caused a problem. It was there before the harness-recall and did nothing to the past battery.

...so...thoughts...? ...suggestions?

Thanks,

VFRnGTP

Recall under way! The train has left the building...er...VFR has left the building...and is now sitting on the lift at FBC here in San Diego.

I dropped it off on Tuesday evening for them to take care of it yesterday (Wednesday) and was told that it would only take a day to get the front sub-harness replaced under the recall. It turns out, upon inspection of all the goods, the main fuse-block, red connector is melted and they're waiting for Honda to say go-ahead. The only trouble with that is the main wiring harness, they're being told, is NOT available for direct purchase. That means that you or I could not go in and order the main wiring harness, but the dealer has to contact Honda directly, and provide reason for it, then and only then will Honda release a harness to them. Has anyone else heard of this?

Either way, it looks like I'm out of commission for at least a week...no problem tho..I'll be north of LA for work next week and my weekend is already booked solid...

By the way, kudos to Jay, the Service Advisor I've beendealign with. He explained the problem to me with the main harness and the burned up red-connector and even brought me back to look at it on the shop floor...

:idea3:

As an aside, why were you taking it out in the first place?

.......wondered this myself.............. :goofy:

His link in the first post shows he has an out-of-spec sensor :idea3: . Although it's not that far out IMHO.

Dreadful...I thought he was going to replace it w/a piece of electrical tape over the hole to decrease the drag and improve air-flow... :goofy:

I finally got around to contacting my local dealer (Fun Bike Center, San Diego) and after they took my information down on Friday, they finally heard back from Honda today that the parts are back ordered until April 25 or so. Good news is, they don't have possession of my VFR while waiting for the parts. They did tell me that once they have the parts, it will only be a day or two until it's completed. Looks like I get to rude until the end of the month!

VFRnGTP

Gets yourself a pair of these :thumbsup:

Ok...I'll bite...where'd you get 'em?

My vote would be to replace the stem, soap it up, and (if it don't leak...) ride it!

-Cheers...

So I'm compiling my Christmas list and I figure that I can get more out of my parents if I ask for things that help me retain the use of my legs. I'm looking at the Leatt brace, which for those that do not know is a nect restraint device. The MSRP is $395 for the base model. Not a bad price at all when you consider what it can prevent. Check it out Leatt-brace.com

I've got no experience with the neck-restraint, but it looks like an interesting device. Looks like it could be a lifesaver. I wonder if it will take off...

Seb,

Just saw this and haven't read all the way through it yet. Glad to hear you're ok, and glad to hear that the jacket and gear did its job :-) Sorry 'bout the bike though....

When I wrecked in NY back 2 yrs ago, the only thing I walked away with (gear-wise) was a pair of gloves that I still wear. Guess I never put my hands out to protect myself...

Get 'er fixed and get better mesh! :-) (If that's possible...)

Cheers,

VFRnGTP

:joystick:

Interesting....I just got Pilot Powers....

Guess I better go get some miles on that front tire before it falls apart?

Evidently, according to a local shop...iJet is coming out with a newer model soon, one which has a remote that is similar to that which you use to open a car...or something like that. Similarly priced, and update to be better. According to an unnamed local shop....

im not sure what wattage everyone is using. is it the 10w 330 ohms? the higher watt may be overkill but youll get less heat buildup

Well, P=IV and I=V/R, so I=12V/330ohm=0.0363636...Amps....aka 36.36mA

P=IV=36.36mA*12V = 0.43636...Watts. So, 1/2 Watt resistor should be fine.

I'll grab 1W rated Resistors or better to be SAFE. I'm a geek...yep...got it.... :thumbsup:

.....unless of course they step down the voltage using a voltage regulator to 5V....in which case............ :D

perfect time to put on o2 eliminators or the make your own type. you'll have better running and no more FI light

perfect time to put on o2 eliminators or the make your own type. you'll have better running and no more FI light

+100000

Buy 2 330ohm resistors from Radio shack, and connect them to the harness side of the O2 sensors and your bike will run a lot better, and no more FI lights.

Bling! Thanks guys....was just re-scoping the "Build your own o2 eliminators" thread and will go to RS :shiver: tomorrow at some point to pick up (2) 330 ohm resistors. Now I kinda wish I knew where all my electronics junk is. I probably have something close to 330 ohm in a little zip-lock baggie. I'm guessing that increase the ohms and the bike will run a bit richer, decrease them and it'll run a bit leaner...from my EET background....

Still boggles my mind that I actually had a problem.....I'm now wondering if it was because of the few times I got caught right at 7k, where the RPMs bounced a few times switching b/w (non)VTEC modes....

Anyway....Thanks! Codes read. RS :shiver: tomorrow....and 330ohm resistors as o2 sensors tomorrow night.

BZZZZT!

Code 22! Code 22!

Danger Will Robinson! Danger! Danger!

