R1 Voltage Regulator / Rectifier Upgrade

[88Vmax]

i found this 08 R6. is this the same as what you guys are using? it has its own harness is why i questioned

 

[RagingMain]

Looks like the one. You just have to splice in the wires

 

[88Vmax]

I bought this one did i goof. i just read it said 95 to 01 if u look at fitment should i cancel or is it right

 

[RagingMain]

I bought this one did i goof. i just read it said 95 to 01 if u look at fitment should i cancel or is it right

Which one did you get???? I am confused:confused2:

 

[88Vmax]

http://www.oldbikebarn.com/Yamaha-YZF-R1-FZR600-YZF600-Rectifier

sorry thought i posted ad. i had to buy a stator and regulator

 

[RaWarrior]

OK, I have a couple questions about this. My voltage has always been on the low side, hovering around 13v at idle and 12.5 or so off idle. Standing voltage of the battery after sitting for a while is 12.4. However, in over 8000 miles I've never had any starting issues or other electrical woes. The voltage measured recently is even a bit lower, only like 12.3 off idle, so the marginal R/R may be heading downhill and it's time to do something about it before I do run into issues.

There's millions of R1 r/r boxes on ebay. I can't find a single one with the harness, since it looks like it uses a harness connector rather than pigtail wires. Does it have to be a R1 box, or does virtually any modern bike r/r work? What about the aftermarket r/r from Electrosport? Is that the "new" mos-fet kind or a direct replacement of the OEM? I see they list two different r/r's for the vmax...one for 85-97 and one for 98-06. Was there a OE factory upgrade for '98? There's a superseced part # for the regulator in the parts fiche also.

I'm running COP's, so I think I could mount the larger r/r on the plate above the battery where the rear two coils used to be. Since others are putting them in the toolkit space, I assume they really don't need airflow so under the seat shouldn't pose a problem.

Also, the r/r installed now is a surprisingly small, smooth rectangular box-no fins. Is that stock? The parts fiche clearly shows one with fins for '97. Looking some more, it seems the "smooth box" is the old part, and the one with fins is the new part.

What about this guy? Anyone buy the upgrade kit from him? It looks to be just a R1 r/r with a few connectors maybe?
http://roadstercycle.com/Vmax%20charging%20system%20repair.htm

Any opinion on the r/r Python sells?

 

[Thevmaxrider]

OK, I have a couple questions about this. My voltage has always been on the low side, hovering around 13v at idle and 12.5 or so off idle. Standing voltage of the battery after sitting for a while is 12.4. However, in over 8000 miles I've never had any starting issues or other electrical woes. The voltage measured recently is even a bit lower, only like 12.3 off idle, so the marginal R/R may be heading downhill and it's time to do something about it before I do run into issues.

There's millions of R1 r/r boxes on ebay. I can't find a single one with the harness, since it looks like it uses a harness connector rather than pigtail wires. Does it have to be a R1 box, or does virtually any modern bike r/r work? What about the aftermarket r/r from Electrosport? Is that the "new" mos-fet kind or a direct replacement of the OEM? I see they list two different r/r's for the vmax...one for 85-97 and one for 98-06. Was there a OE factory upgrade for '98? There's a superseced part # for the regulator in the parts fiche also.

I'm running COP's, so I think I could mount the larger r/r on the plate above the battery where the rear two coils used to be. Since others are putting them in the toolkit space, I assume they really don't need airflow so under the seat shouldn't pose a problem.

Also, the r/r installed now is a surprisingly small, smooth rectangular box-no fins. Is that stock? The parts fiche clearly shows one with fins for '97.

What about this guy? Anyone buy the upgrade kit from him? It looks to be just a R1 r/r with a few connectors maybe?
http://roadstercycle.com/Vmax charging system repair.htm

Firstly, an R/R off of most any modern sportbike will work, I have one off an 04 Kawi ZX6R on Toxic. Biggest thing is to make sure you know which wire goes where. It is not as intuitive as you would think! For the Kawi it is actually counter intuitive (the straight black wire is your POSITIVE connection!!) so you need to get the wiring diagram if you are going outside of what others here have done.

Also, have you done the "crimp fix" yet??? If not I would recommend you do that first and THEN see what your voltage is. Most folks find that they gain ~1v at the battery once they do this fix. Before buying anything do this fix first. Revisit purchasing an R/R if needed.

 

[RaWarrior]

Yes, I've done the crimp fix. When I first did that my voltage went up to about 13.5 at idle. Now it's fading back down to around 12.5, which is why I think the r/r is on the way out. I tested the stator, all 3 phases register .9-.8 ohms so I don't think there's any problem there. The python plug-n-play one is attractive and fits in the stock location, but it's also $100 shipped....kinda pricey.

For everyone who used a R1 box, did you get the R1 harness connector for it also and then splice in to the vmax harness?

 

[Thevmaxrider]

Yes, I've done the crimp fix. When I first did that my voltage went up to about 13.5 at idle. Now it's fading back down to around 12.5, which is why I think the r/r is on the way out. I tested the stator, all 3 phases register .9-.8 ohms so I don't think there's any problem there. The python plug-n-play one is attractive and fits in the stock location, but it's also $100 shipped....kinda pricey.

For everyone who used a R1 box, did you get the R1 harness connector for it also and then splice in to the vmax harness?

What you are describing sounds a lot like a bad battery to me. Usually with electronics they either work or they don't. If your R/R was bad it would either go wicked high on the voltage or no output at all and would kill your battery. If you haven't checked, and I am willing to bet you have, I would also take a look at the connectors to the wiring harness off of the R/R. And just because your stator checks good for resistance does not ensure that it is working. Mine showed perfect for resistance, but under load showed the symptoms of a phase to phase short. To check for that you unhook the positive output from the R/R and with the bike running check the voltage between the output and the + side of the battery. If it is ~15v potential under no load I would suspect a stator problem This is exactly how mine read out when running. A shorted phase only shows up really well under a load.

 

[RaWarrior]

While I know this doesn't guarantee anything, the battery is only on it's second season, and it's an Odyssey. If I put the charger on it overnight, take it off, wait an hour, the voltage reads a perfect 12.6 and holds up on the load tester. I think I'm clear in that department. Also like I said, even with the engine hot it cranks strong and fires instantly. Never any signs that the battery is running negative.

I checked the voltage across the + output of the r/r and the + of the battery, I got 1.6 volts. With the output disconnected and the motor running, lights on, the battery voltage was about 11.8. With it connected, 12.3. All the connectors seem to be clean and in good shape. Voltage between the r/r output and ground is only .8 volts...huh? Shouldn't it be like 14 or so if the r/r was working right?

Checking each leg of the stator with the bike revved up to about 2500 RPM, I got right about 40VAC out of each leg....around 18 or so at idle. That seems like it checks out also. There is also no continuity between any of the stator legs and ground. Really the only thing left is the r/r.

EDITt: looking around a bit, I stumbled on a topic on a Zooky TL forum about a similar issue, and how to get one of the mosfet r/r's. Someone mentions that many late model Yamaha bikes(namely the R1) use the FH012 part, and linked to the photo writeup that's also a sticky here. Those are expensive. Going rates seem to be $75-$100+, even for a used one. Someone else there mentioned the "predecessor" to the FH012, the FH010, which was used on Kawi ZX10's and ZX14's. Nobody has noted a difference in wiring or performance, though the 010 model is considerably "shorter", the fins aren't nearly as tall as the R1 unit. Another note...apparently any r/r(Shuindgen makes almost all the ones for bikes) that starts with FH is a mosfet, and SH, is the older shunt type.
Here's one I have my eye on, under $40 shipped.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=300447394635&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT

 

[naughtyG]

I had a problem similar to yours, thought it was my R/R too and changed it, still no proper charge.

In the end I think it was the stator being intermittent, I have the new parts but haven't done it yet as I'm away traveling now..

 

[RaWarrior]

I'll post an update and maybe a how-to, if this r/r ever shows up. Don't buy from anyone who ships via fedex "smart post". I ordered it last Sunday, shipped monday, and the "expected delivery" isn't until this coming thursday. Almost two full weeks to travel literally about 200 miles. So far it's gone from the middle of PA, to west virginia, to Memphis, and is now "in transit" again, probably to Timbuktu. Talk about inefficiency.

The seller told me it would be mailed by "RapidShip", whatever that means, it's a total farce. Even the el cheapo parcel post gets things across the country within a week. Fedex manages to set the bar even lower

 

[RaWarrior]

OK, got the part earlier than expected(tracking still shows "in transit" lol), and with a bit of finageling, I got the r/r mounted where my rear coils used to be. It's a tight fit, but the seat clips back on just fine so I think it's all good.

Here's the big question...where do I wire the output of the r/r to? I see in the picture walkthrough posted he wires it directly to the + post of the battery with a thicker wire than stock. However, the manual wiring diagram shows the r/r output going through the notorious "crimp"(which I did do the "fix" on), through the main fuse, then to the + post. Seems like skipping the main fuse would be a bad idea if this new r/r ever goes bad and shorts out or something. Is this safe, or should it be fused? Should I do this and just add a fuse in-line, leaving the stock output and ground connectors vacant?

I used 14AWG wire(what I could get for free), the stock appears to be about 16 or so....it's definitely thinner. But connecting a 14AWG to the stock 16AWG would totally defeat the purpose of using heavier wire. I'm wiring the ground directly to the - post of the battery, also with 14 gauge wire. The original stator wires were just long enough to reach where the r/r is now mounted without extension...just cut the connector off right at the base and added spade terminals.

