Strange thing with my NC30

[arj127]

I was travelling along the motorway today for about 40km when my VFR400 started to run like it was firing on two cylinders and came to a stop not long after. After waiting maybe 10mins i fired it up and continued my journey. When i got home it started to do it again. Has anyone had similar problems? The tank vent is working. Not sure where to look at the moment.

[froggyfrenchman]

Start with the real simple stuff...

Has it got plenty of oil and gas? Filters all unblocked? Jets in your carbs?

[SuperDave]

Ummm, Mini_me was having similar sort of problems. Not too sure if he has worked out what was causing them. Maybe flick him a PM to see if he has worked it out yet.

[IronicCapers]

Hondas had electrical problems once upon a time. In the 80s i think.
It mite be your CDI thts the problem. Cousin had a similar problem on his NS250R. Intermittant then eventually died altogether. But you mite wana check for a blocked carb and spark plug and leads. Just remember start with the easiest and cheapest thing first and work your way through the components.

[Teflon]

Check the coils.

[Qkchk]

I could almost guarantee it will be the rectifier/regulator. Hondas are notorious for it. Had them go on both my NC30 and my CBR600F2. First the engine starts to sputter then it wont even run, next you lose all electrics cause your battery aint getting charged anymore. I would suggest takin it into a bike shop to check it out before it conks out on you in the middle of nowhere.

[Mental Trousers]

Possibly the fuel tap. Used to get that sort of shit on my VFR. The diaphragm inside the tap was worn so the vacumm didn't open it anymore and it'd starve of fuel.

[arj127]

Will check the voltages tomorrow. Has clean air filter, new oil. Will chuck new plugs in and try again.

[wendigo]

Follow my threads...

Hope it helps.

http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/showthread.php?t=23168&page=2

[ALTRON]

Hmm id start with saying it could be a lack of fuel. You'll be going along and it'll act like its running out of gas eh. Check fuel switch,filter and lines.
Your carburettor could also have some junk in it?

When the reg/rec went on mine IT JUST WENT=boom. I didn't get any warning just one day it decided to pack up :( Chucked in a nice big Yamaha one and its been all good since then :)

[NC]

I could almost guarantee it will be the rectifier/regulator. Hondas are notorious for it. Had them go on both my NC30 and my CBR600F2. First the engine starts to sputter then it wont even run, next you lose all electrics cause your battery aint getting charged anymore. I would suggest takin it into a bike shop to check it out before it conks out on you in the middle of nowhere.
True dat, but I would be thinking that most of them would have been fixed by now? I dunno. might be a problem with the plugs and points. Had to ziptie one of the plugs down cause it's in need of a new point case thingee, stopped the missfiring.

[pritch]

From memory the BMW workshop manual advises that in the event of any irregular running first replace the fuel filter. It seems that in the majority of cases this will cure the problem. A relatively inexpensive place to start...

[cowpoos]

I was travelling along the motorway today for about 40km when my VFR400 started to run like it was firing on two cylinders and came to a stop not long after. After waiting maybe 10mins i fired it up and continued my journey. When i got home it started to do it again. Has anyone had similar problems? The tank vent is working. Not sure where to look at the moment.
its a honda right??? yer.....you'll find that like most lawn mower engines they stop working for no reason at all....I usually find attacking my lawn mower with a axe and plenty of swear words.....if that fails.....throw a match in the petrol tank and fry some marshmellows

[IronicCapers]

mmmmmmmmmmmmmHH marshmellows. Watching a lawn mower burn is quite satisfying but after tht i realised i needed to buy a new 1

[arj127]

Bike shop certainly knows how to charge for them. Got the multimetre out. Battery showed healthy 12.98volts with engine off, then steadily increased to 18volts at two thousand revs. So i guess the reg/rec is stuffed after all. Anyone know where to get one at a reasonable price?????????

[cowpoos]

Bike shop certainly knows how to charge for them. Got the multimetre out. Battery showed healthy 12.98volts with engine off, then steadily increased to 18volts at two thousand revs. So i guess the reg/rec is stuffed after all. Anyone know where to get one at a reasonable price?????????
no thats what should happen.....voltage has to be aleat 13.2 volts to charge the battry... you need to check voltage after the rectifier to know weather or not its buggared....but if your not blowing light bulbs,etc.....I wouldn't worrie to much as it will be doubtful it blown or not working...

[Insanity_rules]

no thats what should happen.....voltage has to be aleat 13.2 volts to charge the battry... you need to check voltage after the rectifier to know weather or not its buggared....but if your not blowing light bulbs,etc.....I wouldn't worrie to much as it will be doubtful it blown or not working...

OMG Cowpoos good advise and you didn't say something like shoot it, its a Honda etc...... No wait, previous page!

[Ham]

no thats what should happen.....voltage has to be aleat 13.2 volts to charge the battry... you need to check voltage after the rectifier to know weather or not its buggared....but if your not blowing light bulbs,etc.....I wouldn't worrie to much as it will be doubtful it blown or not working...


18v is too much at the battery, it shouldnt even hit 15. Bulbs are the least of your worries with that voltage... get it fixed before it cooks the CDI

[imdying]

I'm with Ham. Anything over 15v at the battery isn't good. poos was just being sly... he knew the Honda would blow up eventually at that voltage :lol:

[vifferman]

Bike shop certainly knows how to charge for them. Got the multimetre out. Battery showed healthy 12.98volts with engine off, then steadily increased to 18volts at two thousand revs. So i guess the reg/rec is stuffed after all. Anyone know where to get one at a reasonable price?????????
It shouldn't be much more than 14.x volts at 5k rpm.
If you want a new R/R, go to Mt Eden motorcycles, or Motohaus. Don't get one from Honda, as they'll charge more, and they're actually made by the same company (Shindengen). Need any more help, let me know (PM) - I know summat about R/Rs, having replaced two and rewired my charging system on my VFR750.

