HELP - Self Induced Electrical Gremlin

[Frostbite]

I have a 2015 Proclimb and I have a self induced electrical problem. I installed the Barcode A arm kit and had printed a copy of the instructions I printed from a copier that was apparently out of red ink that I took to my shop for the installation. You have to relocate (move forward) your upper shock mounts with the kit and the clutch side was no problem. I drilled the three holes and shot the stainless steel rivets. On the pipe side I tried the same thing and I kept thinking, the material on this side of the sled can't be this much thicker.... it wasn't! I had drilled into the voltage regulator. I called Allen and asked why there was no warning to remove it and sure enough, on his online instructions there sure is but, it is in red as a warning and my printer failed to print it.

So, I thought, how bad is it? I fired up the sled and it ran fine. Fine enough that I took it to the mountains. I ran fine when I unloaded it but, when it was time to go I had a strange bog. Then I noticed I had lost my gauge, followed throughout the day by my headlight and taillight. The sled has a weird boggy feel and wouldn't rev normally and after riding for several hours, I though, if I lose power to my fuel injectors or plugs I am screwed. So I left my buddies, went back to the truck and went home. When I got home and removed the hood I checked the fuses and the lighting fuse was blown. That was it. I removed the voltage regulator and sure enough, there were three holes in it. So, I ordered a new original equipment (or so I believe) voltage regulator. I replaced it and the sled still fires right up with a fairly weak low idle (but it does idle). My gauge is still not lighting up and I still have that weird boggy sound when I rev up the engine. I haven't taken the hood off again yet to see what fuse is blown this time. I thought that replacing the fuses and replacing the voltage regulator would fix the problem but, it doesn't seem to have fixed the problem. That being the case, where do you suggest I look next?

 

[line8]

Could the bad regulator have messed up the stator?
Only thinking outloud on that one. Friend used to have a Dragon that battled this and his regulator killed his stator.
My wife has a KLX that has struggled with this. Fixed with a better ground though.

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[Frostbite]

That's a good question line8. I am not the world's greatest electrical troubleshooter but, I did see a test in the manual for the stator if I am not mistaken. I was hoping that the swapping the regulator and fuses would do the trick. I guess I wasn't so lucky.

 

[boondocker97]

I would have the stator checked. When my regulator went the grip heaters got too hot, but it wasn't enough for the tail light or gage fuse to get popped. After the voltage regulator was eventually replaced the PCV went, followed by the stator shortly after. I have to think the failed regulator had a hand in the other two failures.

 

[Frostbite]

Great tip Boondocker97. I will have to figure out how to test it. Thank you!

 

[Frostbite]

I am still looking for ideas and need to address this issue. If you have any fresh ideas please share them. I will pull this sled into the shop and check to see what needs to be fixed. I do have a PCV on the sled as well. It could be that that failed after getting a full dose of unregulated juice! Other than that, I will look up how to electrically check the stator.

 

[kiliki]

when the regulator takes a hit your ecu, servo are all subject to over voltage. The ecu has capasitors and you can pop them if the voltage gets out of the range of them. Most times the stator will be fine unless you have a short (overloaded the stator.)

 

[Frostbite]

Thankfully, I have an extra ECU that I can give a try.

I have to wonder how the Power Commanders are at absorbing voltage spikes?

Thanks for the great idea Kiliki.

 

[Suzzy-Q]

IMO your stator is probably fine because it starts and runs but bogs, bogs are usually not a stator thing, but check anyway. The failing of your voltage regulator would have probably popped fuses, you need to check again and check all of them, there’s one in there that if it fails sled will start but be boggy. It is possible that you have fried your power commander I’ve seen fuel boxes/ecu’s/egt read outs etc. fail from this. Your ecu is probably fine because it runs but if you got a spare swap it after everything else has been check

 

[Frostbite]

Thanks Suzzy-Q, I was thinking the same thing. If the ECU was bad, it probably wouldn't start? The sled fires right up with a weak idle and will rev up but bogs. The gauges and the lights don't work. A bad Power Commander shouldn't affect the lights and gauge, right? I must have missed a fuse? I will get it out of the trailer and into the shop after hunting season and see what I can find. Thanks again.

 

[boondocker97]

I popped the fuse to the lights/gauge once and it would start and run, but felt like it was only running on one cylinder and would bog badly. Keep in mind stators don't have to be all or nothing. Mine died suddenly and completely, but I've heard of running Cats swapping new stators on and running all around better. Ricky Stator does rewinds that are as good or better than OEM if you find out that's the issue.

 

[kiliki]

you can also unplug your power commander to test it on a stand a short few hit on the throttle will not hurt it without it in the loop just to check

 

[Frostbite]

Great idea Kiliki, thanks!

 

[bgraff1]

disconnect your PCV and try it without, try your spare ECU. i would just get a new stator and change it out. i had weird issues for years i chased. wouldnt always be there, wouldnt always happen in the same senarios etc. had the stator checked out and it was within spec. i ended up changing it out for fun and it was the issue. i assume when it was getting warm it would have a bad solder joint that would be the issue but when it was cold it would check out fine. i would of ordered a new regulator off the bat instead of running it with 3 fricken holes in it

 

[mbcat]

When gauge goes out it's usually ecu. Flip over the ecu & look for melted resin, black spots. My 10 did exactly same when I accidentally hooked up grip warmers wrong. Started right up, no gauge & headlights burned up. My main ground had broke and grips shorted out burning up regulator and ecu. Old 600 lost ecu when bolts came loose & it rattled around. Gauge quit & smoke rolled out from under ecu

 

[Suzzy-Q]

disconnect your PCV and try it without, try your spare ECU. i would just get a new stator and change it out. i had weird issues for years i chased. wouldnt always be there, wouldnt always happen in the same senarios etc. had the stator checked out and it was within spec. i ended up changing it out for fun and it was the issue. i assume when it was getting warm it would have a bad solder joint that would be the issue but when it was cold it would check out fine. i would of ordered a new regulator off the bat instead of running it with 3 fricken holes in it

Lots of stators will pass resistance specks(not preferred method) or even sometimes basic pull cord dynamic tests for peak voltage(preferred test) however if you run things and get them hot then the failure occurs that’s when you need to test. Lots of shorted wires where insulation has broken down is only apparent when things heat up and expand a bit.

 

[Frostbite]

I swapped out the ECU for my spare one and started the sled and it starts fine. My headlight works but, the tail light didn't illuminate (I removed the tail light and checked it on my Alpha and it lights up fine). My gauges are not working at all. I checked the three fuses in nose of the sled and they are all good but, I replaced them all just to be safe. Are there more fuses that I should be checking other than the three above the power valve servo?

So where I am at is, the sled starts and idles fine but, I the gauges don't work and there is no power to the tail light but, my headlight works fine. Strange... HELP

 

[Frostbite]

I am fairly certain my sled is fixed. It appears the replacement voltage regulator I ordered the first time was defective. Because I ordered a second one because I couldn't find anything else wrong and I fired the sled up and the gauge and tail lights now work. I haven't ridden the sled yet but, I have high hopes that all will be well. Thanks for the help guys!

 

[Readymedic]

That is it for fuses, just those.