Can anyone help diagnose?

[IronChip]

Bike is a 2005 XB12Scg with 34k miles. Was rebuilt less than a year ago with a 2008 flywheel and connecting rods, and a 2008 stator. Had to splice the stator wire harness because the pins on the 2008 are not the same as the 2005. The other mods are the Jardine exhaust and K&N fuilter. I have done minor remapping to the ECM to try to control the backfire from the Jardine exhaust.

I have put about 1k miles on the bike since the rebuild, and was starting to notice that it would struggle to turn over when hot or cold. Fuel pump would prime, i would push the starter and it would spin a half second, then pause for a couple seconds, then spin and the engine would turn over. I went for a 22 mile ride three weeks ago, and when i got to my destination, turned off the bike, and it would not start again. Starter just clicked, and I assumed the battery was dead. I popped the clutch, and headed back down the road, but after 4 miles, while doing 65 mph, the bike died completely. speedo and tacho went to zero, oil light came on, engine waasn't running. Headlight was still on though. Coasted to the shoulder. Fuel pump didn't want to prime, and starter just clicked when i tried to turn it over. towed it home.

Installed a new Scorpion battery last week. Bike started up, but still had that hesitation when pressing the starter. rode it for about 12 miles without issue. took it out one more time a couple days later for about 8 miles. Today i was 10 miles into a ride when the throttle stopped responding. I pulled to the shoulder, and the engine wasn't running. I tried to turn it over, and the starter was clicking again. Headlight was on, oil and engine lights were on, but it won't start, and seems like the battery is dying. Is the battery not charging? Could it be the fuel pump?

 

[mrlogix]

Ever use a multi-meter?

 

[IronChip]

I disconnected the stator from the regulator, and checked the resistance on the leads (there are only two on the '08 version). Resistance is .6, which i believe is normal range. Stator doesn't appear to be grounded. I turned on the bike, and was expecting to read 14+ volts coming from the stator, but it fluctuated around .01. Maybe i am reading that wrong.

 

[Chicknstripn]

Almost sounds to me like your bike is overheating and shutting down. But it also sounds like you could have a charging issue. Are you sure you did a proper "splice" job when you installed that stator? Have you checked the connections behind the front pulley cover? Does the fan run when you shut the bike down after a ride?
Do you have a cable and ECMspy?
Like Mrlogix already stated have you used a multi meter to check voltages at the battery and stator?
Do you have a service manual? You need to follow the trouble shooting procedures in the manual to generate some more information about what's going on with the bike.
Due to you stating that the fuel pump primes normally and that there's an issue with the starter turning over I'd assume the fuel pump is not your issue. However, I'm no expert so I could be wrong.
Start with the simple things. Check all your ground connections and battery terminals. Then check all the connectors. Then check the plug wires and coil for anything out of the ordinary. Check all the wires that you can without having to rotate the engine to make sure you have no frayed wires.
I know this all sounds a bit overwhelming but like I said it's all pretty simple stuff and things that shouldn't require you to spend any money.
Post back what info you generate while you're going over the bike and we'll try to get you up and running again.
Good luck

 

[Chicknstripn]

Looks like we posted at the same time. Sounds to me like you found a potential culprit. I'm not familiar with the compatibility of a 2008 stator on a 2005 bike. I have the 2008 crank in my 2007 xb12r and was able to use my 2007 stator with zero issues. The rotor HAD to be upgraded but you're the first I've heard of using a 2008 stator.
Was something wrong with your original stator? If not I'd suggest swapping back to the old one.
I stop rambling and give someone with more expertice chime in and help you out.
Sorry I can't be of more help.

 

[mrlogix]

I turned on the bike, and was expecting to read 14+ volts coming from the stator, but it fluctuated around .01.

0.01 volts ? Was that measuring DC or AC. The stator actually outputs AC voltage and is rectified to DC voltage. AC reading should be somewhere around 40-50 VAC.

Almost sounds to me like your bike is overheating and shutting down

have access to a megohm meter and know how to use it? Stator windings may be breaking down when hot.

 

[user_deleted]

stator output is approx. 47-52 volts AC @ approx. 3000rpm
VR to battery output is approx. 13.2-14.5 volts DC @ approx. 3000rpm
test stator at terminal ends....test VR/complete charging system at battery terminals

 

[IronChip]

The cooling fan was working right before all of this happened. The last few rides have been so short, that it didn't need to come on. However, I am not ruling out overheating as of yet.

I figured out that I measured the output from the stator with the wrong setting on the multimeter. Stator doesn't appear to be the problem. The regulator only has 4 wires on the updated version. I am not sure that I spliced the correct wire to connect to the positive lead from the battery. I can't find any diagrams for the new stator to determine which of fat wires is positive and which is negative. If I did cross them, would that damage the regulator? I started the bike up, and checked the voltage at the battery with the engine revving around 3500 rpm. The meter got as high as 14.0, but no higher.

When I test the diodes in the regulator, only one of the fat wires returns a result of 406 when touching the MM ground to the batery wire, with the MM positive to the stator leads. The other regulator fat wire registers nothing in either bias. That seems wrong to me.

Other thing that concerns me is the drain test that I did on the battery. I followed and instruction to disconnect the negative battery lead, and test the voltage between the battery terminal and the wire. The instruction said that the reading should be around .2 volt. I was reading 12.64 volts. Does that indicate a short?

Thanks for your help guys.

 

[AZmidget91]

Did you change to the 08 regulator too? An 08 stator won't work with a 05 regulator. Why did you change the stator? You do know that the 05 stator is better than the 08 right?

 

[IronChip]

i bought the parts from Hammer performance. I was under the impression that i had to update the 08 stator with the new crankshaft. I ddn't know it was inferior to the 05. i did install the 08 regulator at the same time, and I am now thinking that there might be something wrong with the negative battery lead from the regulator, because it does not appear to allow current to flow in either direction. Is that normal?

 

[IronChip]

Thanks everyone for the suggestions. After 3 weeks of research, testing, trial and error, it turns there were two issues. Chicknstripn was correct, the bike was overheating. I didn't know how to set the static timing with the '08 flywheel after the rebuild, because there is no timing mark. I basically listened for a smooth idle and rev. A week ago, i was working at night, after verifying for the 10th time that the regulator charges when the bike is cool, and let the bike warm to operating temperature. The exhausts were glowing red. It all came clear that the timing was retarded.

 

[Chicknstripn]

Check out the last post on this old thread. Might help you get you timing more in the ballpark.
http://www.buellxb.com/forum/showthread.php?47841-NRHS-Stage-2-for-07-XB12R/page2
You might want to contact the company you got your build parts from. I know NRHS has a lot of helpful information on their site. Dan was real helpful during my build.
Good luck