[cowpoos]

18v is too much at the battery, it shouldnt even hit 15. Bulbs are the least of your worries with that voltage... get it fixed before it cooks the CDI

nope....its fine that sorta voltage...typically cars at 2000rpm plus are running 18.4 volts...the thing is your measuring it in the wrong place...the rectifier/regulator or what ever you wanna call it is after the battry...take the lead off ya head light and with the bike running and measure the voltage....

[vifferman]

nope....its fine that sorta voltage...typically cars at 2000rpm plus are running 18.4 volts...the thing is your measuring it in the wrong place...the rectifier/regulator or what ever you wanna call it is after the battry...take the lead off ya head light and with the bike running and measure the voltage....
With all due respect, Mr cowpoos - you're talking cowpoos. :Pokey:
This is not a car, and the battery is smaller and less robust. It will be cooked if subjected to too many zolts. R/Rs typically fail in one of two ways: the rectifier side can fail, supplying unrectified current to the electrics (fatal), or the regulator side of things (most common) can fail, either providing too few volts (battery continually loses charge), or too many (blows bulbs, the CDI unit, cooks the battery).
Most Honda R/Rs fail in undersupply mode, where the regulator side of the black voodoo magic inside the case has given up the ghost, and when it gets hot (due to no ghost cooling it down), the voltage drops and the battery gets sucked dry by the lights and ignition till the bike stops running (not enough spark). However, sometimes it can let too many ergs through as well. The specs for ALL Hondas say not more than 14.x at 5,500 rpm, or similar. However, 15.y is OK, as long as y isn't actually Y.

[ALTRON]

Yeah id recommend you don't get the standard NC30 reg/rec replacement as they are tiny little things with no heat sinks on them at all =no cooling

As I said before the Yamaha one I have is nice and chunky with massive heat sinks on it. It was second hand from the wreckers and has been going sweet as for many years now.

[vifferman]

Yeah id recommend you don't get the standard NC30 reg/rec replacement as they are tiny little things with no heat sinks on them at all =no cooling

As I said before the Yamaha one I have is nice and chunky with massive heat sinks on it. It was second hand from the wreckers and has been going sweet as for many years now.
A secondhand one is a good option, and you can use virtually any sort (Yamaha R1 units are good). The only problem is there's no guarantee a secondhand one actually works; there are some basic electrical tests you can do, but until you've got it on your VFR you don't know for sure if it's a goodun. Having said that, if you buy a genuine Honda (Shindengen) one, they refuse to guarantee it anyway!

[sAsLEX]

Yeah id recommend you don't get the standard NC30 reg/rec replacement as they are tiny little things with no heat sinks on them at all =no cooling

As I said before the Yamaha one I have is nice and chunky with massive heat sinks on it. It was second hand from the wreckers and has been going sweet as for many years now.

like the viffs says just get any reg/rec they are all doing the same thing! Mine looks like it has been replaced and is got a fair amount of cooling fin

[UrbanMyth]

always check yur petrol tap filter.Sometimes they can fall out letting 'gunk' in and sometimes blocking elbows in the pipe spilling loads of petrol into 2 cylinders instead of 4.

[UrbanMyth]

but after reading what people have said it looks like they are on track.
Good Luck :D

[Ham]

nope....its fine that sorta voltage...typically cars at 2000rpm plus are running 18.4 volts...the thing is your measuring it in the wrong place...the rectifier/regulator or what ever you wanna call it is after the battry...take the lead off ya head light and with the bike running and measure the voltage....

Put a multimeter accross your car battery, if everything is healthy it will remain between 14.4 and 14.8v at any rpm thats the r/r's job. If the voltage gets to high 15's for a while the battery will leak and spit acid all over the place

[arj127]

Purchased a new aftermarket rectifier from Red Baron for a fair price, (less than half of what a Honda one would cost). Tested the resistance from the stator wires, they were all within factory limits, so wired up the new rectifier and voltage is now at correct levels. Also noticed one of the plug leads was basically just sitting on top of the spark plug before i replaced them, and the vacuum line from the tank to carb was beginning to perish. Took it for a ride after work done and it seems to be sweet, revs nice and smoothly and nothing stupid going on. Hope this helps anyone else with similar problems. :bye:

[Qkchk]

Purchased a new aftermarket rectifier from Red Baron for a fair price, (less than half of what a Honda one would cost). Tested the resistance from the stator wires, they were all within factory limits, so wired up the new rectifier and voltage is now at correct levels. Also noticed one of the plug leads was basically just sitting on top of the spark plug before i replaced them, and the vacuum line from the tank to carb was beginning to perish. Took it for a ride after work done and it seems to be sweet, revs nice and smoothly and nothing stupid going on. Hope this helps anyone else with similar problems. :bye:
Thankyou Qkchk for being an experienced NC30/CBR600F2 owner and recognising my fault ;) :wari:

If I had seen your thread a wee bit early I would of recommended seeing Mike @ Mt Eden Motorcycles - he sells huge aftermarket recs that are pretty much bulletproof. I bought 2 from him with no probs. Cant remember how much but probably cheaper than RB. (Most things are cheaper elsewhere than there.......)

[arj127]

Paid 150 for the rec from RB, 300+ everywhere else so i thought that was pretty good.
Typed my symptems into google early on in the post and came up with the rec fault straight away. There were tons of posts on the net about rec problems with honda's. Thanx for your help.:ride: