Author |
Message |
Svh
| Posted on Friday, June 08, 2012 - 03:48 pm: |
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On a motorcycle trip in the Minneapolis area and my 08 XT check engine light came on while moving. Came to a stop sign and it went away. Began moving again amass three light came back on. Any ideas? Isn't running differently at all. |
Etennuly
| Posted on Friday, June 08, 2012 - 04:42 pm: |
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Check your oil level. |
Svh
| Posted on Friday, June 08, 2012 - 05:03 pm: |
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Oil is fine. Lost voltage completely. Trying to figure out a plan. |
Svh
| Posted on Friday, June 08, 2012 - 05:08 pm: |
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Shows a steady 6 volts through the rev range. Charging at a small repair shop. May just have to Uhaul it home. |
Lastcyclone
| Posted on Saturday, June 09, 2012 - 07:32 am: |
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Battery Voltage Regulator Stator or a combination of any of those. How many miles? Be sure to open and check all connectors behind the front pulley cover. Good luck. |
Buellmeister57
| Posted on Saturday, June 09, 2012 - 08:57 am: |
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My guess is the voltage regulator. Mine went bad at 12,000 miles on my 09 Uly. Bought 2, kept one for a spare. |
Reepicheep
| Posted on Saturday, June 09, 2012 - 11:35 am: |
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You sure you measured that voltage right? Pull out your battery and put it aside.. Hook the bike up with jumper cables to a good car battery (car not running) and start up the bike. Measure voltage correctly, should be above 13v. If so, your battery is bad. If not, stator or voltage regulator. (Message edited by Reepicheep on June 09, 2012) |
Svh
| Posted on Saturday, June 09, 2012 - 06:20 pm: |
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I sure hope I know how to measure voltage right otherwise I may need to find a new line of work! Well let me explain that last post better now that I am at a computer. When I arrived at the repair shop with no lights or dash my voltage at that time was 6.8vdc whether it was at idle or revving. Shut it off and put it on a charger for 40min. 12.8vdc at that time whether revving or at idle but it was losing charge. Battery is 3 months old and although it may be bad already it is not really my concern. I am thinking the stator but will investigate more tomorrow now that I Uhauled it 325mi to home where my tools and service manual are. I also figured out the intermittent check engine light. When I started moving the fan would kick on and drop the voltage below the level that the light comes on. When I would come to a stop the fan shuts off and voltage creeps up past that level and light shut off. 13k mi roughly. |
Darth_villar
| Posted on Saturday, June 09, 2012 - 06:34 pm: |
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Generally, a bad stator stays bad. A bad VR can go intermittently. Most likely a bad VR. Do you have the stock #77 connector? A dealer can check the stator, if that and the battery (load tested) turn out good, it is highly likely it is the VR. |
Zac4mac
| Posted on Saturday, June 09, 2012 - 06:59 pm: |
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I was going on a long list of stuff, but with no manuals yet for my 09 Uly, no real answers. I am unaware of any systemic electrical issues other that the 77 connector.(I thought it was gone by 2008) The low voltage you saw boils down to a defective charging system - Rotor/Stator, R/R, Battery and wiring/connectors. Most likely - wiring/connectors, then R/R, S/R and battery. in that order. As long as you're OK with electricity, a good meter and the manual will get you to the answer. Good hunting - Zack |
Svh
| Posted on Saturday, June 09, 2012 - 09:29 pm: |
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No 77 as it is an 08. Will dig into it tomorrow. Should be a fun challenge I hope. |
Reepicheep
| Posted on Saturday, June 09, 2012 - 09:36 pm: |
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Sorry SVH, I didn't mean to imply anything. From the original post I assumed you could start the bike when you were measuring 6V, which is pretty much impossible. I strongly suspect your stator is dead. Pop off the derby cover and smell the primary... thats generally a painfully clear indicator. |
Svh
| Posted on Sunday, June 10, 2012 - 12:13 am: |
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The bike was still running at 6.8v but that was it. I too think it is the stator and will smell check first. No worries Reep. I did a poor job with my words. |
Uly_man
| Posted on Sunday, June 10, 2012 - 01:36 pm: |
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Well it is said that the ECM will turn off at below 11.1v (read your book) and that is normal for most FI systems. The voltage is then to low for them to function correctly and that would give you a check light as well. I see that you have HID lights on the bike. Well they are an electronic controlled system and are VEEEERRRY voltage sensitive as well. They will not start up under the spec voltage either. A point many forget. "When I arrived at the repair shop with no lights or dash my voltage at that time was 6.8vdc whether it was at idle or revving. Shut it off and put it on a charger for 40min. 12.8vdc at that time whether revving or at idle but it was losing charge." A fully charged HD battery is 100% charged at 12.7v standing (read your book) and will only drop to 12.5v even after 6 months standing off the bike. The bike should have been charging at about 14.2 to 14.4v if the battery was that flat. A battery of 6.8v is "stone dead" and it would NEVER start this bike, run the pump, etc. This sounds like a "dead cell" in the battery but do not understand how/why the bike still started/run. I makes no sense unless you jumped it then it might because it would then do what you have said (sort of) because thats what happens with dead cell. More or less. What make of battery are you using? |
Uly_man
| Posted on Sunday, June 10, 2012 - 01:38 pm: |
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"I sure hope I know how to measure voltage right otherwise I may need to find a new line of work!" What is that then? |
Svh
| Posted on Sunday, June 10, 2012 - 02:17 pm: |
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The bike did NOT start at 6.8vdc but was running at that voltage. The battery is a Yuasa. Heading out to investigate now. If you are implying that I do not know how to read voltage and should look for a new line of work then that is a bit rude unless that was your way of asking what I do for work. In that case I do acceptance, maintenance and repair work on high voltage electrical apparatus. 480V and up but most of my work is on 69KV to 400+KV electrical substations. Includes verifying voltages ac and dc, control wires, operation, testing, etc. I use a DMM almost everyday. I sure hope I know how to read battery voltage. Interesting side note though. A trend seems to be starting in the industry to make the 125VDC pos(+) cable black and neg(-) red. We have seen it more and more over the last 2 years. |
Uly_man
| Posted on Sunday, June 10, 2012 - 02:36 pm: |
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No such thought was implied, intended or stated by Me, Svh. I myself only work up to 11Kv but I was not counting. You made the statement about the ability to measure voltage not me. Its your bike Guy I was only trying to help. |
Pnw_uly
| Posted on Sunday, June 10, 2012 - 11:44 pm: |
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Sam - Not much a hijack, but going through a stator swap right now. Different symptoms (blowing headlights with just the occasional "check engine" light) and no noted charging failure, but here's what I found today:
Here's my link. . . http://www.badweatherbikers.com/buell/messages/142838/680806.html?1339385154 Best of luck. |