97 CBR F3 won't start

ssimon · 04-24-2007, 1:56 PM

Hey.....Last week my bike stalled at a light. I tried to start it up again but i didn't have any juice from the battery. The gauges were very dim. I got someone to jump start it for me and it started up fine. I immediately went to a local battery store and picked up a new battery. Today, WHILE I was cruising the damn engine cut off on me. It was the same deal as before. I was on a good hill so i was able to push start it. 2 miles later it died again. Push starting it didn't help. Eventually the gauges turned from dim to completely blank. I got someone to jump start it again for me and it started right up. As soon as i take the jumping cable off it died. I even tried to rev the engine a little to keep it at a high rpm and it worked till i let the RPM drop. Right now I am using a battery charger to top off my battery so hopefully i can give the bike enough juice to make it home. From reading this forum I narrowed it down to the stator or the rectifier. Can anyone tell me how to check the stator and rectifier to see if they are bad or not? I can't thank you guys enough for the help!

*slorider18* · 04-24-2007, 2:41 PM

it is most likely the RR. i would doubt it's your stator. in auto alternators the "stator" and "rectifier" are both inclosed in the part, so when the rectifier goes bad (which is usually what goes bad) then you have to replace the whole thing. the nice thing about bikes is the rectifier is external. so you will only have to replace that. when it goes bad the charging system will no longer charge the battery. you can run the bike till the charge on the battery goes to low, then it will stall. if you have a multi meter you can use the flow chart on the link below to narrow it down. but from what you descrbed it's for sure the rectifier. i just went through the same thing about 5 months ago. i found a used oem one on ebay for just over thirty dollars. good luck...
Motorcycle Electrical Parts (ElectroSport Industries)

*slorider18* · 04-24-2007, 2:42 PM

let me know how it goes.

ssimon · 04-24-2007, 3:09 PM

Thanks a lot man! I will def let you know!

unwise · 04-26-2007, 11:50 AM

Don't buy a used one!

They have changed the design from a resin-filled heatsink to a metal-finned heatsink. The new design works much better, as it actually sheds heat. You can get the new design when you order from the dealer. It should be about $75.

*slorider18* · 04-26-2007, 1:27 PM

oem from the dealer is $180.00, i could buy 4-5 used one's for that price. i'll take my chances. i see where your name came from. goodness.

SJ96F3 · 04-26-2007, 2:01 PM

That's freaking ridiculous. I have a 96F3 and the exact same thing happened to me last weekend. I went for a ride with a friend and after 40 miles it started to cut out when the RPMs dropped (pulling away from stops) and after 50 miles it just died at a stop sign. I pushed it into a parking lot and recharged the battery to 100% and it ran fine until the battery eventually drained again. It's in the shop right now waiting for someone to have a look at it. I'll let you know what they say.

*slorider18* · 04-26-2007, 2:05 PM

it's the RR, i promise. mine did it last december. i have been fine ever since.

unwise · 04-26-2007, 2:05 PM

You have a dealer that is robbing you. I bought one at a dealer last year and while I can't remember exactly how much it was, it wasn't $180 otherwise I wouldn't have bought one.

Mine died out in the "middle of nowhere". It also cooked the battery because of the heat generated. I wouldn't want you to be in my situation with a used RR that dies pretty far away from anywhere. The guy I bought my F3 from had put a used RR on.

ssimon · 04-26-2007, 5:58 PM

No way man!!.....I called the dealer yesterday....$130+tax. Even for a used one on ebay its $50. I even called a salvage yard and they said $80! I did find a good deal on bikebandit.com for an aftermarket one. slorider.....after troubleshooting using the link you sent me im not so sure if its the RR anymore. The voltage seems to be fine. I am about to go take my gas tank off so i can test the connection coming from the stator. Will keep you guys posted. SJ96....Do let me know what the shop says! After reading up online the RR seems to be a common prob with the F3.....thanks guys!

Atreyu · 04-26-2007, 6:05 PM

I agree with slo, I had an issue almost identical to this happen on my 900 a few months ago, only difference was the stator went out and burned out the RR, replace the RR and you should be fine

unwise · 04-26-2007, 6:13 PM

Well, the more that I think about it I do remember it was $200 for a battery and a RR. Seems like a lot but it is worth it to get the non-resin heatsink type, cuz then it basically won't ever happen again.

ssimon · 04-27-2007, 10:03 AM

Seems like it is the RR. At first when i checked the resistance of the stator wires coming into the RR, I was not able to get a reading. So i took the gas tank off and tested the wires coming in directly from the stator. No prob at all. I was scared that it was the wiring going to the RR that went bad. I stuck the connector back in and tested the stator cables going to the RR one more time. I was able to get a good reading this time! I was hoping that it was just a loose connection and there is nothing wrong with the RR or stator, but when i tested the batteries the voltage did not go up when i revved the engine. It went up by like .20V which is nowhere close to the 13.5v mark! I will let you guys know when i get a new RR. Atreyu....do you think if there is a loose connection between the stator and RR the RR will burn out? Maybe thats what happened!

