Electrical Insanity with '87 CBR600

Every so-many years, I get a Pulse-Generator failure.

The PG assembly has 2 elements, each drives a coil. A yellow element and a
blue element.

Honda likes, money, money, money. Even if you don't got none. They
sell only the assembly (~$70).

My previously failed PG (sitting my workbench) had a bad yellow element.

My currently failed PG has a bad blue element.

I'm thinking maybe I can use the older blue element (tests at 400
ohms) as a replacement on the currently failed assembly, on which
the yellow tests OK at 535 ohms. Involves only some ugly splicing,
couple tiny wire-nuts (I think).

Any reason this wouldn't be practical (or at least worth a try)?
I don't like to do such stuff, but, to a material extent, the new
units (as well as the old) are kinda junk/garbage. Six of one,
a half dozen of the other.

P

"I Ain't Blind, I Just Don't Wanna See"
- the title of a tune by Little Joe Blue, maybe 1966

 

If you can't find a supplier with pre-glued heat shrink tubing, just buy
some hot melt glue sticks from a hardware store, heat the end with a lighter
and smear the molten end onto the soldered join before slipping the heat
shrink over it.

 

Uh-oh. Given my meager soldering skills and equipment, I'm likely
in trouble. The way it's shaping up, I'd have 2 " or a bit less
to work with.

Anybody know of a good online soldering primer?

Lost me on that one. There's 2 bolts holding each of the pulse elements:
don't see any variable alignment facility.

Thx,
P

"I Ain't Blind, I Just Don't Wanna See"
- the title of a tune by Little Joe Blue, maybe 1966

 

Hi
I'd like to know how you make out. I've got the same bike and have had the
same problems. There is a guy in Quebec that sells new stators and Pulse
gens for a lot of older bikes atvs and pwcs. For some reason he charges more
to deliver in Canada than US so if/when I buy I will send it to my US
address and pick it up. I seem to recall you might be in Canada also?? I'll
try to find the guys url later.
Hank

 

I'll be glad to share info.

It might be a while: it's mostly too hot to work on the ancient
beast just now. Might get something done by weeks end.

I am in the midwest US.

P

"I Ain't Blind, I Just Don't Wanna See"
- the title of a tune by Little Joe Blue, maybe 1966

 

I'm a soldering expert. I used to be certified to do NASA soldering on
manned spacecraft.

You need a small soldering pencil with a clean tip. If it's not clean,
file it smooth so you see the copper.

Then *tin* the bare copper tip by applying 50/50 *rosin core* solder
to the hot tip, and wipe off any oxide residue with a wet cloth.

Take some scrap copper stranded wire to practice with. Strip it back
about an inch and then twist the strands together.

Touch your *solder* to the tip of the hot iron as it rests on the
bench, then touch the stripped end of the wire to the molten drop of
solder on the iron to heat it up.

The solder will flow to the wire. Add more solder, and it will wick up
the wire.

Don't let the solder wick up underneath the insulation though.

When you have two practice pieces of wire nicely tinned, twist them
together and hold them against the soldering iron tip and add a little
more solder.

You will have a nice strong solder joint. A good solder joint is nice
and smooth and shiny, it doesn't look dull or grainy.

Do that again, and you're an expert solderer like me.

Then you can confidently apply your new skill to the valuable
electrical parts on your bike.

 

This is the first hit from google:

http://www.epemag.wimborne.co.uk/solderfaq.htm

Its mainly aimed at soldering circuit boards but some of the basic
principles will apply to any soldering.

Often I find the copper strands on motorcycle wiring are oxidised black and
simply won't take solder, I use "active" plumbers flux. The way I normally
join wires is end to end overlap so once the heat shrink sleeve is on the
join its almost as smooth as a straight length of wire, some people twist
the wires together before soldering but if it isn't adequately fluxed and
only takes solder in blobs it makes a right mess to untangle!

Start by stripping about 1cm of insulation and twist the strands into a
bundle as straight and even as possible, then dip it in the flux, touch the
tip of the iron on the wire and as soon as the flux starts to melt and drip
off apply the solder wire until the bundle of strands is evenly tinned. Do
the same to both ends to be joined and let them cool, then slip the heat
shrink tube onto the longest wire (to keep it away from the heat while you
join the wires) - next pin down one of the wires with the tinned end
pointing toward you at a slight angle and with a steady hand hold the other
tinned end alongside it and simply melt them together. Finally slip the
tubing over the joint and heat shrink it.

 

I'm a soldering expert. I used to be certified to do NASA soldering on
manned spacecraft.

You need a small soldering pencil with a clean tip. If it's not clean,
file it smooth so you see the copper.

................but first make sure its not an expensive iron plated bit
otherwise you'll ruin it!

