Charging issue. 5 th Gen

Hey Gurus,

I haven't posted in a LONG time bc I haven't needed too. The Yellow Blast usually gives me zero issues.
I have 2000 800FI with 46000 and change. I commute in Hotlanta traffic about 12 miles each way with surges of 50-100.

The last few weeks I have been noticing a problem with slight hesitation or almost like an electrical surge that I can "feel" at about 5-6K RPM. Not an actual electric shock, just sorta feel it in the bike you know?
Then it started giving me trouble starting when it was hot. It runs hot around here anyway, consistently above 225 indicated. Like; if I stop to run an errand or whatever, and come back to go on down the road - it wont turn over quickly, or at all sometimes.
Once or twice the Tach and Speedo went completely dead and it started running really crappy, as tho it had lost all juice. When I came to a stop it died completely and would not start on it's own and had to be push started.

I figured maybe I had a defective battery. I replaced the battery in October of last year. I contacted the company and ordered a replacement battery and installed it.
It has been ok, sort of for the last few trips. But then it started acting goofy again, giving same symptoms. Surges, dying at stops, no or low voltage.

So next on my list was a bad stator since they are noted for going out at around 50000 miles by some members.

I replaced the stator with a new one off ebay, not a Rick's bc i couldn't find one on my 2 minute ebay search.

Ok new battery, new stator. Same deal.

I figured maybe its the regulator / rectifier.
I had a new R/R laying around I tried this morning. It has slightly different connector configuration and it does not have the smaller gauge black lead to grey wire on it. I'm getting desperate and so i tried it anyway. I believe the smaller wire runs to the clutch switch circuit???

The bike will start on its own power when dead cold.

I ran the bike with the new R/R on it up to operating temp. I checked DC voltage at battery at several points and voltage at the 3 yellow stator leads as well.
When it was first warming up I had voltage at or just below 12 volts at battery and 6.2 or so on each or the 3 yellow stator leads.
After it got above 210 F indicated i checked again and noted 10.38 volts battery and +/-4.4 volts on two of the yellow leads and only 1.6 on the other yellow lead from the stator.

I shut the bike off and checked voltage at battery and found 10.3 or something. Of course no joy when you hit the starter.

I loosened up the started lead and cleaned and sprayed protectant on that previously as well.

I'm at a loss here boys. Where do I go next?

What do you need me to check?

Im fairly sure i gotta throw more money at it but not sure where to aim.

 

New stators can have problems. Disconnect stator and check resistance between each pair of yellow wires and from each yellow wire to ground. There should NO continuity to ground and coils should be just about equal.

 

I get .6 ohms between lead to lead. 168 ohms to ground on each. Using a Fieldpiece SC76 with new batteries.

 

Another check to do for the stator is to see if it is producing voltage as well. Pin to pin you should see about 20 VAC at idle and around 50 VAC at 5000 RPM if I recall correctly. Be sure to check your chassis grounds and battery ground cable as well for a good connection.

One thread that really helped me diagnose the charging issue on my 5th gen a number of years ago was this one.

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

Have a look and go through the thread. It should help you to get things working again.

 

.6 Ohms is to spec, but there should be NO resistance to ground! Did you pull apart connector for stator or read resistance to ground connected. If connected the reading R/R as well. Normally, I think one coil may have a problem to ground, but not all 3 will equal resistance. Follow zoom-zoom's recommendation.

 

The readings were with it disconnected.

 

man that is brand new out of the box stator. you really think its toast??

 

Ok i went and checked it again with my fieldpiece. 0 on 2 legs, 6 ohms on the third. That doesn't seem right. I paid $100 for it, how much should I have paid?

 

IS there anything that could have caused it to blow so fast? it had like maybe 20 miles on the stator? BC im gonna try for a replacement

 

I contacted the seller and will attempt a refund. I'll be getting a http://ricksmotorsportelectrics.com/part/21-124/MDBIb25WRlI4MDA= next i guess. unless you all have a better idea?

 

Well, with most things in life there are three little tricks I use to work things out. Pray about it, sleep on it, go back and check your work. Turns out I had a loose leg in the wiring. Duh. Hindsight says my readings should have told me that.
Running like a champ again! Thanks for all your help guys!!!