Before anyone says it.. yes, I know I could have taken my bike to a dealer and had the harness replaced for free. I like to do my own work and I don't trust any local Honda dealers. Now to my question..
I received my replacement sub-harness and immediately noticed the new harness was different with an additional extension that connects to the rectifier and main harness. I double checked the part number for the replacement harness and I have the correct one for my year. The connector (yellow wires) that comes out at the frame furthest to the rear on the right side and connects to the plug comming out of the rectifier (yellow wires) seem like they need to be disconnected. The new harness seems to bypass this connection to the rectifier, is this correct?? I left it unplugged and fired the bike, the bike runs perfect and seems to be charging properly. Then I tried connecting the original plugs back together (the ones that seem to be bypassed with yellow wires) and I smelled electrical burning and the yellow wires on the original plugs were getting hot quick. I shut it off and pulled the entire harness off to check everything and all seems perfect. No blown fuses and nothing looks melted or damaged. Plugged it all back in (except for the 1 plug again with yellow wires) and started it again. Runs perfect with no smells or charging issue. This makes me believe that this original plug has been bypassed and no longer needs connected. That's about as good as I can explain it. I could snap a pic of the area in question if needed but I was hoping someone else on here has done the recall and can offer some input.. I've read the instructions very carefully and there is no mention of leaving anything disconnected. Any help would be appreciated..
I snapped a pic.. I labeled the new connectors that are part of the replacement harness. The yellow marks show where the original plug was connected. You can also see the one that I've left disconnected. Any help??
37 views and no response... I guess this means nobody knows.. Would anyone with a 02-03 6th gen be willing to pull off their right side fairing and take a look to help me out? I just triple checked everything including the charging system and everything is working fine without that one connector plugged in. I did find 2 other connectors that iaren't being used, one comes out of the gauge cluster and the other is near the fuse block behind the right headlight but neither one was hooked up on the original harness either. Gauges work so I have no idea what they're for.
Here's a shot of mine. All the connectors should be hooked up. Seems like there was only one way to hook everything up. The small connector coming out of the gauge cluster should be plugged into air temp sensor. The other connector next to the fuse block is where you check for FI codes.
[image: View Post]dutchinterceptor, on 28 February 2010 - 10:59 AM, said:
Here's a shot of mine. All the connectors should be hooked up. Seems like there was only one way to hook everything up. The small connector coming out of the gauge cluster should be plugged into air temp sensor. The other connector next to the fuse block is where you check for FI codes.
OK, that looks exactly the same.. Yeah, there is only one way to hook the new stuff up which is why I was confused. I wonder what's going on with my bike that's causing the yellow wires to get so hot? and why is everything working when it's disconnected?? I didn't even know the bike had an air temp sensor.. Thanks.
[image: View Post]Smokey74, on 28 February 2010 - 12:16 PM, said:
OK, that looks exactly the same.. Yeah, there is only one way to hook the new stuff up which is why I was confused. I wonder what's going on with my bike that's causing the yellow wires to get so hot? and why is everything working when it's disconnected?? I didn't even know the bike had an air temp sensor.. Thanks.
W/o the r/r plugged in, the bike's just running off the battery. I think you have a secondary issue going on there. That free dealer swap doesn't sound so bad anymore, does it? :goofy:
I would like to help, but my bike is buried under the parts of 5 other projects. Try PM'ing Tightwad.
[image: View Post]SEBSPEED, on 28 February 2010 - 11:26 AM, said:
[image: View Post]Smokey74, on 28 February 2010 - 12:16 PM, said:
OK, that looks exactly the same.. Yeah, there is only one way to hook the new stuff up which is why I was confused. I wonder what's going on with my bike that's causing the yellow wires to get so hot? and why is everything working when it's disconnected?? I didn't even know the bike had an air temp sensor.. Thanks.
