Bike dies while riding woes

[NoNothing]

Hey everyone,

Ive come accross some serious issues with my bike.

Short story: My bike has died thrice at the end of a ride and twice in the middle of a ride on the road with no power left in the battery to crank the engine even once. I replaced the battery, the issue persists.

Long story: I've had my bike out a few times this season already. Ive had it out about 4 times with no electrical issues. A few days ago I was out for a ride with a freshly charged battery, when i reached the end of my trip, my bike was dead in front of my storage unit. It was running not a minute earlier, and now dead. So I charge it up overnight, go out the next day for a ride, and about 30 minutes into the ride the bike starts jumping like I had no gas. I noticed my dash readings were dead (I have a digital dash). So I turn the key off/on again and hit the starter, nothing. So I pull off to the side of the road, nothing works, I can barely get a single crank. I call a friend, he comes with his car and I attempt to jump my bike off his battery (with his car off, Im not retarded and trying to fry my bike). My bike started off his battery, but as soon as I took the leads off it'd run for about 2 seconds and die again, with no power. I took the battery out, got it charged about 50% (I was in a rush) and brought it back, started my bike and took it to my storage unit, parked it outside my unit to open the door, I come back to my bike and it wont start, despite running with 0 issues a minute earlier, again. So I charge the battery, take it to CarQuest and they test it, the battery is shit, so I buy a new one. I charge that up fully overnight, take it out for a ride today and bam, about 30 minutes into my ride my bike stops again. It started with my Acewell flashing on and off, on and off, but I still had ignition, about 30 seconds after that my bike died, same thing as last time. So I get my battery charged up about 25/50% and ride back to my storage unit, and god dammit, AGAIN the bike wont start after I park it infront of my door. Now this time I got some new information from my roommate who was following me. My brake lights work but my taillight does not light up when I ride and my right front blinker is shot. Other than that whats up, so I come to your collective know how.

Where I am now: I dont know where to start with what to test on the bike. The battery has good voltage, but what should I test on the bike? I have a feeling something is up with the generator/voltage regulator, but I dont know how to test that with my multimeter to see if they are working. My second thought is that something is shorted out to ground or something is simply drawing a shit ton of amperage while on. Basically, what do I test to find out what I need to replace to get running again?

[kilika2]

98% sure that is your vr crapping out. I don't remember for sure from your posts but from looking at your pics I'm guessing your bike is 94+? It should have the new style VR on it if it is in fact a 95+ model. Follow this flow chart and I'm sure you will find out that there is something bad. It is either going out of not regulating the voltage and sending too much out. Which would explain the "maybe blown" bulbs. Very common problem.

http://fzronline.com/wiki/doku.php?id=v ... flow_chart

Just make sure your multimeter has AC and DC voltage (most do, otherwise they are useless) Amps and Ohms. Takes about 20 min. You will have to get the bike to start for some of the test but a jump should get it going. You might have to leave the jump cables on long enough to get the bike to idle smoothly.

Chris.

[NoNothing]

Its an 87 FZR.

Will the flow chart still be helpful?

Also, a rather noob like question. Where is the VR?

[shredex]

your stator doesnt seem to be charging...when jumping a motorcycle battery you shorten the life of it as well.
Make sure all your connections are TIGHT! especially the ones connecting to the battery.
There is a link in the WIKI for the FZR manual and it shows the procedures to diagnose the problem.
Either stator, pickup coil, battery, or VR.
you can start with a fresh battery, and run the bike and use a multimeter on the battery and keep the bike at around 3K rpms and see if the battery is charging. If not, then the battery is not your problem.
You can also just check the connection to your VR. They need a good connection and yours might be corroded.
A lot of electrical issues are due to corroding and bad connection or frayed wire causing a bad ground.

[sweekster]

This being a 1000 we are talking about the Rectifier/Regulator (AKA VR) is inside the alternator . What was just suggested is the testing procedure on an fzr600 and probably isn't the way to go in your case (ask me how i know). From what you are explaining, NoNothing, it does sound as if your alternator isn't charging anymore and you've been running the bike on the battery alone. Here (<--click there) is the manual for the 1989-90 FZR1k (sorry I couldn't find the 87-88 one) and testing instructions are there for making sure the charging system is in tact. If anything else, I'd take your alternator to a specialist as the one on the bike is very similar to one used on a car (there's a gear on the end instead of a pulley).

Hope that helps.

[shredex]

This being a 1000 we are talking about the Rectifier/Regulator (AKA VR) is inside the alternator. What was just suggested is the testing procedure on an fzr600 and probably isn't the way to go in your case (ask me how i know). From what you are explaining, NoNothing, it does sound as if your alternator isn't charging anymore and you've been running the bike on the battery alone. Here (<--click there) is the manual for the 1989-90 FZR1k (sorry I couldn't find the 87-88 one) and testing instructions are there for making sure the charging system is in tact. If anything else, I'd take your alternator to a specialist as the one on the bike is very similar to one used on a car (there's a gear on the end instead of a pulley).

Hope that helps.

Its in the case with the stator???
thats the first I've heard of that.

[sweekster]

Its in the case with the stator???
thats the first I've heard of that.

Yep is it's a full on generator/alternator like you see on a car. Even better is the same part was used for all years of the FZR1000 (87-88 and 89-95) so there's plenty working ones to replace with.

[kilika2]

Well crap, I should have asked year and 600/ 1000. That's what I get for assuming. Listen to sweek. Sorry.

Chris.

[NoNothing]

My Haynes manual was useless to help with the issue (it says the reg is outside the alternator as well).

I suppose Ill go take some plastics off my bike later and do some diagnostics.

How..uhm...exactly do I go about that. The service manual gives me some resistances and no-load voltages, but how the heck am I supposed to get those if everything is contained within that unit? I'd hate to buy a new VR and Stator by not being able to test.

[NoNothing]

Well crap, I should have asked year and 600/ 1000. That's what I get for assuming. Listen to sweek. Sorry.

Chris.

It's all good Chris, I should have said something myself

[NoNothing]

As a side note, Ive also been pointed here http://www.electrosport.com/technical-r ... _64800.php same advice

[NoNothing]

Just got back from my bike. Had to do a bit more research before I head back out, but I got between 3.9-4.3 ohms where the brushes rest on the rotor, so that's all good.

I guess the VR must be the issue.

[NoNothing]

After not checking if its plugged in or not, like an idiot. I feel I've found the cause of my battery drainage.

The voltage regulator wasnt getting power due to a FIRE on the wire.



WHICH brings me to my next concern. What could have caused this? Could the VR still be dead? what causes should I hunt for for a fire caused in this connection.

[kilika2]

Triple word score. You can now fix it and get back out tearing up the streets.

Chris.

[NoNothing]

Ok, bike is all put back together and Im assuming working.

Using the diagram Kilika listed above (which I know is for a 600) I did some testing (assuming it'd be close).

My battery voltage with no load is 13.3, at 3kRPM it's 15.2, pretty close to the range of a normal working bike. I feel I can chalk that up to my battery being a bit full on acid (and reading high from the get go) and having a 1k vs a 600.

Another issue is the 'white wires' which I circled in the picture below to make sure Im testing the right damn thing, are only putting up .6 ohms resistance. Now Im HOPING that's normal for the 1k with it's differently placed regulator, does anyone know for sure?



Other than that, Ill have to go for a ride around town sometime and see if the bike dies again and see if I solved the issue.