How to/DIY: XB stator replacement

[KyleH]

Well, here I am again. So developments since last time. I got the new stator on. I tested the voltage at the battery with the engine running and was getting a happy 13.8 volts. Drove the bike to work and back for a week or two. Took it on a 90 mile road trip (55mph ish) and had no issues. Then, I noticed the dreaded charge light and the battery had gone down. Luckily I was pretty close to home. So I figured I'd pressed my luck and voltage regulator had failed.

I replaced the voltage regulator tonight, and to my dismay, I still wasn't seeing over 12 volts at the battery with the engine running. So I went ahead and followed the factory spec with regards to checking the working-ness of the stator and found that it failed both the continuity test where you ground one lead and touch the other lead to the pin in the stator harness (indicating the stator is grounded) and the voltage test where you run the engine and stick the leads into the stator plug again, looking for 32-40 volts at 2000 rpm.

So I guess the two top of mind questions I have are:

1) Could me not changing the voltage regulator have killed my new stator?
2) Does Harley warranty their parts from defects for any period of time?

I'm getting tired of feeling like I'm making monthly payments on a bike to keep it running. :-/

 

[jefferyfriso]

This is a very helpful post. Thank you

 

[KyleH]

Still waiting on Harley to let me know if they're going to warranty the stator failure. I went ahead and started tearing into it.

Not a good sign:

View of stator after pulling engine pulley:

My guess is that something was defective about the stator, came loose while the engine was running and did significant damage to the stator, and left the ground up parts at the bottom of the main case.

The part lasted a total of maybe 250 miles. Of which most were short trips and one longer 90 mile day ride.

 

[pos90]

KyleH,

I haven't been following this thread , but last year I had to replace my stator in my '06 Ss. The original stator looked like yours with the brown blobs at the wires.

My new stator had a plastic piece riveted onto the stator at the wires. After it was together I put it in gear and spun it over a couple times and noticed something wasn't right so I took it back apart and saw the bolt heads that hold the gear to the rotor were just barely touching the rivet and the plastic.

Thinking I screwed something up I took it to my local dealer and had them look at it. After going back and forth with Harley the solution was to grind the heads of the bolts down. It's been fine ever since (a couple thousand miles). It looks like that's what may have happened to yours.

 

[KyleH]

Very insightful! By the looks of my stator in the picture it looks like there may have indeed been a similar riveted piece on the stator in that spot as pictured in your attachments. Hmmm... Thanks again for the input!

If I may ask, what dealer did you have yours serviced at?

Thanks!
Kyle

 

[pos90]

Lancaster H/D in PA

 

[Miami78]

Tagging this DIY, my stator just took a crap on me today...if I'm not still under warranty I'll be using this one this weekend...

 

[djohnk]

Thanks, this helped a lot when changing my stator.

 

[onelogue]

Your welcome guys

 

[thewanmanrules]

Excellent write up... Thank you...
I am in the middle of replacing my Stator...

 

[xmxracer]

Thinking I screwed something up I took it to my local dealer and had them look at it. After going back and forth with Harley the solution was to grind the heads of the bolts down. It's been fine ever since (a couple thousand miles). It looks like that's what may have happened to yours.

pos90, I have the same thing happening to my 2006.

Thanks to you I install the rotor and spun the engine by hand and saw that it was hitting the plastic and the rivet holding the plastic piece.

How much did you need to clearance the gear bolts?

Thanks again for you input.

 

[thewanmanrules]

Just a quick note... When I replaced my stator... I had the same issue as POS90... The Plastic holder for the Wires was 3mm thicker... I pulled the one off the old stator, and replaced it with the old one... Dealer said I was full of crap until I showed them...

 

[mipstien]

does anyone know the part numbers of the gasket and oil seal?
im having trouble finding the parts?

 

[mipstien]

After getting the primary off and trying to loosen the stator rotor I can't seem to loosen it. It is counter clockwise so reverse threaded? Should I have someone sit on the bike? I don't have an impact wrench so are there any hints with a breaker bar and jamming the gears?

 

[onelogue]

mipstien

Time to remove the engine sprocket. Same method as step 4 accept you will need the 1-1/4" socket and the threads are Right-hand, so turn it COUNTERCLOCKWISE to loosen.

As quoted from the How to thread:

Time to remove the engine sprocket. Same method as step 4 accept you will need the 1-1/4" socket and the threads are Right-hand, so turn it COUNTERCLOCKWISE to loosen.

So if a bolt has to be counter clockerwise then it is not reverse thread. Remember Right-tighty, lefty-loosy for thread. You can jam a piece of metal in there but what i did was i had a friend hold down on the rear brake while he sat on the bike and I used a 3 foot pipe over my socket. The primary chain is strong enough to hold the front sprocket from spinning when you loosen the bolt. COUNTER CLOCKWISE with a little muscle and you'll get it. It took me a few minutes to get it loose but it'll go.

 

[Jerry C]

Thanks!

 

[mipstien]

I got an impact wrench and got the clutch basket bolt off. The engine sprocket nut won't budge and i can see the metal starting to warp. anyone have any pointers?

 

[onelogue]

anyone have any pointers?

Read page one. I explained how i got mine off.

 

[Doc13]

Update on my issue, had the stator making contact with the rotor assembly. Took it back up to Harley to figure out my options. I talked them into having them make me up a custom one with the epoxy rather than the plastic clip. Gets to Austin on Friday so we'll see how that works out.

Doc

 

[robao]

Are there seals that should be replaced; primary cover, shift shaft seal?