kaldek

I can't believe it. I just E-Mailed HealTech electronics to ask them if they know the format of the Honda Data Link Connector (DLC) protocol, and they said they are releasing an OBD tool for Honda PGM-FI systems in a few months!

This is amazing! When it's released, anyone with a 2006 and newer Honda VFR will be able to dig deeper into the ECU to see what's going on - in real time.

FINALLY!

And what does that mean/do for us???????

It means if your bike is running like crap, you can find out what the ECU thinks is going on, and correct it. Right now the ECU is a black box we can't diagnose.

I got a response from Heal-Tech today saying they will likely sell me an early production unit, and that they should be able to dig a lot of real-time info out of the ECU - more than they can get out of the Suzuki ECU.

I lost almost all pressure in the rear brake pedal and front brake lever... (track day)... due to high temps and thus expansion of rubber lines..

Wow that must be one tight track!

Fark as in "too hard" or as in "damn I hoped it wasn't the stator"?

the latter.

Don't stress too much - stator replacement is easy - especially on the 5th-gen as it doesn't have to cross through the "V" of the motor. You will need the following:

• A sixpack of beer
  
• 8mm socket
  
• Either allen key or torx bits (can't remember the size) to get the stator out of the stator cover
  
• An impact screwdriver (can possibly get away without it)
  
• A new gasket
  
• A new stator
  

The 8mm socket is used to remove the stator cover. The impact screwdriver is used to shock loose the bolts that hold the stator. If you don't use it you can strip the heads of the bolts if they're really tight. 6th-gens are notorious for this because those bolts use red thread locker. All you need is a strong bench and someone to hold the stator while you give the impact driver a sharp tap.

The rest is pretty much the reverse of removal. Pretty easy job. Stators are $145 from tightwad.

Fark as in "too hard" or as in "damn I hoped it wasn't the stator"?

Today, started right up, 14.3 at fast idle. During 30 min ride, 14.3 at speed and 11.9 at idle. weird.

Your stator is on the way out mate. They work fine when cold, and get worse when hot.

Same thing happened to mine. Basically as the stator heats up it starts to short between the wires within one of the phases - remember the stator windings are insulated from themselves and it's the length of winding which allows it to generate power. If you suddenly shorten the length of wire, then it produces less power. Why is this happening? Because the insulation on the stator windings has deteriorated and cracked due to age and heat.

Here's what you can do to test it - get the fairing off and test the AC voltage across the three stator output wires when the engine is cold - you should see between 18 and 21 volts on all phases (and they should all be within 1.5 volts of each other). Then, plug the stator back in, let the bike idle until it gets nice and hot, then repeat the AC voltage test. Bet your ass one of your stator phases will be producing about 13 volts or less.

Oh, the reason the voltages are fine at speed is that even a weak stator can produce enough volts at higher rpms for the regulator to get enough input power to regulate it down to 14.3 volts DC. It's only when the bike is at idle that the stator isn't producing enough power for the regulator to hit 14.3 volts DC.

I can't believe it. I just E-Mailed HealTech electronics to ask them if they know the format of the Honda Data Link Connector (DLC) protocol, and they said they are releasing an OBD tool for Honda PGM-FI systems in a few months!

This is amazing! When it's released, anyone with a 2006 and newer Honda VFR will be able to dig deeper into the ECU to see what's going on - in real time.

FINALLY!

"Yes, I opened Pandora's box when I started twiddling... "

True, but think of how much you (and we) have learned.

Thanks for sharing.

Thanks mate, I really do appreciate comments like that!!

Forgive my ignorance but what is the benefit of the US vs. Aussie/Euro version? Normally you hear how they "tame" the US version for one reason or another. I'll probably never have to deal with this but just knowing the difference has my curiosity piqued.

Good question! I bought the USA ECU (and wiring harness) as a cheap method of replacing my 2002 model ECU, because US bikes do not have HISS and therefore you don't need matching coded keys. What I wanted was to upgrade to the 2006 ECU over the 2002 unit, because of the benefits of the newer ECU hardware (better throttle response).

After putting that ECU in, I had other issues still related to my 2002 motor which meant that in the end I bought an Aussie 2006 donor bike for parts and used the wiring harness and ECU from that bike. That bike brought its own problems - rich running - and I wanted to go back to testing the USA ECU I bought initially.

Yes, I opened Pandora's box when I started twiddling. I just can't leave it alone!

Well folks, I finally worked out how to get a USA model ECU working on a Euro/Aussie 6th-gen VFR. Took me a while though as I had to map all the pins on each ECU until I found the culprit, but it's actually a very simple difference. Note that the following is only guaranteed on a 2006+ model bike.

• The USA ECU has two power inputs into it. They are both the Black/White wire 12 volt input from the engine stop relay, and one goes to the black connector while the other goes to the grey connector.
  
• The Aussie/Euro ECU only has one power input. It is also the Black/white wire but only goes to the black connector.
  

In order to easily drop in a USA model ECU into a Euro Aussie bike, you will need to add a pin and wire to pin #16 on the grey connector, and then splice that wire into the black/white wire feed from the black connector. Once this is done, the bike will fire right up.

