VintageVmax.com

Have a 1983 Vmax I have been working on for years now. I have put around 500 miles on the Vmax this year and it has developed a problem with the lights being dim all the time. So, I check the stator and the lighting coil checks out to the specs for resistence. Next, I took the light wire (yellow) apart at the stator connection and start the sled. This is bypassing all the stuff on the sled and giving me direct current from the stator for the lights and I am only getting about 6 volts. I have a 1980 Yamaha ss right beside the Vmax and it just so happens to use the exact same lighting coil as the Vmax. Start the SS up and check the lighting coil the same way I checked it on the Vmax, direct at the stator, and I am getting just under 20 volts using the same meter.
Have had the stator out of the Vmax several times in the last few days and no visible damage. Has anyone else had a good coil with resistance readings and have dim lights. Anything else I can try? I think a new lighting coil is in my future? Chuck, will you be home tomorrow night?

Kyle, I should be home give me a call 354-2687

Might want to check for a short, under the seat id a common place

YEP, BOBS RIGHT ON. CHECK WIRING UNDER SEAT AND TO BULB FIXTURE IN SEAT LAMP. 3:16 (yammie tony)

Sounds like you have a bad lighting coil on the stator. Also check to make sure the wires on the stator aren't hitting ground, but my guess is it is a bad stator coil. You are right when you unhooked the Yellow wire at the stator connection you are eliminating the rest of the sled, and you should have about 20 or so volts. I have also had this happen when it ohm's OK but will not work properly had this happen to the hand warmer coil on the 84-up sleds as well.

Found the problem last night. Decided to uncoil the wire on the lighting coil. In the first four feet found the wire on the outside edge had worn into the steel laminated legs of the coil and was half way through the wire. Seems the little cardboard protectors that go between the coil wire and coil legs was never installed or fell apart years ago.