 

They were too stiff to twist.

You were supposed to add a "smiley" after such statement.

A bit more practise ...

Thx,
P

"I Ain't Blind, I Just Don't Wanna See"
- the title of a tune by Little Joe Blue, maybe 1966

 

I didn't have any tubing, but I practised this today. Seems to work
quite well if I watch like a hawk, don't get too-much or too-little
solder on it, etc.

Used my old flux from soldering water pipes. Found some scrap wire
about the same size (maybe 24 ga.). Joined rather well.

Anybody know where (what kind of shop) I might find a small quantity of heat
shrink tubing in the midwest US?

Much Thanks,
Puddin'

"I Ain't Blind, I Just Don't Wanna See"
- the title of a tune by Little Joe Blue, maybe 1966

 

That's probably ACID flux. Don't use it on your motorcycle wiring, as
it will eventually corrode the copper.

While you're shopping for heat shrink tubing, buy a small roll of
ROSIN CORE solder.

 

Thanks. I'll see if I can't find some tomorrow.

Forgot to ask. Tubing comes with instructions? If not, how to shrink?
Torch? Cig lighter?

P

"I Ain't Blind, I Just Don't Wanna See"
- the title of a tune by Little Joe Blue, maybe 1966

 

A cigarette lighter or match is sufficient. Keep the flame moving. The
tubing will burn if it gets hot enough.

 

The correct way is to use a hot air gun specifically designed for that
purpose, I usually use a cigarette lighter - the best type is a "windproof"
type with a jet flame like a very tiny blowtorch. As mentioned by someone
else the tubing scorches easily, so keep the flame moving, the tube can also
split if you overheat it.

 

That's probably ACID flux. Don't use it on your motorcycle wiring, as
it will eventually corrode the copper.

While you're shopping for heat shrink tubing, buy a small roll of
ROSIN CORE solder.

Which will just clump in little blobs on oxidised wire!

 

Here is the guy I mentioned earlier. He repairs/rebuilds unobtainable
stators etc and mfrs new ones. He lists a stator complete with pickups
pretty cheap (130) but no pickups separate for the cbr. I haven't purchased
anything from him but probably will this winter.
http://www.rmstator.com/index.php/Motorcycles/Honda/CBR600F1/_CBR_600_F1_Generator_Stator/241
Some pretty comical franglais on his page btw.
Hank

 

I dunno.

Sez "Kester soldering paste flux with zinc chloride". Doesn't say
anything about acid.

I used hollow-core solder that came with my $6 (20 years ago) Radio

P

"I Ain't Blind, I Just Don't Wanna See"
- the title of a tune by Little Joe Blue, maybe 1966

 

These days most plumbers flux is water soluble so you can clean any excess
off with a damp rag, I've been using the stuff for years and never had any
problem with wires corroding.

 

I couldn't find an '87 Pulse-Generator on the site.

I'm guessing it's a good price for the stator (hope I
never need). Damned spark unit was about $415 at
Svc. Honda. None of this stuff is cheap.

P

"I Ain't Blind, I Just Don't Wanna See"
- the title of a tune by Little Joe Blue, maybe 1966

 

It appears to have worked.

Here are gory detials.

The Pulse-Generator assembly consists of 2 magnetic elements, each
with 2 connecting wires. Near as I can tell, each element fires an
element in the spark unit, and each of those files one of the 2
coils. Each coil fires 2 cyl's.

The PG's mount with allen screws in the left crank (starting clutch)
cover. Maybe 5 " of wire inside the cover, then 2 rubber grommets
to seal, then about 12 " terminating in a connector mounting just
behind the gas tank.

Back around '96, the yellow element (with yellow and yellow/white
wires) failed. I saved the failed ass'y, replaced with a new. Last
mo. the blue element failed.

I took the blue element from the old, original PG, used it to
replace the blue on the newer ass'y. It was like sewing: little
tiny (maybe 24 ga.) wires, thread <this> end thru grommet, pull thru,
thread <that>, etc, etc.

Much thanks to ian, Mark, Jeff, ., etc for soldering tips. I
tinned and joined with shrink-tubing etc. I shoulda learned
such stuff 20+ years ago.

Tested new ass'y for ohms (~500), installed. Changed oil and ran a
load of B12 thru the floats while I had it apart.

Voila! It works. Still misses a bit 1000-1800 rpm, but it's
running better than before.

Onliest thing was, my Loctite went bad, so I installed without
it. Debating whether to re-do that part with new Loctite or not.
The allen screws really felt good and tight, so, I dunno.

Skoal,
Puddin'

"I Ain't Blind, I Just Don't Wanna See"
- the title of a tune by Little Joe Blue, maybe 1966