Hey guys I have a '97 F3, and i think I may be having issues with my r/r. My bike hasnt been idling well lately, (as i mentioned in a previous post) and ive noticed that when its idling low my running lights (the left and right front directionals) and my dash lights begin to dim. When i give it some gas they flicker and glow brighter. I know that my bike didnt use to do this. Normally my running lights stay consistantly bright. I have also noticed an increase in temperature on my r/r. It has been getting so hot that i can feel my sub-frame under my seat, and this is only after about ten or so minutes of riding. I know that the r/r puts out a ton of heat, and the frames supposed to act as a heat sinc, but its never gotten that hot before in the two years ive owned it. Only the throttle side is getting that hot, the clutch side of the subframe stays somewhat cool even after riding. I have also noticed that when i turn on my turn signals, my headlight will flicker a bit.

I have tested the voltage on my battery, and everything is good- about 12 volts when sitting, a little more then 14 when running. Ive checked my connections to the r/r and the stator, and they are not melted (yet).

I have recently installed an integrated tail light. Could this have somehow messed up the R/R or caused a short? It was working fine for a few weeks leading up to this.
Also have recently instaled an MCCT. Not that it matters, but i put it in around the same time as the problems started happening. Probably a coincidence.

O yea and i have noticed that my problems seem to get worse when my bike gets hot. As soon as my fan kicks in, my idling seems to get more speratic, and the lights seem to get even dimmer. My bike isnt cooling down as fast as it normally does when the fan kicks in either. It has to stay on alot longer to drop the temp so it can shut off. My theory is that the fan is also being hindered by whatevers dimming the lights, and isnt spinning as fast as a result. The thermostat is brand new about a month and a half prior to this happening, so i know it is working fine and not the cause.

So anyone have opinions? Does this sound like a r/r problem? or something more serious? Sorry if ive wrote to much just had alot to get out there.

Sorry one more thing. This is the r/r i have on it now. I dont think its stock but im not sure.

 

That's not stock. There's a more comprehensive diag for the R/R in the Haynes manual so I suspect its in others.

 

Mine is 500 Mohms from green to each yellow..
If your readings are stable from lead to lead I'd rule out the RR.

 

http://www.electrosport.com/technica...ng-diagram.pdf

might help with troubleshooting the r/r

 

There was a guy on here having similar issues with the bike not idling well when hot. His RR and stator tested fine. He started looking at the ignition and tested the pulse generator which also tested fine. He got the bike hot to the point where it started idling poorly and then tested the various electrical components again. He found the pulse generator to be out of spec.
I guess what I am saying is, test these components when the problem happens. Do these tests when the bike is hot. Since you'll be right in the area to check the pulse generator (from the red plug that is), check to see if the pulse generator is in spec.

 

Thanks a lot guys I really appreciate your input. Ill admit I dont have much experience with electrical systems (this is the first time ive had to deal with it) and the feedback really helps.

Marc-This does sound like a similar situation to the problems i am having. Ill have to bring my volt meter with me when i go to class (usually this is when my bike gets hot enough for that particular issue to occur). I just want to clarify the way I plan on testing the pulse generator is first by unplugging the 16 pin connector from the ICM and placing the leads from my volt meter inside one of the pins. I am a little unclear as to which one of the pins i should be using to test. I consulted my manual, and it just says "Harness side". Should i just put the probes (for back of a better word) into one of the pins and see if i get a reaction on the meter? After that ill test the red 2 pin.

Testing the red 2 pin is alot more straitforward lol. Ill wait for feedback on the ICM test before I procede.

Also im looking for a minimum peak voltage of .7V correct?

I wanted to ask too is my reasoning with the radiator fan sound? Could it not be drawing enough current when idling (like my lights and guages), explaining why its taking longer to cool at idle then normal? I thought it made sense, but again my knowledge of electrical systems is limited.

Thanks

 

O yea and thanks for the Kuroshio for the fault-finding PDF its extremly useful

 

Quick Update

I decided to test the battery when the bike was hot (to the point where the fan would turn on to cool it, about half way up the temp gauge). This is also when my idling is worse. I took notes on the numbers I was getting.
When the fan turns on- 12.17 V
When the fan turns off (idle)- 12.26-12.28 V
When I rev the engine the voltage increases like it should, but after I let off, the voltage keeps dropping slowly until its at that 12.2x range. It seems like it keeps idling lower and lower in conjunction with the voltage dropping . When the fans on and the voltage is at its lowest, the bike almost stalls out (it never does, however).
After I turn the engine/power off, battery goes back up to about 12.62
The idle voltage seems really low, especially when the fan turns on. Am I correct? I dont think these are acceptable voltages, but I may be wrong.

I had my brother rev the engine to 2500 then 5000RPMs and I got a reading within the limits of the guide I received from Kuroshio. I believe that rules out the R/R.

Sorry to keep adding on to my questions! I know im throwing a lot out there. Ill be testing the pulse generator after I figure out where to test the ICM connector.

Thanks again

PS Marc just realized your name is Courtney my bad. Ill call you that here on out.

 

Morning Phill (Saw the other post),

Sorry for not getting back with you sooner, been a busy weekend. It's all good call me by my first name, just use a more masculine name to keep the gender issue straight. Anywho, onto the issue at hand.
This is definitely not looking like an issue with the pulse generator. The voltage of your battery (12.17V) is too low when under a heavy load (idle w/ fan running). This will be the heaviest load on the battery because there isn't exactly a charge being put back into the battery. What was the max about of voltage going into the battery when the rpm was at 5k? You just might have a battery that has a bad cell. This can happen and the battery still showing a full charge. Have a load test performed on the battery. Places like Batteries Plus perform this service for free. The Cold Cranking Amps (CCA) on our batteries is 120 CCA. From the numbers that I read thus far, they seem good with exception of when the bike is idling with the fan on. Have you used the troubleshooting guide Kuroshio put up?

 

Thats alright I utilized the time to flush my cooling system and put a new O ring on my thermostat. The weather here in Michigan is cold and rainy at the moment as well so im probably not going to be riding for a while anyways. I ran through the troubleshooting guide and i got correct readings (2500RPM- above 13.5V and 5000RPM right below 14.8) According to the guide my charging system is in working order. I cant remember the exact voltage at 5k, but I remember it was pretty close to 14.8. Ill have to take my battery to Batteries Plus tomorrow and have them test it.

As a side note- it would not suprise me if my battery does have a bad cell. I didnt put my battery on a battery tender over the winter or when I was out of town last year, and I didnt charge it when I got it out of storage back in March (I hate to admit it but I was new to owning a motorcycle and didnt know any better). I take good care of it now, but it may be to late. I had just figured that because it was holding a charge, it was ok.

Ill let you know the results of the test tomorrow. Im really leaning towards the battery being at fault. Thanks alot for the help I really appreciate it!!