W/o the r/r plugged in, the bike's just running off the battery. I think you have a secondary issue going on there. That free dealer swap doesn't sound so bad anymore, does it? :goofy:
I would like to help, but my bike is buried under the parts of 5 other projects. Try PM'ing Tightwad.
When I plug the original sub harness back in everything is fine.. The new harness is causing whatever is going on. Also, I thought the same thing as you with the yellow wires disconnected but when I checked the charging system it seems to be working properly. If it wasn't charging the battery, it should show a significant draw when it's running and it doesn't.. This is why I'm scratching my head and looking for help. My only conclusion was that the new sub harness bypassed one of the two connections on the rectifier but that's not the case according to the photo above.
I was just thinking.. I wonder if the previous owner changed something that I don't know about. He never had the recall done and I remember him saying something about not needing the new sub-harness. The original harness looks perfect, maybe I should just put it back on and leave it alone. It's worked perfect for 20,000 miles. This was suppose to be an easy sub harness swap.. :blush:
Wish I could help Troy, but I hate electrical and my harness is still stock at 70k miles with only the blue connector ground mod i did a few years ago! :rolleyes:
[image: View Post]BaileyRock, on 28 February 2010 - 01:35 PM, said:
Wish I could help Troy, but I hate electrical and my harness is still stock at 70k miles with only the blue connector ground mod i did a few years ago! :rolleyes:
BR
Thanks anyway.. I'm half tempted to do the same. Everything was fine until I installed the recall sub-harness..
[image: View Post]Ryanme17, on 28 February 2010 - 01:40 PM, said:
I hate to say it, but now might be the time to bring it to a dealer...
Like I said.. I don't trust any of my local Honda dealers. I worked at one and I know what goes on.. I don't give up that easy. I'm sure someone can help me out.
[image: View Post]Smokey74, on 28 February 2010 - 12:40 PM, said:
[image: View Post]BaileyRock, on 28 February 2010 - 01:35 PM, said:
Wish I could help Troy, but I hate electrical and my harness is still stock at 70k miles with only the blue connector ground mod i did a few years ago! :rolleyes:
BR
Thanks anyway.. I'm half tempted to do the same. Everything was fine until I installed the recall sub-harness..
I would stop the stress and just put the original sub-harness and add the extra ground from the Blue Connector fix thread.
Then you research all you want about the new harness and still ride! :fing02:
[image: View Post]BaileyRock, on 28 February 2010 - 01:45 PM, said:
[image: View Post]Smokey74, on 28 February 2010 - 12:40 PM, said:
[image: View Post]BaileyRock, on 28 February 2010 - 01:35 PM, said:
Wish I could help Troy, but I hate electrical and my harness is still stock at 70k miles with only the blue connector ground mod i did a few years ago! :rolleyes:
BR
Thanks anyway.. I'm half tempted to do the same. Everything was fine until I installed the recall sub-harness..
I would stop the stress and just put the original sub-harness and add the extra ground from the Blue Connector fix thread.
Then you research all you want about the new harness and still ride! :fing02:
I have another bike so I'm not really stressed about being able to ride it. It will be a few weeks before I ride anyway. The roads around here are in poor shape. I think I will put the original sub-harness back on though. Everything was fine until I plugged the new one in.. Should have been a simple plug and play.
Ok.. here's another question.. the only wires that seem to be getting hot are the 3 yellow wires on the connector that comes out from under the frame (the one disconnected that I'm holding in my pic). New sub-harness or not, what would cause those particular wires to have too much juice going through them? Stator? Bad ground?? Voltage regulator??
I am surprised no one mentioned that the 3 wire plug is from your Stator...without it the bike will not charge at all (physically impossible as the alternator is not even in the system). If the 3 yellow wires are getting hot, then the connector is either dirty, causing increased resistance, or the R/R is shorted out internally.
I too opted to not get the Sub Harness work done, I went with the VFRness fix and the blue connector fix...so far no electrical issues. I did have to replace that connector when I first worked on the bike, it had melted down because of the heat...A new connector appears to have solved it for me.
