How to: Fix your Vmax's low voltage or charging problems

[wildweasel_pt]

Those readings on the stator are out of the scale... Make sure your meter has good batteries. Replace them with known good ones and read again...

 

[rabit1]

It'd be great if someone can posts some pictures for RaWarrior's Step 3 and Step 4 instructions..

We would be really grateful. I know RaWarrior took time to make these instructions easy and fool proof. But still I'm a little lost. I'm neither a mechanic or technician who's comfortable doing this just by written instructions.

I just bought a 1998 Vmax that has charging problem and hot start problem. And I can't find a mechanic or shop that can help me with this in my area.

Thank you,
T.Kart

 

[Fire-medic]

Awhile ago I was at Daytona for Bike Week & my brand-new aftermarket AC alternator on my FZR1000 crapped-out, and my Harley friends all had a good laugh about my problem. I had to ride on the back of a Shovelhead all week. :confused2:

I think I know your bike! Is this it?

I would check your ground, it looks like it isn't offloading enough of the excess voltage. If you connect it to a known good ground and it is still high you may want to RMA that RR. I had an RR that did this and didn't think much of it, a month or two later and I found it was pushing 20+v through the electrical system. It fried my starter relay and battery and required me to get some HD buddies to push start me at Daytona Bike Week. A good laugh was has at my expense.

Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk 2

 

[Vincent Maxwell Ribaldry]

"If you have a pre-98 (IIRC, correct me if I'm wrong) bike, you have a shunt type R/R. You can tell because it's a smooth black box with no fins. If your box is finned, you have a newer MOSFET r/r."


Wow, great thread. I have a 97 and it has a MOSFET R/R, I'm not the original owner so it's hard to say what has been done to it over the course of it's life, appears unmolested. Not saying you are wrong just what is on my bike. About to start getting my hands dirty hope this corrects my charging woes.


Thanks for the write up.

 

[wildweasel_pt]

"If you have a pre-98 (IIRC, correct me if I'm wrong) bike, you have a shunt type R/R. You can tell because it's a smooth black box with no fins. If your box is finned, you have a newer MOSFET r/r."

Wow, great thread. I have a 97 and it has a MOSFET R/R, I'm not the original owner so it's hard to say what has been done to it over the course of it's life, appears unmolested. Not saying you are wrong just what is on my bike. About to start getting my hands dirty hope this corrects my charging woes.

Thanks for the write up.

Im 90% sure its pre 92 and post 92 has finned type. I believe it was changed when they changed the front forks...

 

[Vincent Maxwell Ribaldry]

Got to 14.2v. Bike started strong several times hot, couldn't be happier!

Sean

 

[Traumahawk]

Got to 14.2v. Bike started strong several times hot, couldn't be happier!

Sean

Great...if you dont mind me asking....what was the trouble?

 

[Vincent Maxwell Ribaldry]

Must have been the crimp issue. I cleaned up a bunch of contacts. Changed out the R/R + and - with 12ga wire (because I had it with a sealed inline fuse). Tested resistance on the stator, checked out ok. Didn't bother cutting out the plug from the stator to the R/R because of the increase in voltage. Slapped some dielectric grease on the cleaned up terminals and it fired up real strong.

Sean

 

[marsmax85]

:clapping: now if ya can just remove snow and ice from the roads you could have some fun

 

[RaWarrior]

I would grab more pictures, though I sold my Vmax late in 2012.

I have taken a few calls from members about this thread since it was posted, if there's something you're still not clear about you can contact me via PM or phone and I'll do my best to explain it in better detail.

 

[DMAN999]

Here's this guide in .pdf format for offline use:
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/55030067/VMax%20Charging%20System%20Troubleshooting%20Guide.pdf

 

[Anatoly]

I found an easier and more "natural" way to fix the Crimp issue, which apparently is a main issue in low voltage at battery during charging. In my case the fix brought voltage from 13.65V at 2000 RPMs to 14.15V. Worked like a magic:clapping:: http://vmaxoutlaw.com/tech/crimp.htm . I recommend unk:

 

[DMAN999]

Anatoly,
Soldering the Crimp (doing the Crimp fix) works pretty well but the method in this Guide is actually better because you are essentially eliminating that Crimped Connection from the equation.
I did that years ago but over time the volts dropped back to 13.5-13.6 @ 2500 rpms.
I have no idea why.
But direct wiring the R/R to the + side of the battery got my charging voltages back up to 14.3-14.5 @ 2500 rpms.

 

[Anatoly]

Dennis, I will take your word for it if this situation is going to happen to me.
Thanks.

 

[t0lkien]

I'd like to add a request for more pics of this step by step, including obvious details like what lead ends to use etc. I'm a total newb, and it would be very helpful. Thanks!

 

[dannymax]

Anatoly,
Soldering the Crimp (or doing the Crimp ix) works pretty well but the method in this Guide is actually better because you are essentially eliminating that Crimped Connection from the equation.
I did that years ago but over time the volts dropped back to 13.5-13.6 @ 2500 rpms.
I have no idea why.
But direct wiring the R/R to the + side of the battery got my charging voltages back up to 14.3-14.5 @ 2500 rpms.

I got the exact same results by doing this, 14.5 at idle, 14.3 anywhere off idle...it's a great mod and highly recommended.

Sorry, no specs available, I just used what I had laying around....but use a jumper wire at least the same gauge as the OEM wire....I went up a multiple of 4 or so....cause that's what I had. And install an in-line 30A fuse also.

Oh, I did the negative side too, probly overkill but a little additional grounding never hurts.

 

[RaWarrior]

I want to say I used 12ga wire, but as I don't have the bike anymore I can't be totally sure. It was thicker than stock (which IMO is inadequate gauge and the source of all the problems in the first place).

For the stator wires you can use a standard crimp butt connector (I'd suggest the heat shrink kind), or solder. Most newer (thought not all) R/R's, including the one I used, take a very standard spade connector.

 

[johnr6874]

I just pulled the rectifier off my bike and I have the shunt style. And I also still run the coil and wire style ignition as I haven't switched to the COP mod yet. Is there a mosfet rectifier that will mount where the shunt is mounted inside the left side rear foot peg mount? Really need to get this fixed soon!!!

 

[alorio1]

You can get the late model RR with fins on it from Sean Morley [email protected] and I think he supplies the longer bolts needed to mount it........

 

[johnr6874]

Thanks Alorio 1. I'll check it out!