testrider

I'm curious as to the failure rate of the XX stator. Mine is a 97 and has 47k miles. I'm wondering if I should get it replaced before my next long trip?
Thank you for your votes.
-mike-

TheDuck

1999 FI, original failed at 39972 miles. Reg/Rec and battery needed replacement as well - replacements from JAWS and no issues since. Usual is for one winding to go down. When I replaced the failed unit the readings were 45V(AC), 43V & 2.3V!
When I rebuilt 'The Duck' I checked the stator it was showing some bad burning and black deposits at 19K miles. I replaced it without testing.
As an observation, the oil supply to the stator is very low (it runs in very little oil) and as such the oil contributes very little to cooling.

flblackbird

My OEM failed @ around 31k, then 7 months later the aftermarket one I installed failed also, now I'm on my third, with a new rect\reg also.

__________________
Mike
02 Silver Bird

CanadianBird

My '02 failed at approx. 60,000 kms. I replaced it with an oem and new battery. I replaced my rr with an oem at approx 120,000 kms or so. It didn't need one but I did it anyway. I originally bought one from Jaws but it didn't fit so I returned it (another sad story). I now nurse my Bird on a battery tender when not riding. I might very well be riding the original r&r at 134,000 kms but who knows.

KiwiBird

My '99 failed at about 60000 km when I was on tour in the south island of NZ last year. Got through the tour by buying another battery and swapping them overnight. Rather than buying a new stator (~NZ$800), I had it rewound by a guy who has a business rewinding electrical components for classic bikes. He was really dismissive of the "designed and built to a really cheap price" philosophy of the major manufacturers and rewound it to last (his words). All for NZ$200!

testrider

Thanks guys. So far we see all failed stator were on FI bikes. Could it be even though the FI XX has higher alternator output (460W vs 390W) but it has to run the fuel pump, fuel injectors, computer that it ends up overwork?

KiwiBird

It shouldn't be overworked. When mine failed and I continued the tour by swapping 2 batteries, I pulled the lighting fuses to reduce current drain (headlights can't be switched off on NZ spec 'birds) but left everything else operating normally and I covered around 400 km between battery swaps including several engine restarts after stopping so the operating load isn't very high. I think that 2002 models were the last with stators which gave trouble.

CanadianBird

Stator, $800 NZ. Ouch!!!

KiwiBird

Equivalent to about US$500 at the time for the OEM Honda item. I had no intention of ordering one when it failed as the Honda agent I went to for diagnostics said it would be 2 weeks ex-Japan. He also said that the price was outrageous and gave me the name of the rewinder who repaired it for me when I returned home. The Honda dealer said that most Honda dealers sent repair work to him for all types of Honda bikes and farm equipment because his price was sharp and his rewinds were ultra-reliable. Going to Jaws was my other option but I elected to go local on this occasion.

Strek

I've got a 99. No failures.

dad

dad: failed - '99 F1 mod @ 50K - see electrical forum for the bitchin'

Edde

I too have a 99' so far so good at 25k

testrider

Thanks! For those who did or didn't have a failure, could you also post your mileage?
Thanks.

shewie

A bit over 18000 kms.

testrider

Thanks! Please vote, there must be a lot more XX than 13 so far? :-)
-mike-

VideoMike

My '02 BB has just over 20,000 miles and not a problem with the alternator, however, no mods have been done to the bike to pull any additional current from the alternator such as higher wattage bulbs, etc. Kind of sad that Honda went to oil cooling of the windings and then didn't supply enough spray to keep them cool. So much for the 460 watt rating. I used to do three-phase motor rewinding for a shop so I might try my hand at rewinding my alternator if it goes belly up. I would like to put thicker wire in it to handle more current. Do any of you know if Honda used Aluminium wire instead of Copper wire for the stator winding? That would account for early failure.

--mike--

Strek

Mine is a 99 with about 12000 miles. No failures yet.

Logoman

I replaced my stator along with my wrecked stator cover. It wasn't bad, yet, but the insulation on the wiring just crumbled between my fingers like charcoal so I thought I may as well replace it while everything was apart. I put a Rick's stator in there, but had to do some simple mods on the wiring to get the rubber grommets to line up right with the cover.

Gbcbr

I have a 2003, 16000 miles, no problem.

testrider

Please keep them coming. I'll collect all the info and make a table and will post it to make this useful.

When you vote, please also post:

year/mileage/failed or no fail

and I will add them up later.

So far, there were 8 failed (all 99 and later) and 10 no-fail. That seems pretty high...

8 failed out of a total 18, that's 44% failure.