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- I have replaced the wiring harness, CDI, and Reg/Rect.
- I have rebuilt the carbs, pretty sure they're right
- The engine runs for short periods of time then dies unexpectedly.
- Fresh gas, clean tank.
- The Reg/rect gets very hot when the bike is running and the bike has trouble starting until it get's coler.
This sounds like the stator is bad to me, but I am not wizard. Has anyone had to/knows how to diagnose whether this stator is bad? I have read about them as a common part to go bad in these bikes, but I wanted to make sure the symptoms match the diagnosis before I spend the $250 at Rick's motorsports to have it rebuilt, unless there is a cheaper place to have it rebuilt properly. Any advice?
It runs and starts up when it's cold, but when it's been running for a minute or two it will die and not restart until it's cool again. So, to answer your question, it does not restart immediately when it dies.
The more I think about it, it seems like it would be a loose connection that's overheating and losing contact, then cooling down and working again.... I replaced the wiring harness though which gives me pause. Does that sound like the problem?
First thing to do is to check and rule out any compression issues as well as ignition timing. You're on an electronic ignition, so it's unlikely to be ignition timing, but it's easy to check and important to rule out. Be sure to use a strobe light to test timing at idle and at full advance.
Do a cold compression check as well as a warm one. Your warm one should result in higher compression numbers (hopefully 150+ PSI per cylinder).
If you pass both the timing and compression tests, then you know you have a fueling problem.
Thanks Sonreir, the compression is fine, the bike sounds great when it's running, the carbs have been adjusted by a me and a bike mechanic friend, so I am pretty sure that is not the issue. The timing checks out good
HerrDeacon, are you talking about in the petcock? Could use a gallon jug with a line running to the carburetor to to see if that is the issue?
No, the gas cap on the tank usually has a vent to allow air to enter the tank when fuel is used so a vacuum is not created. If a vacuum is in the tank it would prevent, or slow, the flow of fuel to the carb. If it happens again pop the gas cap to see if that helps.
I'll give it a shot before I try replacing the stator. Out of curiousity, when taking off the stator rotor do I need the "Honda" tool to do it? I have ordered the bolts from Fastenal, both the M18x1.5 and the M20x1.5 bolts in case I need them. Will they work to remove the stator rotor and give me access to remove the stator?
It doesn't sound like the stator to me. Is your battery dead after? I would vote coils not working after they get hot. Get the bike running and test your volatage at the battery is should read 14-15 volts. If the stator was bad you would have no battery after 2-3 start, run, stop sessions but if the battery is staying charged look at your coils. Reg Rec is supposed to get hot, reason for all the fins on it so it is likely ok. A vaccum issue with the tank would stop it too and easy way to know if that is the culprit is run the bike till it stalls then open the tank immediatley and it will hiss as the air flows in. There is little tiny holes in the cap that can get clogged with dirt and rust and stop the vent from working.
I tried to remove the stator rotor earlier this week with the rear axle and it did not fit to remove it. I am worried that I may not have put the rear wheel back on properly though. Is there a trick to it or good things to know for a novice?
When you put it like that it would be pretty dumb to replace more parts on a whim, I just don't want to destroy something in the process of my testing. For instance, could the stator be shorting out or putting high voltage out that will kill the reg/rect, CDI or wiring harness?
The reason I say the stator may be bad is that my friend had me convinced that it was something in the electrical system that was killing it (and I have replaced everything else in the electrical system). Are bikes different than cars in that they need the stator/alternator to run? The bike is not dying because the battery has become too discharged, rather, it mysteriously dies and will not restart for a bit, then starts up without a problem. The gas cap I have on the tank is not sealed very well at all and probably leaks a lot. It would make sense that it would build a vacuum and not be able to restart until the vacuum had abated. Interesting... I'll take pictures and get back with you when my work week is done.
Get a manual it will help with rear wheel putting on, there are free ones available to download that's how I got my CM manual. The coils are part of the electrical and a symptom of them failing is crapping out when they get hot. Your stator puts out a ton of voltage and it climbs with engine revs but the job of the REg Rec is to change it from AC to DC (rectifier) and to cap it at a max of 15 (regulator) so if you fire the bike up and rev it up and your multi meter never read higher than 14.5-15 volts DC it is working properly, it gets hot and should be where air can get at it. There is a test in the manual as well for the coils. I'll see if I can post it here.
Ok, I'll give that a shot. Today is my friday, so I will head out to where my bike is over my weekend. I am thinking of replacing the coil with the GM Coil mod. Seems like the benefits outweigh not doing it even if it is not bad. The reason I may seem to replace stuff unnecessarily is because I have to drive ~60 miles to get to my bike one way. It sucks to get all the way out there and not have what you need. Additionally, the coil is +/-$30. I'm convincing myself now. I'll let you know when I'm out there and I'll take some pictures and post back results.
Checklist
1. Run bike without gas cap
2. Test voltage while running
3. Check resistance in coil if bike dies again
4. Replace coil
Haha!, it looked about right so I ran it again and everything was going well but it still died unexpectedly without provocation. So I decided that I would go ahead and replace the coil with the GM Coil Mod because I already had the parts.
I'm pretty sure that the replacement of the coil went off without a hitch, I replaced the coil with new plug wires and gapped the spark plugs to .35 and on the first go one of the carbs began pouring out gas and the would be passenger side cylinder was just shooting gas and white smoke out of the exhaust. That leads me to believe that one of the floats in the carb is stuck in the wide open position.... Back to the drawing board.
Tap the float with a screwdriver handle gently and see if it stops. I had floats stick on occasion on the CM and a light tap would jiggle them back in place.
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