VintageVmax.com

Still playin with my 83 Vmax. When I got the sled, only the dash lights and rear taillight worked...so the headlight, brake light, temp guage, handwarmers, thumb warmer etc don't work. I started testing voltage (with it running) at various connectors at the column and found nothing. I inspected the brake bulb and it was good. I reconnected all connectors and now nothing works...haha. I don't know where to begin. I'm wondering if my lighting coil maybe took a crap.

Does anyone have a wiring diagram or can anyone give me a few tips on where to begin...what wires to ohm for the coil

I'm thinking a service manual may be worth the $$ for this sled

Thanks

It sounds like it is the lighting coil so I will give you the specs. on the coil as per the Yamaha service manual. The book says that the coil should be 0.22 ohms.+or - 10% at 68 degrees F. I had my lighting coil go bad once on my 83 and did the very same thing.The wires you want to test are the yellow & black wires at the engine connection.if you test the voltage at that point and there is little or no voltage then the coil is shot.If the coil is bad you can get them from any place that sells sled parts a lot cheaper then thought Yamaha, Dennis Kerk , may even sell them it is the same coil that Yamaha uses on a lot of other sleds, you don't need to buy a complete stater. You also may want to check the voltage regulator if the coil checks out OK, an easy way to test it is to start it up let it idle and unhook the wire at the regulator and ground it if the lights come on then the reg. is bad just don't rev it up or you will blow all your bulbs.I hope this helps

Hey, thanks for the info. The wires ohmed out ok, but no voltage is coming out (ac nor dc).

Does the motor need to be pulled to get the flywheel off? If so, its not worth my time to have lights this year. GRRR

Andrew

Nevermind, I just got the stator out. Yay! I'll let ya know what happens when I get the new coil in.

Andrew

I can't beleive it only took me an hour to get the stator out. Below is an image of the stator. The windings on the lighting coil are super loose...I'm sure this was the problem.

Hi, It sounds like you may be on the right track. My only advice for you at this time is to make sure you Locktight the screws that hold the lighting coil to the stator plate and the screws that hold the plate to the flywheel housing and get them TIGHT. It is hard to get the stator plate tight when the engine is in the chassie because the frame is in the way. I have seen them come loose to the point where one screw fell out while the engine was running and destroyed the stator and flywheel. That guy got lucky as it is possible to wreck the gearcase and bend the crank if something like that were to occure at high RPM.
Good Luck Phil

Just to update this post; I replaced the lighting coil and all the lights work now. I had to replace two bulbs and re-wire the handwarmers. All systems go...