What's your VIN and I'll tell you.

 

Replacing a stator is not that difficult of a diy. Videos on the internet.

Ride it home research then buy online from a dealer that will discount.

You will be glad that you did. Brag to your wife how much you saved.

 

On a trip to a state HOG rally, my brothers 2000 Road King's stator went out. We finally got it started the next morning (jumped it off) and went to the local Harley shop.

The shop put in a new stator for a total of $299 plus tax. They even called a couple of weeks later to check on the bike. I saw the old stator, one of the heavy enameled wires broke near the output. The primary oil really had a funky odor as well. The tech said that the odor is a good indication that the stator is in trouble.

You don't have to remove the clutch to replace the stator. That's just a bunch of hooey that the manual indicates. We have all found that there are lots of "recommendations" and steps in the service manual that have been found to be unnecessary. A good example is the step to remove the compensator sprocket and clutch at the same time to replace the compensator. Totally unnecessary. The Harley shops are going to add as much time to the bill as they can, regardless of whether or not the time was actually spent. But that seems to be the drill in a lot of maintenance shops, not just motorcycle repair shops. Regardless, you can bet it's always on the liberal side.

That's why we learn to wrench a little here and there. Saves a bundle.

 

Were it me, I'd open it up and check it out myself. Since your VR was in the recall but never changed, if it is indeed in need of a stator I would get the combo package from Cycle Electric. Since you would have to open it up anyhow, great time to throw in an automatic primary adjuster and change out all the seals!!! With what you would pay a dealer you would have most of the parts already paid for.

 

Here! Here! for the automatic chain adjuster....haven't adjusted my primary chain since...oh 70,000 miles. What a tremendous convenience.

 

Just to wrap this thread up. I got my bike back from the dealership. The stator was indeed bad, you can clearly see in the pictures below that it is good and toasted. Attached are some pictures that the service manager took. The reason he took the pictures was to show me how nasty the inside of my primary looked. I had put Red Line Oil in there at 12,500 miles. The bike is coming up on 20,000 so I had planned to change the fluid in all 3 holes soon. The service manager thought that the condition of the oil very well might have been what toasted the stator. Looking at the pictures I think I'll be taking it back apart someday to do a little cleaning in there and replace that chain tensioner shoe, looks to be pretty worn to me. Thanks to all for the advice and words of wisdom. Total cost for the two new tires and stator replacement $956.12 (ouch!!).

 

sometimes thing like this happen. be happy it happen there and not on the road. had a lady stop at my shop a few yrs ago for air in her tires. called a few days later to complain that ever since i put air in her tire the a/c in the car stopped blowing cold. must have put in winter air not summer air. .

 

So is all that sludge from the toasted stator or from going 7500 miles on Redline ?

 

why does he think the oil affected the stator? I don't doubt the stator was bad and decided to die all by itself at a odd time, just thinking he doesnt like your choice of oil and trying to get you back to the hd oil fold. can't think the oil had anything to do with it , if anything the stator going out could have contaminated the oil. imo. If I am way off base, hope some of the pro wrenchs comment if they think the brand of oil could cause problems with the stator. sure looks like the wires in that set of coils vurned through and that wouldnt be a lubrication issue.

 

Is that Shockproof Heavy? I've been running Redline in mine since '04 (MTL in the primary) and have had the primary cover off pretty often, never looked like that. The MTL is red but runny, not like the PEPTO looking Shockproof.