Now, there's a small "gotcha" here. And that is the fact that you need to find a connector pin from somewhere! Unless you happen to have a bunch of wiring harnesses lying around (*cough* Kaldek *cough*), your only option will be to remove one of the pins used for the HISS circuit and move that pin and wire across to pin #16 on the white connector. I haven't traced exactly which ones of these is the best source, but once I do I will add that to this post, along with some pics. :-)

If you plan on only making this a temporary modification, I would put a switch on the spliced wire feed into Pin #16 so you can safely cut that circuit before you connect an Aussie/Euro ECU back into the wiring harness. If you don't do this, I guess there is a chance that you could create an internal short circuit inside the ECU (which would be bad).

I am open to suggestions for a cheaper alternative. Or if I can find a set second hand (I'm in Australia). Also what is the difficulty level of fitting them myself?

Staintunes sound a tad different on VTECs than they do on 5th-gens - just be aware of that.

As for installation, for a stock bike it's a bit shitty, but here's the process:

• Remove rear wheel
  
• Remove license plate from mudguard
  
• Remove mudguard (this is the shitty part)
  
• Loosen exhaust clamp (underneath the swingarm)
  
• Remove seat
  
• Remove exhaust hanger bolts (6mm allen key, 12mm spanner needed)
  
• Lower exhaust down (noting it rotates around the header pipes)
  
• Rotate the exhaust left and right on the header pipe while wiggling it until it comes off.
  
• Installation of the Staintunes is a reversal of the above!
  

I would say this job is only cheap if you just focus on the front master cylinder and the five pistons (three right, two left) it activates. There are kits available for this job which are very cheap ($119 AUD), and consist of a long banjo bolt for the front master cylinder and two hoses - one to each caliper.

Essentially that would take care of the majority of braking problems right there.

For anyone who needs replacement downpipe header gaskets for their Motad system, they can be replaced using a Yamaha part! It's part number 3XW-14755-00-00

The pic with your foot, is that the line pulled taught(straight)? Or is the line slack in that pic as well?

No, each pic that I zoomed into I pulled the hose straight.

Clutch line.

Clutch?

LOL, OK OK I'll go do that!

For anyone wanting to replace their 6th-gen hoses with braided lines, here are some pictures of all the hoses and their lengths. Note that if you wish to replace the CBS hoses you will need to interface your new hoses with the blocks which interface with the rigid hoses that connect from the front to the rear of the bike.

Right Front Caliper Hoses (Warning - needs T-piece and extra hose for right-to-left crossover at least 10 inches long OR needs two hoses from master cylinder to right and left calipers)

Left Front non-CBS (main) hose

Left front CBS hoses (connects to rigid hoses) WARNING - SPECIFIC TO 2006 AND NEWER BIKES ONLY. 2002-2005 HOSES SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT LENGTHS.

Rear pedal hose

Rear caliper hoses

I just bought a 3rd gen(1990), the regulator has fins on it and part #SH701-12. Is this stock; is it a shunt type; is it a ticking time bomb?

Thanks,

Jeff

That is definitely a shunt regulator. The "SH" gives it away. Same as the "FH" regulators; they are also shunt-type but use MOSFET technology and can handle more amps and without cooking themselves. The Compu-Fire is the only switching regulator on the market.

As for whether it's a ticking time bomb....who knows. Some bikes have issues, some don't. Regulators are fairly cheap so if you're concerned just buy a spare for when problems may occur.

I did but I can only assume the wire was on its way out bc I wasn't getting any readings that would have indicated otherwise.the guy at the shop was puzzled too since the connectors and all the wiring looked great.

Weird. Ah well, no harm in changing the stator. The kits from Honda are cheap - hope you didn't pay too much for it.

And the winner is........burned up stator phase. Ordered the new one from Tightwad and help is on the way!

Hope this works, I'm assuming the popping and smoke was related to a wire flopping around in the stator.

Seriously? I thought you said you tested your stator voltages before. So can you confirm what the source of the smoke was - the stator wires or from behind the stator cover?

I bought it with the intent of replacing my FJ with 54k on the clock, but it feels a LOT slower in the acceleration department. I was expecting more with similar power and 100 less pounds.

Interesting. My dad bought a '97 VFR (brand new) to replace his 1990 FJ1200 (also bought new). He felt that the VFR was a much more responsive engine. It's not a train though, unlike the FJ1200 motor which just pulls all day.

My voltage always drops once things have had a chance to really heat up.

That generally means you have a weak stator which is dropping a phase when it's hot. It's caused by breakdown of the insulation in the stator windings. It gets hot and then short circuits the phase to itself and either stops generating power or generates less than the other phases.

Mate you gotta get that tank lifted up and your fairings off so we can trace the smoke! I would also remove the airbox so that I could see down into the V of the motor and confirm if the stator wires are the source of the smoke. This also lets you see the entire wiring harness run from the right-to-left side of the bike.

Gremlin or Ground issue I have a major problem houston! Repeated symptoms at 15 minutes of run time.

It's going to the shop tomorrow but I'm lost on this one.

Why wouldn't a fuse blow or I be getting an F1 error code from the ECU?

THIS SUCKS

Heat is building up and causing high resistance somewhere. You getting any more smoke?

cheers kaldek, payment and address sent though.

Not a prob I'll get those sent out tomorrow.