[image: View Post]Tightwad, on 28 February 2010 - 07:54 PM, said:
I am surprised no one mentioned that the 3 wire plug is from your Stator...without it the bike will not charge at all (physically impossible as the alternator is not even in the system). If the 3 yellow wires are getting hot, then the connector is either dirty, causing increased resistance, or the R/R is shorted out internally.
I too opted to not get the Sub Harness work done, I went with the VFRness fix and the blue connector fix...so far no electrical issues. I did have to replace that connector when I first worked on the bike, it had melted down because of the heat...A new connector appears to have solved it for me.
Thank you.. The 3 yellow wires are getting hot on the stator side of the connection, does that still mean it's the R/R? The conector itself is in good shape and the connection is clean. I also used dielectric grease. Since I have the replacement harness installed already and it sounds like my issue has nothing to do with it, I guess it would make sense to leave the new harness on and just replace the R/R at this point or do you think I would be better off going back to the original sub-harnes and doing the mod you and BR mentioned?
Ok.. I dug my multi-meter out and read the instructions. Found an online Honda service manual and also ordered a paper manual for the future. The stator checked out fine and the rectifier didn't. I found a replacement R/R for $89 so I'll order one and hope it solves the problem. I'm leaving the recall harness on for now until I have the new R/R and have a chance to test it. Thanks for the help. :fing02:
[image: View Post]Smokey74, on 01 March 2010 - 08:30 PM, said:
Ok.. I dug my multi-meter out and read the instructions. Found an online Honda service manual and also ordered a paper manual for the future. The stator checked out fine and the rectifier didn't. I found a replacement R/R for $89 so I'll order one and hope it solves the problem. I'm leaving the recall harness on for now until I have the new R/R and have a chance to test it. Thanks for the help. :fing02:
Sounds like you got it figured out. Good luck with the new R/R. I would certainly leave the recall harness on, as well as doing a charging system upgrade to the wiring. See the "Beef up Dem Wires" thread pinned in this forum, as well as the link in my Signature.
Keep us posted how you make out. For the record, I hear you on the dealer thing. Hopefully I don't have any issues, because it will be a cold day in hell before I let mine go there. When I called about the recall, no one there even knew what I was talking about until they looked it up. In fact, no one had even worked on a 6th gen VFR! Not exactly confidence inspiring....
[image: View Post]Tightwad, on 02 March 2010 - 12:09 AM, said:
[image: View Post]Smokey74, on 01 March 2010 - 08:30 PM, said:
Ok.. I dug my multi-meter out and read the instructions. Found an online Honda service manual and also ordered a paper manual for the future. The stator checked out fine and the rectifier didn't. I found a replacement R/R for $89 so I'll order one and hope it solves the problem. I'm leaving the recall harness on for now until I have the new R/R and have a chance to test it. Thanks for the help. :fing02:
Sounds like you got it figured out. Good luck with the new R/R. I would certainly leave the recall harness on, as well as doing a charging system upgrade to the wiring. See the "Beef up Dem Wires" thread pinned in this forum, as well as the link in my Signature.
Not sure I follow you on the charging system upgrade.. When I received the recall harness it also came with new wires and fuse for the battery hookups. Is that what your talking about? I saw the rectifier you offer. I think I know your answer but do you think a cheaper aftermarket R/R is a bad idea? The one you offer is $70 more than one I found through parts unlimited but if it's truely worth that much more, I might buy it.
Well... the new R/R didn't solve the problem. It must be the stator. FML.. :pissed: I'm going to order a new stator tomorrow. The R/R I got is an Electrosport brand. Some guys said only use OEM or Ricks and others swear it doesn't matter. It's got a 1 year warranty which or more than others and the cooling fins are bigger than stock.
End of thread · 23 posts recoveredWayback Machine snapshot 10 Apr 2010