CBR Wrenching, Looking For US Riding Buddies

[Zealot]

Got the old girl patched up a little more after some electrical issues. New R/R, plugs, and battery seems to have fixed her up and she's peppy as ever. My 2nd cylinder spark plug had burn marks on the white ceramic part, which makes me suspect it wasn't seated fully. The threads in the plug holes are kind of weird on this bike, and 2/3 have both given me trouble whereas 1/4 are easy peasy. It's likely got something to do with the many, many POs and questionable history of this bike. They seem to be better set this time around, since I took things carefully, and the rubber boots on top are all quite close to even in their height above the engine block. #2 especially before was raised... Here's to hoping!

I'm planning a trip down to the US hopefully sometime this summer. It may not pan out, but I'd really like to do it - as I've got some friends down there who I'd like to meet. That being said, if I'm headed down and around between Indiana, Kentucky, and finally up to NY - I wouldn't mind extending my trip and getting to meet people who conveniently fall along the way. Any of you guys live somewhere along or between those lines?

(hardest part of my trip will be getting over the fear that my bike is going to explode on me part way)

 

[TownsendsFJR1300]

So it was the battery??? Failed the load test?

I never saw an update to your original thread..

Also, re your spark plug caps, if they fit like the FZ, (very tight with the valve cover), put a dab of dielectric
grease on the boot and it'll literally POP on. You hear and feel it positively snap on-no doubt..

 

[Zealot]

So it was the battery??? Failed the load test?

I never saw an update to your original thread..

Also, re your spark plug caps, if they fit like the FZ, (very tight with the valve cover), put a dab of dielectric
grease on the boot and it'll literally POP on. You hear and feel it positively snap on-no doubt..

That advice does ring a bell... Too late now for that, but I'll be sure to lather them up next time.

Bike seems to be running a bit more peppy now (sounds different too), crank over a bit faster, and all my electrical stuff like signals and high beams work flawlessly. Old battery voltage was low, and not quite charging either so - two pronged.

 

[Zealot]

Welp... Seems like another problem has popped up. After two days of riding, my battery boiled away and it died on the highway. Alternator, or perhaps an improper ground somewhere considering the R/R has been replaced, which you would think would prevent this - I'm so over it. Fault R/R maybe... Yeugh.

Selling this lemon, hopefully. The list of things that likely need work, along with those that have yet to make themselves known is growing too much.

 

[TownsendsFJR1300]

Check the charging voltage, sounds like the VR.

Did you get an aftermarket or OEM regulator?


Ready for an FZ again?

 

[Zealot]

Check the charging voltage, sounds like the VR.

Did you get an aftermarket or OEM regulator?


Ready for an FZ again?

I replaced the regulator with a highly reviewed, ElectroSport one. Had proper labels on it and everything. Two plastic connections underneath that were as straight forward as it gets - and the metal was clean for the connections. Previously, my battery voltage was low and stayed low, and this time around now that part of the charging system has been fixed - it seems to have overcharged. Google has told me it's either the alternator or an improper ground somewhere. If it's an improper ground, I haven't the first clue where it would be and most wires I can see are in a good spot. The worst offenders for bad wiring would be under the tail for my rear lights and turn signals, but when I had it serviced back in March the Honda tech said he did some playing around back there and the connections look and work good - I also wonder if something such as tail lights or signals could truly cause a short to such an extent, considering the tiny wires back there. Wasn't triggered by using my turn signals, that's for sure.

I've got a stator I'm buying off Kijiji on Thursday, and I'm going to be tearing the bike apart in the week following that, investigating wires and connections with my buddy who's mechanically inclined. Full tear down and as much inspection as we can handle. In the mean time, I've got an ad posted in which I'll happily sell the bike if somebody takes interest - because I'm feeling pretty indifferent towards it. I know I need to fix this problem, and do the steering head bearings if not the clutch too based on that weird sound I posted about recently. God knows what else is going to go awry in the near future, for this continued money pit. I'm finding some super low mile, 7 or less year old bikes for sale between 6.5-8K - such as some 09 CBRs, 09 Daytonas, 11+ GSXRs, etc. Worst come to worst I'm even considering saving a bit of money and shooting to finance something, although I'll need to run some insurance quotes. A newer GSXR600 or ZX6R with it's 636 torque would be nice, me thinks.