I'm really not having much luck lately..

[jedi-]

Had a funny issue with mine the other day....
Not so long ago I replaced the alternator and rectifier/regulator and just very recently a new battery. Everything seemed well with good charge etc.
But early this week the bike cranked over quite slowly and didn't seem right, on the way to work it backfired a couple of times and eventually cut out all together and the battery was dead flat. It wasn't charging and the battery had to do all the work until it died.
After walking to work:bang head: to get help I checked a couple of simple things
like the fuse from the regulator to battery and it looked good and so did everything else.
Got the bike back home after re charging the battery so I could find exactly the problem suspecting my newish alternator or rectifier etc.
Turns out after some investigation that my fuse holder terminal connector was not making contact with the face of the fuse itself:confused2: until I replaced the entire connector and mow it's all good:eusa_dance: This must have been happening for a period of time recently.

Couple of things that come to mind that could cause similar symptoms to yours , bad side stand switch, clutch switch or relay, ignition barrel contacts, bad earths, shorting/grounding of wires to the frame.

An electrical Tech told me once "if you can make it worse, then you can make it better" eg wiggling wires, connectors etc.

 

[dtoebaert-5311]

Then on the way home it got pretty hot (100F+ day here) and as I got near home it started playing up,

I think there was a similar thread some time ago and it was related to the famous "crimp fix," some crimp connections that loosen up when hot, and should be soldered instead?

 

[95spfldmax]

If your tach maxed out instead of stopping at 5-6k (gauges are usually ref from ground to read resistance and then be somewhere specific on the dial), that coupled with dim headlight(s) is a def symptom of a bad ground.....maybe you have a mostly broken ground in the harness that's hasn't completely failed....yet :confused2:

You'd have to ohm out each end of all the ground runs then move the harness and see if meter changes state.

just a theory.............

 

[naughtyG]

All good suggestions! Today I had a good tinker and moved a lot of wires about, but could not make it fail. Having had a bit of a play around it now runs flawlessly - I hate that because I haven't found anything conclusive yet so it could fail again at any time!

I've replaced the vboost controller and it now cycles right on switch on. Also noticed now that the clutch slips when the vboost hits - gonna change the oil and hope that's it. Does anyone think a dodgy vboost controller could have caused my problem? I've opened it and it all looks sealed and fine in there, but of course I know it's faulty..

Will defo dismantle check and clean the sidestand and clutch switches. Gonna replace the ignition switch with the one from my 2000 as well, just to eliminate it from the equation.

I've yet to check the crimp(s).

 

[bazwell]

The engine is supposed to die when you select a gear if the side stand is down, even if the clutch is in. That's normal.

My suggestions would be to try the battery out of your other one. Do the direct connection from the regulator to the battery fix. Clean up all the earths.

I'd also be suspect of the regulator, failing with heat, thus creating a massive load across the battery (ie almost a short circuit. If it does it again, I might try cooling down the regulator with a wet rag to get it going again. That probably won't fail while you are tuning the bike, it would get much hotter in proper use, so that might fit the symptoms described. I guess the regulator from the 2000 would fit.

 

[94 V-Max Rider]

Intermittent electrical failures are the worst.

I'd be inclined to think the TCI unit or pick-up coil assembly is bad, if it wasn't for the fact that the lights are dimming. I also find it interesting that it appears to be failing when its hot and recovering almost immediately, which could point to a transient heat-related component(s) failure other than the aforementioned. It's also possible that you're dealing with more than one problem.

I'm inclined to go with bazwell's advice on the regulator/rectifier. That's a starting point. It sounds to me as though there's low battery voltage present at times and possibly a bad ground.

I suggest installing the 2000 model year regulator/rectifier. Upon doing that, make sure the battery is fully charged, takes a load and is charging properly. If so, go for a ride and see if it still acts up. It looks like this problem is only gonna be resolved by process of elimination (which may cost you a bit of money).

 

[Redbone]

I hope you find it soon G, you have been too long without a reliable Vmax under yer azz!

 

[naughtyG]

I'm inclined to go with bazwell's advice on the regulator/rectifier. That's a starting point. It sounds to me as though there's low battery voltage present at times and possibly a bad ground.

I suggest installing the 2000 model year regulator/rectifier.

I will try this next if it acts up again - I need to ride it enough to get really really hot again.

The engine is supposed to die when you select a gear if the side stand is down, even if the clutch is in. That's normal.

Really? I thought it wouldn't if the clutch was pulled, and only kill when the clutch was released. Must've been wrong.

My suggestions would be to try the battery out of your other one. Do the direct connection from the regulator to the battery fix. Clean up all the earths.

Battery was DOA. I am using the one from the 2000, and it's fully charged and charging ok. The RR is an older one, but it already has the direct connection to the battery - there's a wire going from one of its mounting bolts to the battery '-'

 

[naughtyG]

Haven't had any time to look into, but received my new battery so put the 4-gear 2000 back in service. At least it runs fine!

