Hardcore Biker
ok i finally get my bike in working order an warranted rego'd...
then the bike dies over the other side of the hills. running on 3 backfiring dieing over 8krpm... flat battery. its an electrical fault. bugger! maybe my next bike will be a bit mor reliable.
No8 Wire Extraordinaire
Sounds like charging system, kinda common on old suzis I’m afraid. In no particular order the Rectifier/Regulator dies. The system then has to deal with un controlled voltage which may get up to 20 vlts. This boils the battery, (often blowing headlight bulbs) sometimes frys the Ignition box & over stresses the alternator.
Or the alternator burns, lowering the voltage, stressing everything else out etc etc.
New battery. Buy a multimeter from Dick Smith or somewhere for about $30, put on the 20V setting. Start the bike & rev. If the voltage gets anywhere beyond sat 14.5 Volts then the rec/reg is toast. Any less than 12.5 with the lights on & a bit of a rev & the alternator is likely toast. Hopefully the ignition is ok. Let us know how you go.
Don't you look at my accountant.
He's the only one I've got.
parting of the sensory
Hmmm.. almost. The R/R can die in two ways, depending on what part of the circuitry fails. The result can be undersupply of zolts, or oversupply. If it's undersupply, the battery will slowly drain, until the point where there's not enough ergs for ignition, and then the bike stops. If it's oversupply, it cooks things.Originally Posted by F5 Dave
The alternator/stator voltage should rise with the revs, and shouldn't go above 14.x volts, but in fact, if you look at the specs of some bikes (like the VTR1000, f'rinstance), it actually states summat like "regulated between 12 and 15.5V".
You may find too that it's heat-related; as the bike gets hot, the electrics start to play up, then when it cools down, it's OK. This can be due to the components in the R/R failing when the thing's hot, or the hot oil in the engine monkeying with a dodgy stator.
Another possibility is crappy connections in the charging circuit (corrosion, loose earth(s), loose connections, chafed/broken wires. A good place to start is to check all the wires and from the stator housing or alternator, through to R/R, the battery connections, earths, etc.
It all may sound a bit complex, but it's not if you have a meter and take your time. There's a ton (or tonne) of stuff on the interweb to help with diagnosis, and people (even duffers like me) willing to help.
Good luck (not that I believe in that).
... and that's what I think.
Or summat.
Or maybe not...
Dunno really....
No8 Wire Extraordinaire
Yes that is indeed possible that the rec/reg could fail in a situation where less voltage was supplied (the rectifier side could throw one of the phases) but I have never seen it, I do not believe the regulation could fail so as to become lower, if it did then it would need to rid itself of the heat & probably terminating in short order thus becoming unregulated, or perhaps shorted.
Strange that some suppliers have gone away from well finned regulators, this is the part that needs to shed the heat, I believe the VTR is such as a friend just had to replace his & said it was just a bare box. Ideally these things should be well finned, bolted flat to the frame & in the airstream.
Letting the oil level get too low is a killer for some alternators.
Don't you look at my accountant.
He's the only one I've got.
parting of the sensory
Nevertheless, it's very common, and my last two R/Rs failed in this mode, for the reasons you postulated.
Honda finally showed tacit acknowledgement of the problem (even if they didn't admit to it) by fitting one of Shindengen's beefier, finned R/Rs to the 2002 VFR, after years of having them fail due to being too lightweight and mounted in a hot location. The new ones are mounted on the frame on the RH side above the radiator.
The new replacement VTR ones are still the same size and shape, but finned, and a waste of time, unless you want "plug and pray" simplicity. The standard location is too hot, and the R/R too weedy.
On my VFR, I ripped out all the wiring from the stator to the R/R and battery, then mounted my new R/R under the headstock, like bike manufacturers used to do:
http://community.webshots.com/album/35458602cOCSNv
On the VTR, I did a similar though less radical piece of surgery:
http://community.webshots.com/album/88297322swwFNk
... and that's what I think.
Or summat.
Or maybe not...
Dunno really....
No8 Wire Extraordinaire
Cool, sent link onto friend.
Don't you look at my accountant.
He's the only one I've got.
C'mon lets ride....
How old is the battery?
Hardcore Biker
had that. bastard to find out about untill someone says something like "its failing thermaly" .
And the latter part is bang on too. Ive found heps of tweaks, fixs etc on the net.
dont break your cake
Hardcore Biker
yay honda! took them 20 yrs and lots of moans before they did anything about thier r/r's. Ive got a fan but your way would be best.
dont break your cake
Forum whore
i might just go out to the garage and mount a chip fan and heatsink on mine... its pretty ugly but I'm sure it's on its second and wires dont look that sh*t-hot
bikes
The good thing is - I get free beer every time I have to go pick him up. And tomorrow is beer night
The contents of this post are my opinion and may not be subjected to any form of reality
It means I'm not an authority or a teacher, and may not have any experience so take things with a pinch of salt (a.k.a bullshit) rather than fact
Hardcore Biker
ok guys thx for the help. taunts from the flatmates...
yah im an idiot sometimes.
it was a loose connection on the battery. the neg had become undone. hence i could go along the flat without too much trouble but as soon as it got a load on the thing died. i couldnt get too the battery without an allan key anyhow.
i dont really want to start riding everywhere with a whole toolbox on the rear. but i guess the old allan key 10/12mm and phillips screwdriver are a must.
No8 Wire Extraordinaire
Nice to have a cheap solution for a change. Do yourself a favour & do check the charging from time to time with a meter, they are dirt cheap, easy to use & could save you a lot of drama.
Don't you look at my accountant.
He's the only one I've got.
parting of the sensory
Just ignore the ones with the PC heatsink and fan fitted to your R/R, especially if it's on a bike where the R/R is still mounted under the bodywork. It's like sticking something in the oven with a fan to cool it down. Especially on a V engine, where there's significant heat coming off the rear header(s) and wafting up under the rear of the bike.
... and that's what I think.
Or summat.
Or maybe not...
Dunno really....
parting of the sensory
Indeed. In fact, if you have a bike that's know for electrical problems, buy yourself a small voltmeter, and stick it on your dashboard. Even though I've got 2 multimeters, the digital voltmeter/clock/battery charge indicator/laptimer/stopwatch on my dash was much more helpful for diagnosing my electrical problems. Cost me $42, and gave me a handy clock as well.
... and that's what I think.
Or summat.
Or maybe not...
Dunno really....
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