Well, as some of you know my stator went bad earlier this week. This comes not 150 mi after a 2300 mi road trip. Funny how timing works out. So, being ok with a wrench but thinking myself great with one I have decided to try and fix it myself. ;)
The problem:
I got pulled over on Monday doing 46 in a 35. The Deputy (biker no less) was somehow kind enough to let me off the hook but after he took off I found "V" had almost zero juice left to crank the starter. After 2 short runs and a lot of wheezing (on my part not V's) she bump started and got me the mile to home. Shortly after I found that my white wires have continuity with my engine case. Dang. I was hoping this wouldn't happen.
I've done most of the preventative stuff like soldering the white wires and cleaning all my electrical connections. I did have somewhat old oil in it though (2400 mi) and I have yet to solder the other connection people talk about. Funny thing is the stator is still dark amber in color with only a few black spots.
The Solution:
So, with a healthy cocktail of impatience and overconfidence I began disassembly of the left side case for the third time in my first few months as a Vision owner. I won't say rider until the hours I've spent in the saddle are more than I've spent with a rag and a wrench under the engine.
I left the black rubber plugs sealed into the side cover and snipped the wires about 4" behind them. Hopefully I won't have to re-glue the plug and can just thread the wires through in place.
I then took my stator to Mac & Mac electric. The owner had been friendly and helpful with my starter rebuild a couple of months ago. He is knowledgeable and gives great advice. Apparently with a stator rebuild the first thing to do is unwind the stator paying close attention to how it was wound at the factory. ;) He recommended going with the same gauge wire as OE. He doesn't like to "Re-engineer" repairs. The copper should run me less than $9 and he even tossed the stator in his oven to "cremate" all the old varnish for me. I'm headed back today to pick it up and see how it looks. I'm hoping to get it unwound and get back to him with how much copper I need before the day is out.
all i can say is good luck.
You can do it MAN
Nice Kevin, very nice.
The way to seal the wires in the rubber plug , is to slide them out about an inch and a quarter , coat them with 3 bond and slide them back in , you can seal the rubber plug the same way.
Where do you guys find the 3bond stuff or the Yamabond equivalent? I've tried everywhere here including my Yamaha dealer and no one has heard of it.
I found mine at a local independent motorcycle parts store (now closed). Try a web search for Threebond 1104 or ask your Yamaha dealer for Yamabond 4. Honda also has it but it's called Hondabond 4.
H2O
thanks H20.
In my opinion, you are better off, with a good used Honda stator, off ebay. Winding the thing, isn't that hard, getting a high quality coating over it, when finished, is hard. I just put in stator # 6 in my bike, my opinion is, low quality insulation shortens their life span, it can't stand the heat. I have reused my rubber plug. I leave wire between the plugs, and twist them in a circle with the needle nose plyers, to break them loose. I use tiny bit of brake clean to prep the plug, then slid the clean wires in. I noticed, with a straight edge, that the rubber plug was a little low, compared to the case, so I built it up with the three bond, when glueing the wires as well. I let the whole thing dry before putting on the engine. I coat both sides of my new gasket with grease, it will stay on the engine,on it's own, while you bring the case to it. The magnet grabs it out of your hands, so be ready, and make sure the gasket is still up.
Or a used Virago stator, I have one waiting in the wings , sent to me by my son in law, who has moved on from his Virago.
While going through parts last night, I found a real gold mine -- 5 fried stators. ::) May send them all to Tim Parrott and have a "stator bank" so I can get a few to have in reserve. I'm sure tired of putting one in every thousand miles. At least I can do it fast, now. The reusable cometic gasket is a real godsend. Between that & discovering I didn't need to remove, clean & reinstall the grommets, I can do a stator in under an hour.
H2O
??? "Reusable cometic gasket" - now where did you get that fancy item?
Cdnl
Quote from: h2olawyer on April 28, 2008, 12:34:35 AM
While going through parts last night, I found a real gold mine -- 5 fried stators. ::) May send them all to Tim Parrott and have a "stator bank" so I can get a few to have in reserve. I'm sure tired of putting one in every thousand miles. At least I can do it fast, now. The reusable cometic gasket is a real godsend. Between that & discovering I didn't need to remove, clean & reinstall the grommets, I can do a stator in under an hour.
H2O
You can go one step further and change the hex nuts on your sie cover to quick release toggle bolts for quich side cover removal and drop in stator replacement. ;D
David
Quote from: Cdnlouie on May 01, 2008, 10:05:07 AM
??? "Reusable cometic gasket" - now where did you get that fancy item?
Cdnl
Tdub had Cometic Corp. make some gaskets for the V engine in the Memphis Shades race bike. They made them available for public sale. Haven't been able to find them on their website recently, but a phone call to them may help.
www.cometic.com (http://www.cometic.com)
H
2O
i called them a few weeks ago and was told she would have to check. i havent heard back yet. it was close to lunch time though so she probally just wanted to get to lunch. let me know if find one. i got to do another starter clutch and this time im going with comet if i can get one.
Keep us posted if you locate a fresh supply, nice to have one in the parts box, then I will never have to replace my stator (again).
It's nice to have something to fix on the "V" ::)
Quote from: Cdnlouie on May 01, 2008, 01:05:29 PM
It's nice to have something to fix on the "V" ::)
Sicko!
;D ;)
Quote from: YellowJacket! on May 01, 2008, 10:14:42 AM
You can go one step further and change the hex nuts on your sie cover to quick release toggle bolts for quich side cover removal and drop in stator replacement. ;D
David
or you could install studs in the case & use wing nuts on the cover, lol
In the mid sixty's, due to the rash of blown two stroke engines , we decided that they should have engine covers sealed with Velcro and that the engine should screw in to the frame ,with giant light bulb threads. It would stop exactly where the counter shaft sprocket was , so that the chain and exhaust would line up.