| Author | Message | ||
     Hughlysses |
Anybody ever had an intermittent charging problem on a Uly? Long sordid tale follows. All set up to leave this morning on vacation to N GA mountains. One solid week of riding twisties! ~60 miles up the interstate, I pull off for a rest stop. When I let off throttle, speedo and tach drop to zero. Park bike, turn off engine, wait for fan to quit running. Turn on key, dials sweep as per normal, hit starter, "click-click-click". Luckily wife is following in car. Check all fuses, check battery connections (both tight), even check troublesome stator wiring harness plug behind pulley cover, all OK. Jump start bike, check voltage, ~11.9 volts and falling. Turn bike back off, reconnect jumper cables, let car charge up bike for a while (~10 minutes). Fire bike back up, mount up, head back home. Make it all the way home with no issues (?). Pull into driveway, cut bike off, fan running WFO, slows to low speed, finally stops. Turn key back on, bike fires right up; battery fully charged? Check voltage at battery- ~13 volts at idle. WTF? "Dang, maybe I fixed it." I figured if it was fried voltage regulator or stator, it certainly wouldn't have "healed" itself. Crank bike up, ride someplace to get lunch, all OK. After lunch, mount up and head back up the interstate thinking all is well. ~40 miles up the road, gages drop to zero. "Oh crap- here we go again." Take next exit, bike dies as I'm slowing down. Go through the drill with the car again, head back home. Make it ~5 miles short of my exit, have to repeat drill, make it to my driveway, bike dies as I slow to turn. OK, my Uly is still under warranty, but I need to leave on vacation ASAP. Anybody got any clues as to what could cause an evidently intermittent charging problem like this? Meantime, I'll go buy a battery for the S3, change that, wash it, and fire it up and get ready to leave AGAIN. Guess I just wasted my first day of vacation. Crap....  | ||
| Reepicheep |
Pop off the derby cover and take a big whiff. Smells like a stator to me, but not enough known yet to know for sure. If it smells like a stator to you, you will *know*, believe me. | ||
| Hughlysses |
Been there, done that on the S3. Guess I will drop it off at the dealer a week from now. Old battery out of S3, headed out to get a new one. Damn what a day... | ||
| Xbimmer |
The three guilty components can all fry each other, 77-connector/VR/stator. From what I remember from somewhere here sometimes it's the wiring from the stator that gets pinched and faulty as it leaves the stator, that could be intermittent. The electronics in the VR could be going senile. And the 77 might look OK but if it's making a loose male/female connection then the juice just won't flow right. The VR then takes the heat. My system crapped out last July on a great two-up trip to the Sequoias and King's Canyon, sucks... | ||
| Rwcfrank |
Thats exactly why I just bought one of the LED models below. Cheep insurance to keep from getting stranded.. http://www.customdynamics.com/LED_battery_gauge.ht m | ||
| Xbimmer |
That's Ft_bstrd's System.  I have the Kuryakyn mounted on the front brake reservoir, work great. | ||
| Rwcfrank |
I stole the idea from Ft Bastard....Some guy on fleabay is selling a similar system for $25 search "charging monitor" | ||
| Hughlysses |
Wouldn't you know it, I bought one of the LED voltmeters from American Sport Bike ~6 months ago. Sat it down someplace and freaking LOST it before I got it installed. ARGH. Got new battery for the S3 from the Harley dealer. $129!!! Holy crap! At least the S3 fired up like it had been ridden yesterday. Only downside it is definitely NOT as good for riding 350 miles as the Uly... | ||
| Jwnsc |
Hugh - I have a Voltage Regulator and LED Battery Gauge from Custom Dynamics if you're interested. Both are new-in-the box. | ||
| Hughlysses |
Jim- thanks much for the offer. I have the S3 ready to go- need to ride it some anyway. Guess I will truck the Uly to Lowcountry when I get back from vacation. I've still got ~5 months of warranty left. | ||
| Jwnsc |
Ok, if you need any help let me know. I got both items after reading all the problems the '06' and '07s were having with the charging system. So far, the changes they made on the '08s (knock on wood) seem to have reduced the number of failures. I doubt if Low Country will have the parts you need in stock. | ||
| Hughlysses |
I doubt if Low Country will have the parts you need in stock. No doubt. Have to wait at least another week after I get back from vacation for them to get parts to fix it. Oh well, the S3 will get a good workout. | ||
| Ft_bstrd |
Sounds like VR/Stator. The 06 and 07 stator are three phase. You won't necessarily notice the first phase. Once the second phase starts to crap out you REALLY notice. | ||
| Rays |
Hugh - it could be one (or a combination) of many things but intermittent could well be the dreaded 77 connector. The only trailer ride my Uly has had to have was my first introduction to the intermittent charging from the '77 connector. Some dealer techs won't be aware of it so if you have a quick read of this you will be at least armed with some info. http://docs.google.com/View?revision=_latest&docid =d4rbxwr_20dq5khf&hl=en | ||
| Hughlysses |
Rays- thanks for that info. I knew about the problem with this connector and tried to check it yesterday, but after seeing your photos, I did NOT check this particular connector. Guess I'll take a few minutes and try that before I leave in the morning. (Yea, I'm up at 3 AM now with "broken bike insomnia".) | ||
| Hughlysses |
Rays- Looks like it was the dreaded 77 connector. I went out at 3 AM this morning after reading your post and put the battery charger on the bike so I'd be ready just in case. Pulled the bike out, removed the cover, got to the right plug (it was pretty well buried) and pulled it apart. No melting or anything that jumped out at me. However, when I disassembled it, I found the culprit. It was VERY subtle- a black carbon spot on one of the male pins, and the corresponding female pin was obviously loose. I cleaned everything up with 1000 grit sandpaper (scraped the carbon burn off with the tip of my knife). Tightened up the loose connector and plugged it all back together. Checked the voltage on the battery with my cheapo mini-multimeter; 11.9 volts. Cranked it up- now showing ~13-13.5 volts at idle. Looks like the problem is licked for the time being. What a crappy connector though- this HUGE piece of plastic with these dainty little electrical contacts inside. They don't look adequate for instrument current, much less the whole load of the charging system. I think this will get replaced appropriately when the warranty's up. Thanks for the help! | ||
