I lost my charging system some time in the last week and limped home Sunday night, after a push-start, with only 11.5 volts remaining so today I installed a new regulator. (PITA job! Would have been easier to cut and splice the hot wire close to the regulator!!!) Tomorrow's plan is to install a new stator but the connector has to come apart to pull the wires through the case. The manual talks about a "secondary lock" but doesn't say anything about how to remove it.

Is that the coloured plastic piece inside the connector? Does it just pull out?

Push come to shove, I will splice and weatherproof but I'd rather use the original connector. There was also some oil in the connector - is that just primary oil?

Thanks for any help!

 

11.5 volts sounds like the regulator gone. Don't waste money on the stator unless you have to. Did you test the stator to see if it's dead?? Simple ohm meter will tell you if it needs replacing. Voltage at the battery with the bike running should be about 14volts give or take. Replacing a stator isn't that tough a job. Just google it or get a service manual for your bike. The connectors on my "97" sporty just pulled apart. I haven't had to do my fatbob yet so I'm not sure how they disconnect.

 

Are you sure its the stator? there is really nothing that can go wrong with them unless one of the windings became damaged. All they are is a magnet spinning around a spool of wire. I know many Harleys leak at the point the wires leave the case. I'm replacing mine because the compensator failed and the new SE compensator requires a new rotor, but I couldn't imagine how they would fail on their own.

 

S.O.A.B.!!!! I just found this Service Bulletin from HD: https://www.scribd.com/document/3887...tor-Relocation

Apparently the primary oil can migrate along the copper wires in the stator wires, fill the connector (between the stator and the regulator), and migrate into the regulator which causes the regulator to fail.

When I pulled the connector apart yesterday to change the regulator, I drained about 3 tablespoons of oil out of the connector!!! W.T.F??!! The above problem could explain the failure of the charging system on my '02 FXD last weekend. I had planned to re-use the Facon connector when replacing my stator but after finding out about this problem I will do a splice that will block the migration of oil (I know how to do that!)

WHY OH WHY DOES HARLEY DAVIDSON HIDE CRITICAL INFORMATION FROM OWNERS/USERS????? I was at the dealership twice yesterday buying parts, they KNEW what my problem was, but nobody mentioned this issue. I am a 2nd generation Harley rider but this pisses me off!!!!!!!

 

New stator installed - figure out how to to disassemble and reassemble the connector and everything now working properly..

 

I have the same problem on my 03 Dyna. How do you prevent that? That maybe my problem on why mine wont keep a charge.

 

Easy test: Put a digital voltmeter on your battery and note the voltage. It should be around 12.5 to 13.0. Start the bike and watch the voltage. Running at above idle, you should see about 14.5 volts. If you don't, your charging system is not working.

If you have oil migrating through the stator wires, it will kill the regulator when the oil gets to it. You will know this is happening if, when you disconnect the stator cable from the regulator plug you get oil dribbling out of the connector.

Harley's "solution" to this is to relocate the stator/regulator connector higher up on the frame. I am not sure I agree with that but that is what I have done. If there is any pressure in the primary case, it will still force oil through the wires. I will check my connector in a few hundred miles and if I find any oil in it I will look for a way to properly vent the primary case so it doesn't push the oil into the cables.

 

I broke mine while changind my stator, J&p guy said he never heard of it, but just read its ,stator wire connector called " Facon connector " hope its the 2 wire one