| Author | Message | ||
     Ken503 |
Since replacing the stock headlamps in my 08 XT late last year with PIAAs, I've blown two PIAA lamps and now a Phillips. The two sets of PIAAs lasted about 3 months apiece, the Phillips I installed about 3 days ago. It shined just fine all through the weekend and yesterday, but when I went to start up this morning to go to work, it's out again. During lamp replacement, I removed the entire headlamp housing, as that was the easiest means to access them. I was extra careful to not touch the lamps except by the base, made sure all the components were clean, etc. Basically just followed the manufacturer's installation instructions. Has anyone else had a problem with their Uly just eating headlamps? And if so, what finally fixed it? | ||
| North_of_55 |
Have you checked your charging voltage? Had a car once with an intermittent voltage regulator problem... 2 bulbs a week! | ||
| Etennuly |
Bad grounds and or bad VR. ......or quit putting bulbs between your lips!  ............ ............... | ||
| Froggy |
It could be your voltage regulator starting to fail, it may momentarily allow voltage spikes causing the headlights to blow. | ||
| Thejosh |
If you touched the bulbs with your bare fingers, that could be causing it! | ||
| Bluex |
+1 on possible bad VR If you have a voltmeter that can record max voltage reading, you could hook it directly to the battery and go for a ride. Mine showed 19V! VR was bad, the backing was cracked. | ||
| Andrejs2112 |
+2 VR | ||
| Tootal |
If you find a bad VR causing voltage spikes don't replace it until you do all three test on your stator. If your stator fails any of the three test it needs replacement. If your stator is bad and you put a new VR on it will toast your new VR. DAMHIK!  It's always cheaper to learn from other's mistakes!!  | ||
| Ken503 |
I didn't touch the bulbs with bare fingers, but I did lick them clean first. Is that bad??? Anyway, thanks guys for the tips. I'll see if I can get a hold of a voltmeter and take it for a spin. I checked the ground when I was fixing the ground for the turn indicators and it looked fine. If it turns out to be the Voltage Regulator, I'm hoping it's not the stator too. Had to replace the VR and Stator in my Wide Glide a few years back and the parts alone were expensive as hell. *sigh* | ||
| Lastcyclone |
Do like Tootal says. This happens with some regularity. Search previous results. I would guess your VR has now gone bad, the cause could very possibly by the stator. In all likely hood you may have to replace both, and maybe a new battery as well. If you haven't changed your trans fluid it is a good time. I went through this a year ago and I have a hunch it was all a result of the trans fluid I used. It may not have been "stator safe". Total on parts if I remember right was just about $350. | ||
| Uly_man |
"I'll see if I can get a hold of a voltmeter." Get one with a "peak show/hold" function and wire it in across the battery or the low beam lamp. This will record any high voltage or spike from the VR. Also remember that this bike has a starter relay that cuts the lights on starting. This relay is known to cause problems. | ||
| Ken503 |
Just replaced the battery a couple months ago. I was having starting problems which were eventually traced to a bad ground, so hopefully that hasn't been affected by whatever else is going on too. | ||
| Uly_man |
I had that with my 06 bike. It was not the battery just the bike. I still have the 06 HD AGM battery and it is STILL fine. I use it for pumping up tires and even jumped my car with it once. Not bad for a 6 year old bike battery. | ||
| Fung |
The VR was the fix on mine. | ||
| Xbimmer |
+1. VR gets my vote. Got sick of dealing with the POS HD stocker and evolved, never going back: http://www.badweatherbikers.com/buell/messages/142 838/667134.html Just my very satisfied $0.02.  | ||
| Ken503 |
I think I finally traced what was causing the issue. Hooked up a voltmeter and ran a series of tests. Continuity on the ground was good at all points. Voltage reading from the battery and from the headlight plugs were very consistent. 12.6 volts at rest, 14.3 at idle, even at higher RPM never got above 14.4. I was finally going to bag it and take it in to the shop where they have better equipment when I saw a drastic drop in voltage, then come back on. Dropped, then came back on a few more times. Whenever I messed with THIS little bugger  IMAG0306 by ken503, on Flickr the voltage would plummet, then come back on. Hard-wired it for now until I find a suitable 4 Wire plug to replace it. New bulbs have been in there for about two weeks now, and haven't had any more problems. Hoping that's just not a coincidence! | ||
| Rwven |
Is that the fuel pump connector? If it is you've got a ground problem. The entire bike is intermittently using that skinny little black wire to ground itself. I know this the hard way.... Redo the main chassis ground off the battery no matter what it "checks" out as. | ||
| Argentcorvid |
isn't that the headlight connector? the one you swap wires in to get both bulbs on for high beam? I also had an issue with one of the contacts backing out of a connector. in my case it was the ground connection for the blinker, and I had never ever had that one off, so I don't know how the contact got pushed out, other than vibration. | ||
| Uly_man |
"isn't that the headlight connector?" Yes it is. | ||
| Ken503 |
Yes, it is the headlight connector. Thought it was the source of the problem since I'd had a headlight in for almost 3 weeks without it blowing. Went out for lunch today, and somewhere on the way to the restaurant, low beam light went out again. Haven't taken everything apart yet to check whether my quick wire splice just came loose, since I'm not home yet. 4 different auto parts stores, a batteries plus, and a Harbor Freight and still can't find a voltmeter with a Peak/Hold function. Getting to be quite frustrating... | ||
| Uly_man |
The low beam switches "out" on start up through the starter relay. It is the first thing I would change and if it is not that it is a handy thing to have as they are known to fail. About $15. | ||
| Xbimmer |
When my VR went, for some reason the surges (which I could see happen via the Kuryakyn battery meter on the dash) would blow low beam bulbs but not the high beams. Repeatedly. Same bulbs. Gave up replacing bulbs and just rode with the high beam until I replaced the VR. Just my $.02. |