 

[Mad-Max89]

I'm having the same issues with my 89 max just changed the stator and was still having charging problem. Did a load test on battery and it was fine also the battery was not even putting out 11.8 volts so I'm thinking it's the regulator found one new online for $ 60.00 bucks hoping this fixes the issue.

 

[ckchin]

02-03 have the smallest fins. 04-08 have the larger fins. R6 will also work

The 06 R6 rectifier only 1 connector and the R1 R/R is double connector....how to mod the wiring?

 

[RaWarrior]

Since this thread is back from the dead, I might as well put my conclusion in since I never updated.

I installed the R/R on the plate where the rear coils used to go and wired the outputs directly to the + and - posts of the battery. Cut the connector off the stator and crimped on spade connectors, which fit the terminals inside the R/R's connector perfectly. Started it up and.....14.4 volts! Took it for a ride, and after a while when I came to an intersection and slowed down, I noticed the headlight dimmed significantly when the motor fell to idle. When I got back, it was only showing about 12.5 at idle and would barely work up to about 13 revved up.

Apparently it's somewhat common for stators to be "bad", but only be "bad" when they're hot. They work great until the motor warms up. Even when hot, it still tested OK according to manual specs. Got a replacement stator off ebay for $130 (it's a Rick's Electrics part), installed it, and now the problem's finally solved. 13v at hot idle(with fan and 100w highbeam on), and 14.4 from 1500rpm on up.

I'm not sure how a single connector R/R is wired. The typical double black/gray connectors are like this(looking at the terminals, fins up):

Gray--------|------Black
-__-__- ______-__-__-
1_2__3______4__5__6

1,2,3 are stator connectors. Order doesn't matter.

4 is + output
5 isn't used(it might not have a 5)
6 is ground

This is a crappy cellphone pic in the dark, but you can get the idea.

 

[Wister]

Since this thread is back from the dead, I might as well put my conclusion in since I never updated.

I installed the R/R on the plate where the rear coils used to go and wired the outputs directly to the + and - posts of the battery. Cut the connector off the stator and crimped on spade connectors, which fit the terminals inside the R/R's connector perfectly. Started it up and.....14.4 volts! Took it for a ride, and after a while when I came to an intersection and slowed down, I noticed the headlight dimmed significantly when the motor fell to idle. When I got back, it was only showing about 12.5 at idle and would barely work up to about 13 revved up.

Apparently it's somewhat common for stators to be "bad", but only be "bad" when they're hot. They work great until the motor warms up. Even when hot, it still tested OK according to manual specs. Got a replacement stator off ebay for $130 (it's a Rick's Electrics part), installed it, and now the problem's finally solved. 13v at hot idle(with fan and 100w highbeam on), and 14.4 from 1500rpm on up.

I'm not sure how a single connector R/R is wired. The typical double black/gray connectors are like this(looking at the terminals, fins up):

Gray--------|------Black
-__-__- ______-__-__-
1_2__3______4__5__6

1,2,3 are stator connectors. Order doesn't matter.

4 is + output
5 isn't used(it might not have a 5)
6 is ground

This is a crappy cellphone pic in the dark, but you can get the idea.

So you replaced the R/R with a MOSFET type and still had some problems? I was having high hopes for this upgrade but not for much longer. Do you have a link or address for the newer part you are using? Somewhere besides eBay?

 

[RaWarrior]

I did, but it wasn't the R/R's fault, and since replacing the stator I've had zero issues and still have the 13v idle/14.4 off idle voltage I did last year when I originally did this.

The R/R is Shindengen FH012, but as far as I could find it's virtually impossible to buy one of those outright, they have no actual distributors or anything in the US. The good news is they're OE on virtually all Japanese made bikes.

The part I used is the R/R for a Kawasaki ZX10/ZX14. It's about the same "footprint" as the R1 one, but the fins are considerably shorter. The same part is used on pretty much any Japanese sportbike. I suspect you could look up the Kawi part number and order one through a dealer but be prepared to pay through the nose. They're all over ebay for reasonable prices. MOSFETS are also very reliable, so your chances of getting a "dud" on a used part are not very high.

 

[Vmaxed2hell]

The same thing just happened to my 89 max. What year R1 regulator do I need to buy? I have put three regulators on in ten years. Thanks for the help, hope it works for me also.

 

[Redbone]

Rick's Motorsports has R/R's (+ stators, starters, and starter parts) that come with a one year warranty. They carry quite a few brands of motorcycles/years/ models, so check to see what they offer.
A couple examples (for pricing reference only):
1992 Vmax ($105)
2000 R1 ($79)
2006 R6 ($80)
NOTE: You will want to cross reference to make sure these will work for your year; I'm no electrical genius, I only put these up to show a source for R/R that carry a warranty and may possibly work.