Completely dead. Stranded...
07-20-2012 | 10:11 AM
#1
Thread Starter
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Superstock
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 395
From: Columbus, OH
Completely dead. Stranded...
It happened. Shifting from second to third she lurched and died completely. Gauges dark and just nothing. Fuses all check but I didn't check the 30 amp main. After searching I would say its the R/R that crapped out in me. Checked all the wires and idiot proof things like battery terminals and whatever. I hear the R1 works well in our bikes. Can someone direct me to a current reasonably priced R/R to swap in?
07-20-2012 | 10:51 AM
#2
Senior Member
SuperBike
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 1,707
From: Essex, UK
07-20-2012 | 11:19 AM
#4
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SuperBike
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 1,252
From: boston
Ive never had a main fuse go on me but Ive had 3 R/Rs go on me and never had it lurch and die...
Ive only had it act normal til I parked and realized the battery was toast and couldnt start it up again.
its definitely a good idea to get a MOSFET R/R though
Ive only had it act normal til I parked and realized the battery was toast and couldnt start it up again.
its definitely a good idea to get a MOSFET R/R though
07-20-2012 | 09:24 PM
#7
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Superstock
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 395
From: Columbus, OH
Haha no I'm not still stranded. Had to push it about 3/4 of a mile though in the 100 plus heat back home. Couldn't stand the thought of leaving her stranded in a bar parking lot. Thanks for the info guys.
07-21-2012 | 07:23 PM
#8
Run's this town!
Squid
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 13
From: Boxer Town! aka Yuma, Arizona
I've gone through two batteries in the last year. Both of them completely fried, both of them on road trips from Yuma to San Diego (about a four hour ride). I had to jump it both times I started it, my bike was completely dead as well.
I took the bike into a dealership and he said Superhawks usually have a problem with the power modulator/power commander (or something like this) and that his old Hawk had its go bad 3 times before he sold it.
Is this the same thing as a R/R? He said the cost is about $100 to fix it.
He also said a lot of people use other bikes' parts in place of the Honda OEM ones. Can anyone reccommend one in place of Honda's?
I took the bike into a dealership and he said Superhawks usually have a problem with the power modulator/power commander (or something like this) and that his old Hawk had its go bad 3 times before he sold it.
Is this the same thing as a R/R? He said the cost is about $100 to fix it.
He also said a lot of people use other bikes' parts in place of the Honda OEM ones. Can anyone reccommend one in place of Honda's?
07-21-2012 | 07:42 PM
#9
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MotoGP
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 3,871
From: Phoenix, AZ
He might have said regulator/rectifier... which perhaps... may mean... r/r? Jk, power commanders are for bikes with FI, so hopefully he didn't say that.
read this:
https://www.superhawkforum.com/forum...why-how-25117/
read this:
https://www.superhawkforum.com/forum...why-how-25117/
07-21-2012 | 09:52 PM
#10
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Superstock
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From: ABE PA
07-30-2012 | 07:33 AM
#11
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Superstock
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From: Columbus, OH
Checked the 30 main fuse and it was blown. Stuck in a new one and as soon as the leads touched it blew the crap out of it. Keys weren't even in the bike. Would you say R/R is toast or a dead short somewhere?
07-30-2012 | 09:16 AM
#12
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SuperSport
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 530
From: Central Fl.
You have a serious short to ground somewhere.
Disconnect all your plugs in the wiring harness. This isolates all the circuits from one another. Then, with a fresh main fuse in, reconnect the plugs one by one until the fuse blows again. Now you know which circuit contains the short. Follow the wires on that circuit until the short is found.
Quality garage time is to be appreciated by those of us whom are married.
Disconnect all your plugs in the wiring harness. This isolates all the circuits from one another. Then, with a fresh main fuse in, reconnect the plugs one by one until the fuse blows again. Now you know which circuit contains the short. Follow the wires on that circuit until the short is found.
Quality garage time is to be appreciated by those of us whom are married.
07-30-2012 | 08:50 PM
#14
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MotoGP
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 5,053
From: NYC
You should still replace the r/r if its stock unless you want more practice pushing the beast.
The fuse blew as soon as you put it in or did you turn the bike on first?. It shouldnt be that hard to track down (which is easy for me to say from here). But if the bike was running and then stopped, a wire probly chafed through to the frame.
The fuse blew as soon as you put it in or did you turn the bike on first?. It shouldnt be that hard to track down (which is easy for me to say from here). But if the bike was running and then stopped, a wire probly chafed through to the frame.
07-31-2012 | 06:30 AM
#16
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Superstock
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From: Columbus, OH
The regulator is on the right side of the bike tucked inside the tail plastic right? I unplugged just about everything that was accesible in the short time I had. I don't even have the key in the ignition. I put in a fuse and as soon as I go to plug the connector together it sparks and blows the fuse. From what I have read it doesn't sound like th r/r went just that fast. I do recall something though. I noticed the last time my fuel light came on when I hit the brakes the fuel light would go out and when I let off the brake the light would pop back on. Maybe there is a link there somehow? Funny how talking it out on here Makes you backtrack. Of it's the regulator it shouldnt blow the fuse when it's unplugged correct?
