06 Buell XB12X ulysses stator or regulator issue

[jkinzer]

I recently purchased a 06 XB12X ulysses with roughly 7.5k miles on it. I rode it for about a week putting roughly five hundred miles or so on it in that time frame. Towards the end of my ride the other day, my check engine light came on for a few minutes and turned back off so I didn't think anything of it. Well, today, I went out to ride it and the battery didn't have enough juice to turn the bike over and the battery is new this year. I checked the volts at the battery and they were 12-13v at idle, about 10v at 2.5k rpm, and 5-6v at 3k rpm. I have tried to do some research to avoid making a post myself but am obviously new to the buell community and couldn't seem to find one with the same symptoms. I am not sure if the regulator or stator is bad and I guess am unaware of much else that it could be. I appreciate the help and your time!

[user_deleted]

do the following steps CAREFULLY and report back with your findings. in all likelihood your VR(voltage regulator) is faulty and needs replaced. your charging system is THREE-PHASE so keep that in mind if shopping for new or good used VR.
1-check your battery fuse in the fuse box. it is 30 amp rated. remove....check it...check the male spades it plugs into. if dirty or corroded clean and replace the fuse.
2-remove your front pulley cover. you'll find 2 very large plastic connector plugs. one black the other light gray or white. the light colored one referred to as the #77 connector. unplug it...check for dirt/corrosion....check if burned or any wires frayed or burned. if so it must be repaired/replaced with updated connector. it is the charging system main connector plug.
3-thoroughly check all your grounds. google "buell xb ground wires" and you'll find a write-up by me listing all of them. remove each and every one, clean, clean the ground source, and reconnect.
4-to be on the safe side give your battery a 6-10 amp charge for minimum of 20 minutes.
5-remove your derby cover. it is the primary large round cover attached with 3 torx screws. smell the fluid. smell burned as in the aroma associated with an electrical fire? if so your stator is shot. if not simply replace cover.
6-after going thru all these steps check static DC volts at battery with bike off----should have 13.2 volts
now turn on ignition key and red-run switch to on. should have 12 volts.
now crank and start. should have approx. 13-14.7 volts from 1500rpm and higher
REPORT BACK WITH FINDINGS. it helps alot of other board members.

77.jpg

[airbozo]

Funny, I just had the same issue last night and thought it was the battery since it still had the original in it (2009).

Replaced the battery and on my way to work this morning the check engine light came on and when I got to work the voltage was down to 11.83 according to ECMspy.

Hope to get home this evening to check it out more.

Thanks for the info ya lunatic!

[njloco]

He or she, probably hasn't had a chance to read this yet but, don't worry John, we all appreciate what you do for us as, I'm sure you know.

[jkinzer]

I appreciate the help! The only thing I have done so far is remove the small primary cover and smell the
fluid and it doesn't smell like anything electric burnt. I am moving tomorrow so it will be a few days before I can tear into it more, but I will post my findings. Thanks again for the help!!

[jkinzer]

Ok, well I tore into the beast today and went over the list of things to check. The 30A fuse was in normal/good condition, 77 connector looked good as well, no grounds were in bad shape but still cleaned them up a little, slow charged the battery over night, fluid didn't have a burnt smell at all, and battery had about 12-13v not running and 13-14v at idle and vaguely went up with more rpms. Not sure what happened but seems to be fine now. Can regulators temporarily go in and out or what? Could the battery just needed to be charged after sitting for a few months? Thanks for your time!

[user_deleted]

1-VR's(voltage regulators)do not randomly work....go on vacation...and then come back to life.
2-giving your battery a healthy charge helped your situation but had no affect whatsoever on charging system performance.
3-look at my first post. you want to see 13.2 DC volts static with battery connected and everything turned off.
4-2500rpm typically shows 13.5-14.7 DC volts with healthy charging system and all STOCK lights turned on.
5-i'm guessing you wiggled or pulled apart a connection including a ground and cleaned things up and now back to normal. still i would carefully recheck your work INCLUDING the 77 connector...pull it apart...spray some kano or aero kroil in same and plug back together. it is THE critical connection in your charging system. also remember these XB's are hell on batteries. the slightest amount of corrosion or looseness at the battery terminals and cable ends can cause charging system to drop in and out.

[jkinzer]

Ok. I'm starting to think my battery is on its way out but still not entirely sure why it ran fine for a week and then just decided.to not start after sitting for a day. Battery has a little display on it saying it's charge status, and, before I charged it, it was saying it needed a charge. I'm not very familiar with how the charging system works on buells and if that has the possibility to make the voltage be way off or what went on the first time I tested it.

[jkinzer]

Btw, it does have all stock lights. I did pull apart the 77 connector so to check on it so that could have something to do with it being ok the second time around

[user_deleted]

the battery didn't have enough juice to turn the bike over and the battery is new this year.

Battery has a little display on it saying it's charge status

that right there says "chinese junk" all over it. what brand is it?