So...is a "Faulty No.2 O2 Sensor" Something to be worried about should I decide to go for a ride? I'll obviously, at some point tomorrow night or Saturday, pull the fairing and take a look-see at the black connector, but I don't have an ECU test harness to check any of the other stuff.....

:grumble: I was really hoping to do this w/o codes....but I guess I'll go see what's there.... Do I *really* have to take the front end off the bike, as the manual states...."remove the upper cowl..." which looks like the entire front end of the bike.....

Nope, just take off the right meter panel - 2 screws, 1 fairing clip and 60-90 seconds. :thumbsup:

SWEET! One down and time to go electrocute myself with a "jumper wire"....brb with the code... :thumbsup:

My 6th gen. did this once to me & I was able to clear it the same way you did. Here was the situation. I was running low on gas but was still flogging it pretty hard in the corners when my engine started to surge while at full lean & the fi lit up. After filling up & restarting every thing was OK. Hope this helps.

Interesting....I think that at that point I had a decent amount of gas left. I was on surface streets b/w Julian and Ramona when this happened, so I wasn't on the throttle hard. I may have been keeping my revs up to pass when I could, but I certainly wasn't leaning all the way over either.....

Read the codes, that is what they are for.

:grumble: I was really hoping to do this w/o codes....but I guess I'll go see what's there.... Do I *really* have to take the front end off the bike, as the manual states...."remove the upper cowl..." which looks like the entire front end of the bike.....

bump.....

.....Bueller.....?

While I was out last weekend, I was putting along minding my own P's and Q's....At one point I looked down and noticed my FI light ON. Steady-ON, while riding. Interesting, I thought. Strange that there's an idiot light on, and nothing feels funny about my ride. Strange, sure. So, I pull over and turn it off, think for a moment, turn it back on and no FI light. Just like MS Windows! Amazing! reboot the bike and all your problems go away. Wish it were that easy all the time.... <_<

So, the question...do I have a serious problem? Looking through the service manual, I don't see anything in here about the FI light coming on WHILE riding. Do I need to go in and pull any codes? When the FI light comes on while riding, I'm guess that's the indication there's a problem? Why would the light go out then if there really is a problem?

Hopefully somebody's seen this before...

Anyone?

:rolleyes:

I love my Stebel....Loud as SH!T....

This thing is wonderful and paid for itself about a month after I put it on (way back in MA...)...It doesn't fit well on the ABS models, and it IS tight under the front fork. The spacing is tight and it does rub, but doesn't hurt anything. The other thing, The ABS model VFR's don't have the TAB. I ended up making myself a "T" bracket to span the open space, and utterly destroyed 2 band-saw blades doing so. A plasma cutter or water jet would have been MUCH better :-)

If I can find my pics, I'll post 'em up. ABS model 2004, installed under the front fork, tight clearance, less a few of the bugs :-)

-VFRnGTP

Well, I'm planning on taking the plunge and picking up a set of Powers. The OEM tyres on my '04 (bought in '05) are done. Once they get here to CA from MA at the end of the month, I've got less than 1k miles on teh flat spot....

Anybody know of any good deals going on Powers?

-VFRnGTP

I did notice that this morning, after I put on my neck warmer....my neck was warmer... <_<

...oh...and my mileage didn't change. :P ...I still had to ride the 35 minles to work....

Just so we're aren't completely off-topic regarding your Periscopic Helmet. It's not going to help you avoid an accident when the sun is at your back and now, because of the rear view feature, blinding your eyes.

:blink: DING! :beer:

I think we now have a winner! :lol:

Hmm....not sure I am saying that all riders are knowledgable, skilled, and without error.....I've been known to make mistakes. I'm quick to put my foot down to catch my bike as she's going over....and there's NO WAY I'd even think about trying to keep up with some folks here in the twisties.....

I think HS is right, though...we got a hair off-topic...sorry Slammer... :D

[sarcasm]

...I guess that jgombos is right, guys. I think that a helmet COULD cause an accident. I mean...what if you were carrying a spare helmet, locked to the ring under the seat, and the strap got caught in the chain or something like that? Better yet, if the strap ripped, and fell off while you were travelling at a high rate of speed, the helmet could cause a nasty accident. Especially if you happen to look away at just the right moment to see it all happening, and then you careen into the guy (or gal, not to discriminate here) in front of you? Nasty Nasty Nasty.

Bad things, helmets....I'm throwing mine out right now.... :blink:

[/sarcasm]

...although, HS....I agree that it *may* be debatable....but how far can the debate possibly go? I still maintain that a poorly-fitted helmet could cause just as much distraction as gear that is also improperly fitted. So, then would the gear also be the cause of the accident if one were to occur?

I think that the important thing here is not so much the helmet being the cause, but more the effect of the cause. The EFFECT of the improperly fitted, fogging, bug-splattered helmet is INATTENTIVENESS. Inattentiveness being proven the be the cause of most accidents....driver distraction? hello?...the EFFECT of that is an accident.

.....aaaaaannnnnndddddd.......DEBATE.