07-31-2012 | 08:55 AM
#17
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Superstock
Superstock
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 489
From: San Antonio, TX
Correct. Anytime the main fuse blows, the regulator is prime suspect. Unplug the likely bad regulator and install a new fuse. It will probably not blow now and all electrical should function, assuming that the faulty regulator did not fry the battery.
What you are going through with the blown main has happened to a great many of us here, myself included.
Reconnect everything else but the regulator and the engine should start and run until the battery drains.
What you are going through with the blown main has happened to a great many of us here, myself included.
Reconnect everything else but the regulator and the engine should start and run until the battery drains.
07-31-2012 | 09:58 AM
#19
Out of my mind, back in 5
MotoGP
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 6,109
From: Skurup, Sweden
If the R/R diodes fuses to permanently conduct, it takes only milliseconds for it to fail, and then it is a permanent shortcircuit that pops main fuses... One of the less common failures, but common enough...
08-01-2012 | 08:05 AM
#22
Out of my mind, back in 5
MotoGP
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 6,109
From: Skurup, Sweden
How about actually completeing the diagnose first? I'm pretty sure someone have a working stock unit that you can have as a temporary fix for shipping... I'm unfortunately all out, as I have sent two off already...
08-01-2012 | 01:35 PM
#23
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Superstock
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From: Columbus, OH
So I did a little trouble shooting once I got home. Thanks Tweety for reminding me not to be a dumbass haha. I unplugged the r/r, put in a fuse, no pop, turn the key on and bingo, we have power. So I turn the key off, plug the r/r back in, no pop, turn the key on and bingo, everything is still on. I expected the fuse to pop as soon as I plugged it back in. ??? I noticed the r/r is pretty warm and getting warmer it seems so I pulled the fuse again. Like the battery is heating it up. Is that normal?
08-01-2012 | 02:26 PM
#24
Out of my mind, back in 5
MotoGP
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 6,109
From: Skurup, Sweden
The rest of the times when you had this problem, the bike had been ridden a while, right? The diodes in the R/R can change quite a bit from heat, to the point where they can act like thermal swithces, and pop circuits when hot...
Did you by chance happen to measure voltage at the battery terminals while doing this, and if you didn't, tape the voltmeter to your left hand the next time you approach the bike... It's kind of odd, not to take a reading if you have a electrical problem...?
Did you by chance happen to measure voltage at the battery terminals while doing this, and if you didn't, tape the voltmeter to your left hand the next time you approach the bike... It's kind of odd, not to take a reading if you have a electrical problem...?
08-01-2012 | 04:13 PM
#25
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Superstock
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From: Columbus, OH
It's only popped the fuse once. It blew and I pushed it home. Haven't started it since. Just grabbed a voltage meter from my brother. This is new territory for me so bear with me lol. I've done cct swaps, carb tear downs,chains,sprockets and all that but I'm learning as I go now. Just plugging the r/r and fuse back together the r/r warmed up pretty quick with no key in the ignition. Time to search for info on checking voltages and all that jazz... When it happened the bike hadn't been ridden very far. It warmed up a few minutes in the garage and within a mile dead.
08-02-2012 | 12:48 PM
#26
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Superstock
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 489
From: San Antonio, TX
If the regulator is getting warm with the ignition turned off, that is really all the diagnosis you need. It has failed. It really should only heat up while the engine is running. Trying to run the engine with the bad regulator will overload the system and cause other electronics to fail, which will cost more money. Unplug that thing to keep it out of the system until you source a replacement part.
08-02-2012 | 02:03 PM
#27
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Superstock
Joined: Apr 2009
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From: Columbus, OH
Thanks beerhunter. I've kept it unplugged except for the brief test on it. That is what had me stumped. It kept blowing fuses when I was trying to track down a short. When I finally did unplug it input in a new fuse and turned the key. Everything lit up like normal. Turned off the key and plugged the regulator back in, turned the key and once again everything lit up like usual. I figured it would blow immediately when I plugged it back in. Then with the key out it started getting hot to the touch so I unplugged it again. Weird.
08-03-2012 | 12:57 AM
#28
Out of my mind, back in 5
MotoGP
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 6,109
From: Skurup, Sweden
That was probably cause the faulty diodes in the R/R was halfway open, so still flowing current, but not enough to pop the fuse... A little more heat and they would open fully, and it would have blown... Agreed, new R/R is needed...
08-03-2012 | 07:22 AM
#29
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Superstock
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 395
From: Columbus, OH
Yeah bummer. Nature of the beast I guess. Anyone have a spare OEM r/r until I can spring for a good high quality one? Vegas, my sons birthday and school tuition have left me super broke at the moment...
08-03-2012 | 07:45 AM
#30
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SuperBike
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 1,707
From: Essex, UK
Cheapest second-hand OEM on ebay
REGULATOR RECTIFIER OEM VTR 1000 VTR1000 VTR1000F SUPERHAWK HONDA 98 T | eBay
REGULATOR RECTIFIER OEM VTR 1000 VTR1000 VTR1000F SUPERHAWK HONDA 98 T | eBay
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