*slorider18* · 04-27-2007, 11:29 AM

from the reaserch i have done the oem RR's just don't dissapait the heat well. That's why the aftermarkets have the "fins" or "shanks". the idea is the more surface area the cooler it will stay. mine went out because i popped the fuse for my cooling fan the my F3 overheaded and cooked the RR.

ssimon · 05-10-2007, 10:18 AM

It was the RR! Stuck a new one in and the battery jumped to over 14V during revs. slorider....owe you one brother!

Cesario · 05-11-2007, 8:39 PM

hey hey. having the same issue with my '95. gonna try to find a new RR a hope it works.

on another note, does anybody know how many miles/kilometers per tank on a '95?

*slorider18* · 05-14-2007, 5:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ssimon

It was the RR! Stuck a new one in and the battery jumped to over 14V during revs. slorider....owe you one brother!

Not a problem, that's what i'm here for. donations are also gladly accepted via paypal.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cesario

hey hey. having the same issue with my '95. gonna try to find a new RR a hope it works.

on another note, does anybody know how many miles/kilometers per tank on a '95?

i get around 140-150, depends how i'm riding. you should be able to get at least 120 on your primary though.

*sinfuldragon* · 05-14-2007, 7:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by slorider18

Not a problem, that's what i'm here for. donations are also gladly accepted via paypal.

If someone actually pays you to stay here I'm leaving for good

*slorider18* · 05-14-2007, 11:50 PM

don't be jealous

SJ96F3 · 05-21-2007, 10:09 AM

I'm still dealing with this issue on my 96F3. The rectifier was replaced but apparently the excess heat from it dying also fried the 6-pin connector? My options according to the dealer are to get a whole new wire harness (very expensive considering the bikes only worth about $1500) or to find one from a salvage yard. Any ideas about this 6-pin connector?

ssimon · 05-21-2007, 12:09 PM

Try ebay dude! I got my RR on ebay for $40....im sure you can get the harness for a similar price! If you really want to ghetto rig it....im sure you can get individual wires and replace the ones that burnt out!

Atreyu · 05-21-2007, 12:22 PM

hell do it yourself for under 10 bucks....just go to the auto store and get the corrct gauge wire some wire connectors and the ends, go back and cut the connector off strip it back to fresh wire add a wire conector and a fresh piece f wire that you bought and crimp together, then strip the end of that wire add the conector end, crimp off and hook up to the appropriate conection on the R/R

SJ96F3 · 05-21-2007, 12:31 PM

Found a salvage place that actually stocks these connectors because apparently they do burn out more often than not. $25.00.

Atreyu · 05-21-2007, 12:34 PM

not a bad deal, do it

pthueson · 07-07-2007, 12:07 AM

i've got a question. i stumbled on yall talkin about electrical problems because i've been searching for an answer about my bike. its a 97 cbr f3 and last week the battery died. i took the seat off and hooked jumper cables up to it. i turned the key on and nothing still. when i looked back i noticed that like an idiot i'd put the jumpers on backwards on my bike. i quickly took them off, but now when i turn the key on i've got nothing still. i checked the 5 or 6 fuses that are up front and they are all still good. any advice????? its summer and i jus wanna ride!!!

*slorider18* · 07-07-2007, 2:37 AM

i have to check again, but there is another main fuse located just under the battery box on the clutch side of the bike. it's a small block, i think a 30 amp. i'll look at my service manual. be sure to check that alsol. I'm not at home at the moment, but i'll post what i find tomorrow. here is a link to a fault finding chart for charging systems on bikes. you can start with this. Motorcycle Electrical Parts (ElectroSport Industries)

good luck. i'll get you some info asap.

pthueson · 07-10-2007, 3:49 AM

jus wonderin if you found anything else or any other info that could help!! thanks!!

phil sabin · 07-10-2007, 3:45 PM

Slorider is right their is a big fuse mounted on the left side of the Battery box...Think theirs a rubber flap covering it up

*slorider18* · 07-12-2007, 1:23 AM

from the service manual you need to check the battery votage first. just to make sure it's charged. then check the battery terminals. check the main fuse to the just under the battery box on the clutch side. with all that intact you then need to check the connections from the ignition. once you get all the lights to come on you can move on from there. what happened in the first place. did your bike stop running or is it comming out of storage????

pthueson · 07-12-2007, 1:57 AM

well yes its been in storage. and the battery was dead, so i jumped it, or so i thought, and put the jumper cables on backwards like an idiot. since the backwards jump nothing at all will turn on. nothing. no lights, and no start. also, i put the battery on a charger, and trickle charged it overnight, but it did not hold a charge. i took the battery to checker for them to test it and it read 'bad' so i guess i ruined the battery by reversing the cables. i'll check the big fuse under the battery box i guess. i already checked the fuse box that has a couple fuses like the ignition fuse, and a fan fuse, and a couple others, and they were all good. could the backwards cables on the battery have ruined the ECU or the Rectifier and could that be the cause for nothing to turn on when i turn the key?