I did, however, take the '86 for a ride the other day, and as it got hot it conked out. Pure and simple - off. Turn the key, nothing. No lights no neutral nowt. I think that rules out something like the TCI and such. It has to be a failing earth or a short somewhere.

This time it took almost an hour to come back (it was a hot day). Then when I saw the neutral light on again, I tried pressing the Start button and heard a click (not unlike a relay clicking) seemingly coming from the battery area and then no juice again. Eventually it did come back, started and ran fine, for about 1/2 a mile, then off again.

I gotta find this bugger, after next weekend I should hopefully have a bit more time.

If anyone has any suggestion as to where to look in the harness, or what component I should try swapping, pls let me know!

cheers
nG

 

[Miles Long]

Haven't had any time to look into, but received my new battery so put the 4-gear 2000 back in service. At least it runs fine!

I did, however, take the '86 for a ride the other day, and as it got hot it conked out. Pure and simple - off. Turn the key, nothing. No lights no neutral nowt. I think that rules out something like the TCI and such. It has to be a failing earth or a short somewhere.

This time it took almost an hour to come back (it was a hot day). Then when I saw the neutral light on again, I tried pressing the Start button and heard a click (not unlike a relay clicking) seemingly coming from the battery area and then no juice again. Eventually it did come back, started and ran fine, for about 1/2 a mile, then off again.

I gotta find this bugger, after next weekend I should hopefully have a bit more time.

If anyone has any suggestion as to where to look in the harness, or what component I should try swapping, pls let me know!

Two suggestions, if you are losing ALL power intermittently-
-check your main fuse - maybe it's been replaced with one of those resettable circuit breaker types?
- check the infamous three-wire ignition switch connector. Better still, eliminate it altogether.
Cheers!

 

[naughtyG]

\Two suggestions, if you are losing ALL power intermittently-
-check your main fuse - maybe it's been replaced with one of those resettable circuit breaker types?
- check the infamous three-wire ignition switch connector. Better still, eliminate it altogether.
Cheers!

Main fuse looks like the usual 10A red blade thing, so don't think there's anything there. Also while it was cut out I tried removing/refitting all fuses - nothing.

The 3-wire ignition switch connector: do you mean the main connector the keyswitch connects to the harness with?

That's something to check - it's in the 'right' place as far as failing when getting hot's concerned..

 

[06VMAXIMUS]

A "stumper" for sure. Usually when a bike dies after warming up, its a coil issue, but yours looses all electrical power. A side stand, clutch switch, or ignition switch shouldn't be affected by heating up, would it? I wonder if you could bypass the clutch and side stand switches, just to rule them out of the equation? Just thinking out loud....

 

[Miles Long]

Main fuse looks like the usual 10A red blade thing, so don't think there's anything there. Also while it was cut out I tried removing/refitting all fuses - nothing.

The 3-wire ignition switch connector: do you mean the main connector the keyswitch connects to the harness with?

That's something to check - it's in the 'right' place as far as failing when getting hot's concerned..

Mr. G -
the main fuse is a 30 amp blade type. You will find it under the seat. It's is a hinged rubber thingee, with a spare fuse included.
yes, that the connector I'm talking about. Mine failed "closed". The plastic melted through, the red and brown wire touched, I could not shut off the bike.I can imagine in an older bike that this connector could also fail open , due to corrosion. If you don't want to eliminate it, I would suggest replacing it with three insulated bullet-type connectors, using di-electric grease when assembling.
Cheers!

 

[bazwell]

I still think R/R.
Battery charge rate?
Battery voltage when dead?
Bad earthing of R/R can cause it to overheat too.

Or maybe you ran over a fairy who was happily collecting pixie dust.

 

[naughtyG]

We're doing a big concert this weekend so I have no time for the bike. After that though, I'm gonna tear into it!

 

[naughtyG]

OK so today I had a good look at my electrics, and I think I may have found the fault at last - rubbish main ground lead from the battery to the motor!

In the process of disconnecting the battery to run some checks, I gave that lead a good tug and the big brass connector fell in my hand. It's supposed to be soldered on, but the lead's core is all corroded and the solder failed.

I have to see if I can fix it (the lead's already on the short side so I dunno..) if not I'll replace it (all the ones for the car shops have connectors that are too big grrrr), and once done I'll post again.

Fingers crossed, this is it and the '86 will be roadworthy again, so I can tear into the 2000's gearbox.

 

[Traumahawk]

I know that your anxious to get the bike going....but have you thought about this?

http://imageevent.com/jkvmax/vmaxgroundcablekit

Its a heavy duty ground cable kit.

 

[naughtyG]

That looks like an awesome cable kit - thank you!

If I can't fix mine I may just go with one of these, pretty good deal.

 

[Traumahawk]

I have it on my bike, and its good quality stuff.

 

[ninjaneer]

+1 with that hd ground cable. I installed it after rebuilt the starter motor.

i had a similar prob. i found a ground terminal had broken free from that ground bolt in the frame in the right side under the seat

Regards from my Taptalking Hercules Android