Burnt stator to R/R connector and burnt wires!

Hi everybody,

Here is my problem:

Just want to start by saying this is my second ride with a brand new battery.

Last weekend, I was riding my 02 VFR800 with a friend and we stopped at a clothing shop. Upon stopping, my ABS light began to flash. I just ignored it and shut down the bike. Bike temp was at 106 Celcius-223 Farenheit.

After our little shoppings, I turned my key on, the fan turned on, dash lights were almost faded, fuel injection barely primed, engine did not crank.

So I jump started it. Made my way back home... or not... Engine turned off about 2 kilometers away from my house. Had to leave the bike there and come get it with my trailer.

Now it is sitting in my garage, I did some tests and I will carry on based on your replies.

Stator test :

Yellow wire to Yellow wire : I get 0.4 Ohm from A to B, B to C and C to A

Yellow wire to ground : I get 8.0 Ohms for all 3 wires

I know I have much more to do, but I’ll wait for your suggestions.

Here are pictures of my findings.

 

I have this bookmarked now so I don't have to look for it. Post #9 is the important one

http://vfrworld.com/forums/showthread.php/39277-How-to-fix-common-regulator-Stator-failures

 

Stator is definitely shot. There should be no resistance between any yellow wire and ground (three sets of windings should be isolated from ground). The three wire connector was probably the cause of of your troubles. Corrosion on the connectors in the plug assembly caused resistance, and any time you have resistance you will have heat. It will also be time for a new R/R and you should upgrade to a SERIES R/R available from RoadsterCycle.com. Normal R/Rs are shunt devices, that is, all the power that is generated by your alternator (stator is the fixed part) is either used by the bike or shunted to ground (which why they run hot). Series units only deliver what power is required for the bike. About the same price, better solution. When you get the new parts, ditch the three pin connector and hard wire stator wires (solder, no more crimps or connectors) to R/R. There will be may other comments on this.

 

Go to roadstercycle.com, they will have have everything but the stator for you.

 

Nice and clean, not much salt air in Wichata!

 

Thanks everyone for you answers, I will bookmark this wonderful post and will look forward to replace my stator and R/R. With a Series R/R would it be useful to buy the VFRness?

Also, the previous owner told me he had replaced the stator during last summer, could this recurrent problem be caused by anything else?

Gaspésie is definitely a place one has to visit! Glad you love it

 

Only recurring if you let connectors corrode and heat up! If you get the series R/R, then the current will be less (voltages will be the same) through the wires and connectors. Only the current required will flow. OEM (shunt) type R/R would be like riding at full throttle and using brakes to control speed!

 

Another one joins the club ! :mad-new:

 

Squirrel to be fair, the new members joining the "burnt stator club" has dropped off so dramatically over the last 6/9 months I thought that everybody with a VFR had soldered the wires or given up riding them. Wasn't that long ago we would have 2/3 new members every week

 

So just to make it clear, I have to :

1: Do "The Drill"
2: Replace/solder all burnt/damaged connectors
3: Replace stator
4: Replace R/R with a FH020AA
5: Buy and plug the VFRness??
6: Load check battery just in case it got damaged by being in undercharged state
7: Crank the engine and have fun!

Does it sum it up pretty well?

 

related Q: in anticipation of "soldering" the wires from stator to RR, I removed the ends from the connector & snipped of the old ends then stripped back the wire a .25" or so ...
Instead of shiny copper color strands Im seeing dull pinkish colors wires, obviously cooked although the the wire sheathing was fine. I stripped it back an other .25-.5", same thing.
Stator passes the drill testing but Im wondering if the condition of the wire is a problem and if its possible to strip it back to where the toasting ends before I solder ? Any BTDT?

 

Copper is an extremely good conductor of electricity and heat. Heat in electrical circuits is caused by resistance, in this case by the connectors. The discoloration you are seeing is from the heat of connectors, not by the internal resistance of the wire (which is very low). To ensure a good solder joint, use some fine emory cloth to remove the discoloration. Remember, when soldering the wires, it is best to heat the wires with your iron so that they melt the solder and the solder will then flow completely between the strands. Support the wires as best as possible to avoid a "cold" solder joint (solder will look like it has crystalized, caused by slight movement as the solder cools). Have you done a visual inspection of the stator? It may check out, but the enamel coating of the copper may have been weaken by extreme heat as well, and fail some time later down the road.

 

I just installed a brand new stator and R/R and did not solder the wires.....big mistake. My connector brunt to a crisp. I cut the connector out and soldered the wires. Knocks on wood...wires seem to be running cool now. I check the solder points for signs of heat and they are pretty cool after every ride now.

I also installed a volt meter. I have good voltage all the time now. However, I did notice when the temp hits 220F and the fan kick on the voltage drops to 13v until the fan goes off then it's back to 14.2v.

 

Fan draws a lot of current, normal to have a small voltage drop. Wires are rated to handle the current from the stator, and will not change over time. The connectors will corrode over time and create resistance, which burnt up your connector. Other points to watch are your ground points and fuse connections. Ground points carry the same current, if not more (multiple circuits).

 

I figured the fan would suck extra juice. But, I'm convinced there is a flaw in the connector. My brand new plug burnt up after a few hundred miles. It had burn marks straight through it. Its definitely a weak point with resistance. Also, i m pretty sure you do not want to use dielectric grease on the connector (in you're stupid like me). That grease is not a conductor. It just keeps water out.

For anyone reading this, don't use that plug. Cut it out and solder the wires.

 

So over the WE I got a NEW battery & soldered the Stator to RR wires. Ran the drill & recorded slightly higher than normal idle & 5K voltages ...until the bike warms. Then the voltages seem to settle at the expected values (albeit returning slowly). Is this a recognized sign of a failing RR?
Im now at the point others have expressed in not trusting my bike & its charging system.
I can ill afford another Batt. RR, Stator replacement expense.
Im thinking of replacing my RR with an Compufire 55403 (Series) RR!

 

Do this and never worry again ... it addresses MANY issues with the charging system (bad connectors, bad grounds, bad voltage monitor connection, etc):

http://vfrworld.com/forums/showthread.php/50566-Electrical-Loads

Start with Post #10. I've done this to two bikes now and it's given me total confidence in the charging system.

The only thing I don't address in this post is the main fuse as it seems Honda actually replaced mine with something good. There's a fuse next to the starter relay (beside the battery). Replace it along with the dinky thin gauge wire on the one side with a 12g inline fuse ... solder it right in and forget about it. Done! Finito! Ride with confidence!