Help!

[GregoXB]

I'm in Roanoke, VA on a cross country ride. Battery died. Picked up new battery at Harley dealer. I drove a bit and check engine light is still coming up. Code 1-6 Battery voltage. What now? Tech checked my voltage regulator, he said it was good.

 

[TPEHAK]

The issue is in the VR circuit.

You have to monitor voltage constantly, it was OK when you checked it, but then it stopped work. I had same issue - bad VR can stop working and get alive periodically.

Now I have installed micro voltmeter to see if there is something wrong with charging system

 

[Cooter]

That sucks Grego, on the road no less... I am too!


Can you get or borrow a voltmeter (free from harbor freight) to help us diagnose it? Otherwise it's just a bunch of guessing g that will cost you time and money.

 

[GregoXB]

Thx guys. Harley dealer said it was a historic code and reset it. Bike is running fine now, but I may need a long term plan to put this issue to bed. Tomorrow we ride again so I'll keep my fingers crossed...

 

[GregoXB]

Hm... check engine light is appearing again. Brand new battery. Looks like this trip is going to come to an end.

 

[Chicknstripn]

Yeah, usually clearing a code doesn't make the problem that cause the code to appear go away.
And usually Harley shops don't diagnose Buell issues correctly. Hope they didn't charge you to clear that code.
How much will a voltage regulator set you back? If it's a couple hundred bucks and knocking the dust off your tool kit I'd say it's worth it to keep your trip rolling. Just skimp on food and lodging the rest of your trip and everything balances out.
BTW did they test the charging system or just look at the VR?

 

[Silverrider]

As cooter & Cstripin said get a Vmeter find out what is really going on , Your Batt might not have been bad , the root cause just might be your VR , Just alot of guessing at this point , with out a V meter.

 

[GregoXB]

While the guy at the harley dealer checked it. I watched him do it. He even heated to 350f with a heat gun and the readings were ok according to him.

 

[GregoXB]

Where am I gonna find a VR in Johnson cituy Tennessee. And what if that does not fix the issue?

 

[wickedchop]

Is the battery charging? Have you even put a volt meter to it???????

 

[ocgreenmachine]

Which micro voltmeter did you purchase? That is a nice install and I'd like to see if I can do one too!

 

[TPEHAK]

Which micro voltmeter did you purchase? That is a nice install and I'd like to see if I can do one too!

http://www.ebay.com/itm/191778835105?_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649&ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:IT#rwid

http://www.buellxb.com/forum/showthread.php?52809-Micro-voltmeter-in-handlebar-control-housing

 

[GregoXB]

It's a brand new battery. Something is chewing through the battery. In other words it's not charging while riding.

 

[GregoXB]

Btw tpehawk. Sic set up..... clearly some next level ingenuity

 

[GregoXB]

I have made contact with a buller here in Tennessee. We are gonna try switching out the VR tomorrow.

 

[njloco]

This might be a silly question but, did you get the old battery checked, did you get the new battery checked ? Most importantly did you clean up all the grounds ?

 

[GregoXB]

Met one of the coolest cats ever out here in Tennessee and we found the culprit....

He took one whiff of the primary and new it was a bad stator and then confirmed it by the book...

Waiting on parts from St Paul....

 

[TPEHAK]

So the tech guy checked the VR but did not check the stator? And how the tech guy was able to check the VR without working stator? Or stator was working when he checked it but then it has died?

What exactly happened with the stator?

 

[GregoXB]

The guys at Harley checked the regulator. You could tell they really wanted to help but simply did not know enough about the bike too perform the other necessary tests.

We put a volt meter to the stator and pinpointed faulty draw as well as confirmed with the fact that it smelled burnt out.

 

[GregoXB]

The stator was not completely shot. The bike would start and run and the check engine light would come on after riding it a bit. It was charging the battery weakly, but not enough. I got about 200 miles on the new battery before the check engine light came back, code 1-6.