FZR 400/600 Electrical problems!

[ZeBiker]

Hi there

I have a few electrical problems with my bike.
When I brought the bike, it had a really old battery and it was cutting out all the time.
I replaced the battery. After runnning the bike, I noticed some fuses were blowing.
I have tested the volt meter and it appears that the reg is doing just fine.
During the video, I noticed one bulb is different from the other... would that make any difference.
Have you guys got any advice.

My apologies for my scummy brummie accent
http://youtu.be/NQwlZFvnoxs

[Evilchicken0]

You have a 1989 FZR400R 3en2

Good news - the battery, charging system and reg rec seem fine.

Bad news - that shitty rear end conversion. You'd do better to throw it away.
Firstly there should be an undertray as part of the seat, all the electrics mount onto it and to be honest with it all dangling down it doesn't look at all safe. You could easily be getting water up in there.
The problem is a bit difficult to diagose from the vid. I would have a look on the bay and get a standard tail for it, that's a subframe, palstics (or race seat) saddles and rear light - you can use a FZR600 3HE or the 400.

Check the headlights - if they're H4 units they've been changed to UK ones, have a look at the bulbs the usual rating was 35/35w in both lights. Judging by the tail somebody might have put in high wattage ones, which might be why the fuses are blowing, while your there check the wires aren't stiff and brittle from overheating.

Engine sounds ok, the can could do with being repacked, the high level looks a bit bit bodged.

Standard subframe


standard 3en2

[ZeBiker]

Thank you so much for the info!

The bike did come with the original subframe and part of the tail with the exception of a few bits.
I was considering making an undertray for the rear as the exposed wires are never a good thing.

I will start at the bulbs to see what rating and check the wires are ok.
Glad the charging system works then! But agreed, the engine does bog down a little.

However, I still cant find the main fuse? Is that unusual.
On all my bikes, I have had a main fuse.. but this one appears not to have one?

Thanks again

[Evilchicken0]

If you have a look on the web there's a manual for the fzr400, it has an SAC variant that was sold in California which is the 3en2. Haynes do a 600 manual which is probably more use
There's a standard plastic under tray and a rear under tray that has the mudguard as part of it that should sort s lot of this out.
You could simply junk the whole loom and use the 600 one.

[Mang]

i would start by checking the bulbs

if that blue one is a Xenon "type" - i say type because some of the imposters consume far far more than the stated wattage - I speak from experience- they also appear to consume much more energy just before they blow.

Remove the blue bulb and see if you still have the problems.

One of those lamps cost me weeks of problem solving on a bike 18 months ago. Normal bulbs although dim are much more reliable.

The mock Xenon ones lose there brightness with time as well which I am sure is part of the increased energy requirement.

This may not be your problem but that's where I would start as well as finding a way of securing all the wiring under the tail piece.

[ZeBiker]

Well I have taken out the bulbs and good news... no more blowing fuses.
However the 20a I had in was getting a bit warm but it wasnt blowing or burning up.
Shoud the fuse box be getting warm anyway?
I have ordered some standard 35/35 off the internet so will get them today.
I have ordered a main fuse off ebay, so will be fitting that.

Also, I did ride it around the block last night (about 2 miles) and got back and tested the voltage and it was running a tad over 15v. Do you think that its doing that because I didnt have the headlight bulbs in. It was testing much lower the other day.

I will be making a template over the weekend so I can make an undertray as a measure until the winter. Then I will put the original tail back on. Its not as simple as I wold like as the zorst would catch on the original fairing if I fitted it now.
I have been half tempted just to buy a whole new loom... do you think thats a good idea... and being I know very little about electrics, is it an easy job?

Thanks

[Evilchicken0]

I'd go for the loom - a lot of it will have coloured connector blocks as it's not as difficult as you might think. Lay the loom onto the bike and label it up, take some pictures and then just unplug and plug in. You could also get the 600 CDI unit, sell off the old one and exup servo and ride off into the sunset ... or round the block again

[Mang]

If the fuses are getting hot then it's a sign of too much resistance somewhere in the system, probably a wire breaking down and the headlamps were pushing it past the fuse limit. You say you are getting 15volts across the battery I would say that is high but I don't know enough about these bikes to say if is ok or not. Evil's advice is sound regarding the loom and they are nowhere near as complicated as they first look, in fact, the yam ones are very easy because of the colour coded connector system. Down load a colour wiring diagram, I am certain there is one in the library here and work through the loom logically taking your time. You will be amazed at how logical the spaghetti is!