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27-2-2016 XB charging issues diagnoses 3/7 - 8/10

1-5-2016 - 27-2-2016 XB charging issues diagnoses ( 03-07 & 08-10 )

this XB9SX came in with a rear spark plug cross threaded, but als so charging problems, when you leave your bike on the charger all times and take here out only for short trips, ( 60 km or less ) you will only notice your bike is not charging with your first longer trip, on a full battery charge you can do about 60 km , if you just start it up and keep going.

but first we need to fix the rear sparkplug , air box cover off

and remove the airfilter base plate

plug was put in on 2 or 3 threads by the customer as it not longer turn further

customer left the rubber insert from the sparkplug socket on the plug .. i will give this back to him

with a fash light i can see the plug is on wrong angle

thread on the plug is still good.. good call to stop when you feel it go wrong... gap is way to small btw . i will check the front one to

first few threads are not looking good , but the rest douse saveble

so before i going to make a new thread insert, i will try to clean up the hole , a little sticky grease on the chaser ( M12x 1.25 for the sparkplugs ) and see how this will go

starting off easy to get it in straight , and it cleaned up reall nice,

still need to be carefull when you start the rear spark plug, little trick i learned a long time ago, for difficult to get to plugs, put the plug in a piece off hose, and start screwing it in like this will prevent it from cross threading as the plug will slip in the hose

turns smooth... good to go

after tightening with the socket , cable can go on

sa the charging problems, no the bike runs, we can start the diagnostics , battery is good..

bike started, mnnn indeed not charging , just engough battery power to run the engine and not trigger the warning light yet, but i hear the engine not running nice , due to the low power

the important connector for the 03-07 XB models are behind the pully cover

old style connectors ( they have been upgraded with a new regulator ) , the big squire one with 3 connectors is from the stator to the regulator, ( AC volts )

the big flat one is from the regulator to the battery ( DC volts )

testing... i first start with the stator, connector loose

and mesure resistance every lead to ground, on all 3 leads no connection to ground, and resistance from lead to lead ( fases ) is even for all combinations . means there is no short or burned out stator, if you measure any resistance to ground this means the stator is short and isoloation burned

so next check. visual inspection off the regulator to battery ( the dreaded connector 77 ) at first glance ok

other side looks also ok

if you have a multimeter with diode test , your multi meter will give a volt signal on the leads so the diode will block one way, and let the current through the other way ( switching the leads ) . that you can mesure if the diodes are good. you can do this with a probe tester as long as it has a bulb as the diodes need a little current to work , and you need to have a feed to the regulator

bought connectors loose, remember or mark the black wire that is hooked up to the red wire to the battery , this positive from the regulator , and take 1 test pin to this, and measure with the other test pin the terminals from the stator input , in this case all 3 show the diodes open as i can mesure a the low test voltage

with the test terminals switched , all 3 terminals from the regulator block. as indication the diodes are good. so regulator should be working ok

last test you can do is AC voltage out put from the stator, with the cable disconnected and start the engine , measure this lead to lead ( fases )

in all combinations off the 3 fases it gives a noce 18 volts at idle , check your multimeter for range , not all will automaticly change the settings , range to 40 or 100 volts hsould be good

with a little higher rpm. the AC voltage run up , so stator is also ok

mnnn ok. bought connectors hooked up , start the bike , mesuring battery voltage ... it charges , i will keep it running for a while to heat up the regulator and connectors to see

after a short while i see the voltage drop when i check the regulator to battery connector , as i feel it heat up in my hand

ok looks liek we found the problem, closer inspection off the connector , tiny burn marks

now i time to mark the positive before we disconnect the terminals

and take the battery cable off

terminal disconnected , looks a little melted

and the terminals are bend open , when these get to hot they loose the clamping force and make a bad connection

this is a common problem, Buell has upgraded the connectors ( also know as the connector 77 problem ) and made a service kit for this , i will call the customer with my findings and get permission for this repair

XB12SS running problems... bike is idling irratical headers glowing. front aspecialy .. i was data ;logging this bike to see what happened.. looking at the readings.. battery voltage is low... will cause bad running

checking with a multi meter... yep this one is also not charging

on the 2008 - up xb there is a 2 fase charging system and the wires and connectors from the stator to the regulator run behind the left airscoop , so i remove the scoop

bought cables wrapped to getter

the "rond "one with grey connector is from the stator to the regulator , so this is AC voltage

i do a performace test first, on the 2 leads ( fases )

2000 rpm about 40 Volts AC sound about right

multi meter in diode test postion again

bought connectors loose and mesure the feed pin to the battery to the regulator pins

one fase is good , diode opening and closing if i switch the fase

but the other fase is not responing , any way i measure

it gives a no contact reading no matter how i swap the meaure leads... very good indication this regulator is broken... will report the customer, as we need to trouble start , but first make sure the rest is ok