| Buelldualsport |
3AM My that's early Thanks for posting the issues. Good point about replacing the connector Good Luck Buells to Alaska ALCAN 5000 2010 | ||
| Red_chili |
I have the Kuryakyn mounted on the top triple clamp just below the instruments. Fits great, it is really small. That way the tank bag obscures the REALLY BRIGHT LEDs, but slight movement makes it readable. All these posts about the charging system made me a tad nervous. I do believe I will change out that 77 connector shortly. Maybe "short"ly is a poor choice of words... Sounds like carrying a spare stator and VR on a long trip is not at all being compulsive. It's one way to make sure you are among the crowd who have never had issues! Anyone adapted a more robust shunt-type VR? Or is it all traceable to the 77 connector as a root cause? | ||
| Hughlysses |
Well, I made it to my vacation spot today; almost 400 miles. No electrical issues, so the 77 connector was definitely it. Hard to believe that such a minor burned spot completely screwed things up. MUCH thanks to Jwnsc for the Custom Dynamics single-LED voltmeter. What a slick setup. Drilled one hole through the back of the instrument panel. Changes color depending on voltage. | ||
| Rays |
Hugh - 3AM connector repairs! I am delighted that you were able to find the issue and get on your way. Just look on it as a way of bonding with the Uly!  | ||
| Bertotti |
Nothing wrong with 3 am repairs or projects. I need to get in mine and see how much room there is for a different style of connector. I would love to be able to use a military style cannon plug. Why not solder those two wires together and insulate them.? (Message edited by bertotti on July 18, 2008) | ||
| Hughlysses |
Well, I actually didn't do the repair at 3 AM. I got up and put the bike on the battery charger, went back and slept a couple of hours, finally got up at 5:30 AM, got a cup of coffee and THEN repaired the bike. At least one Uly owner cut the plugs off and joined the wires with split bolts, then wrapped those with tape. Soldering would work too. For that matter, plain old crimped connectors would be an improvement. You know, a simple voltmeter like that should be standard on every bike. Seems like it'd be simple enough to incorporate that function into the ECM. The only warning it gives now is the speedo and tach will drop to zero about ~2 minutes before the voltage drops so low the bike won't run. | ||
| New12r |
That connector was my problem on the bike too! Now I have the Kuryiakan Volt meter and it is awesome! Have fun in my backyard!! | ||
| Hughlysses |
New12r- Your backyard is awesome as always. Hope to see some 3%'ers while I'm up here. | ||
| Buelldualsport |
Autosport Mini AS style connectors might be the solution. Depends on the size (gauge) of wire coming to the connector. Will investigate Buells to Alaska ALCAN 5000 2010 | ||
| Red_chili |
Do post pix and part numbers! This sort of preventive intervention seems wise, cheap, and easy. Obviously Buell has seen and fixed this issue in later models. | ||
| Hughlysses |
Buelldualsport- I'd guess it's 12, maybe 10 gauge. Anyone know what sort of connector the 08's use? | ||
| Pso |
My VR went out. I asked the folks at Annapolis Harldey to also check the connector. They said the connector was fine. After they replaced the VR the service manager said that one of the connecotrs looked like it had some arcing. Duh-I told him that is so strange because last week before the VR was replaced I was told that the wrench said that the connector was fine. I then got the bovine look from the service manager. So I asked just what had they done to my bike because you had told me the connector was fine when I specifically asked yo to check it out and now that you have had the bike for a week to replace the VR your folks had messed up the wiring. More bovine gazes, felt like I was in a feedlot. The SM would no tadmit that his tech probably did not check out the connector but at the same time did not want to take responsablity for the connector. o well bike is now out of warrenty and I guess I will change out the connection. | ||
| Buelldualsport |
Deutch has several connectors that might be a sub for the # 77. Will follow up Thanks Buells to Alaska ALCAN 5000 2010 | ||
| Xbimmer |
Pso that story is so close to mine it's scary... S/M also told me that they had determined from their checking procedure (BS) that it was my stator. I suggested that the symptoms my bike was producing indicated a bad VR also, they insisted "stator". The stator finally arrived (they didn't stock Buell parts either except plugs and oil filters). I took it back in and after nearly 3 hours of watching the "tech" working on my bike and spending more time scratching his head over the manual than working on my bike... they pronounced that there was a problem and it's not charging. I was pretty livid and walked on over to my bike and told the "tech" to check the 77-connector and I would show him where it was. He dug it out and guesssss whaaaat?  This is what I found when I got it home, he couldn't even pull it apart at the SHD shop. Of course they didn't have the parts in stock, or the VR I suggested they order when they ordered my stator. I told them to button my bike back up which he crappily did (2 loose primary cover bolts lost enroute to home, oil all over muffler, no neutral light and wouldn't start unless clutch pulled in, chingered up my front wheel again in their junk rack...). Fixed it myself on my dime (under warranty) with parts from Glendale Buell. I am so friggin glad my bike is out of warranty. I don't care if I have to beg borrow or steal any special tools to fix my bike but no Harley Davidson "tech" will ever touch my Buell again. |
