the end of my tether is in sight - won't rev

[silversixx]

Hello all,

I've not managed to find my exact situation covered elsewhere on this 'site, but if it has been please feel free to point me towards the correct thread.

A month ago the rectifier/regulator let go on the motorway at high-ish rpm. The bike barely ran at all, limped a mile or so, then died and would not restart. Once home I spotted that one of the wires had literally burned out at the rectifier/regulator. I was advised to fit an R1 rectifier/regulator, which I did, and immediately the bike fired right up. Perfect. However, as I set off down the road it wouldn't 'pull' at all so I went home and looked further. On the paddock stand the bike ran perfectly up to 3500rpm - at that point I could detect it was hesitating just a little. Wind it on further and by 4500 rpm it ran horribly - coughing and spluttering. It woudn't rev past 5000rpm even if you wound it wide-open, and it sounded horrific....although occasionally and without warning it would suddenly pick up and soar to the red line...then just as quickly 'die' back down to 5000.

I hired a reputable motorcycle mechanic to come and see what was what. He tested everything and decreed that the entire ignition system was 100% (correct resistances were measured and the plugs were the correct sandy colour). He then took the bike away for a thorough leak-down and compression test, and again, everything was 100%. He began to strip the motor and noticed that the cam chains were tight...apart from that everything was - you guessed it - 100%.

In short he's dropped the bike off with me saying that he can't find any fault and that he 'hates Hondas'.....

Right now it is running exactly as it did when I replaced the rec/reg. My enthusiastic-amateur understanding is that when the rec/reg failed it will have 'zapped' the bike with very high voltage which could have potentially fried any number of components, although all I could find was the rec/reg and a couple of bulbs had popped.

I passed my test last November and since then have done over 7000 miles. I love this bike, but it can't sit in my garage running like a bag of **** indefinitely. I'm at the stage now where I'm throwing it out to all of you in the vain hope that you have some suggestions. I would be in your debt...

Andy

[benny hedges]

you could well be right - a high input voltage might've damaged the cdi unit, but in my past experience they either work or they don't.
i've never personally had a cdi unit that does what it feels like.
it's possible that if a wire had burnt on the r/r plug, it woul've caused high resistance and heat further along the wiring loom, so it might be an idea to pull & inspect all the connectors & terminals & look for damage.
could be a carb problem, total coincidence...
the only time i have had similar sympoms (not on my Storm tho) was caused by fuel contaminated with water.

btw just because someone is a reputable mechanic, dont take it for granted that he has actually done what he says he has... and if you are going to pay someone to fix it you should take it to someone who loves hondas., not hates them!

[silversixx]

Thanks for the reply!

The mechanic did all the electrical tests in front of me, so I know they've been done, and I've no reason to suspect that he didn't do the compression/leak tests.

Oh and he liked the bike when he saw it - his opinion changed when, after 2 weeks, he coudn't get anywhere!

Like you, I've found that CDIs are either a 'one' or a 'zero' so I doubt they're the problem, and I've searched and searched for any other signs of barbequed electrics...and can find none. This leaves the carbs, which have (like the rest of the bike) been utterly perfect since I started riding it. Of course, coincidences do happen, but I'm struggling to entertain the notion that something in them failed at the exact moment the rec/reg went pop. Either way, if it is the carbs then it's 'game over' because I've spent all my money having someone tear the thing apart and then drop it back on my garage floor in disgust!

[tattoo]

my brother inlaw had a simular problem with his old firestorm,wouldn't rev above 5000rpm..he found that if the air filter fitted isn't a honda one it tends to suck then shut acting like a restrictor...he fitted a genuine part and it revved through to the redline.

[benny hedges]

well there's a few others having similar problems to yours so it might be an idea to browse through recent threads and check out the suggestions that have come up so far...
while tens of thousands of happy storm riders are enjoying relatively trouble free riding, it seems this problem of a 5k misfire isn't an isolated fault...
percy veer

[silversixx]

I've read some of the 5k misfire posts, but my motor is misfiring well before then. In fact, I don't think it will quite pull 5k...and by the time it does get there it isn't 'holding' the rpm, it's 'fluttering' all over the place. As for the filter - it's been on there for 2k miles and has given no trouble. I suppose I was hoping that someone had encountered a similar problem in the wake of a rec/reg failure...

As much as I love the bike, my need for transport is greater so it will have to go 'in the bin' so to speak, because nobody wants parts off a bike that doesn't run properly.

[sirch345]

Hi Andy,
you could try new spark plugs if you haven't already, also may be a spark plug cap needs replacing. Another thing to check is the lead from the HT coils going into the spark plug caps. I have heard of them (more so the front one than the rear as water attacks that one) needing 1/2" (12mm) being cut off and rejoining.

What about a HT coil breaking down

Chris.

[benny hedges]

seems a shame to scrap it cos of what may turn out to be a simple problem....
whereabouts are you?
maybe someone local from here can cast an eye over it
i cant personally profess to being an expert on the storm but have good all round skills where bikes are concerned, but some chaps (and chappesses) live & breathe v twins and know the storm inside out

everyone is willing to help. just seems a shame to give up on what can be a great bike.

[silversixx]

It is a shame, but having thrown a lot of money at it to no avail, I'm at the stage where it's "either sh*t or get off the pot" so to speak. I have to have transport so it can't just sit there as an ongoing project for me to tinker with. Bear in mind that a guy who earns his living from repairing bikes dropped it back to me 'giving up'. I'm in south Manchester by the way and I'd be happy to compensate anyone who can swing by who really knows storms.

As for the plugs, leads and coils, I 'borrowed' a set from a friendly breaker but they made no difference at all.

[marlbororman]

well its gotta be electrical coz of the circumstances unless its an unlucky coincidence, but im to far away to do a swap parts session im affraid

[silversixx]

I agree. For the bike to have run perfectly for thousands of miles and then suddenly run like crap the instant the rec/reg fails points overwhelmingly to electrics. I've just been out in the garage again (laptop now has oily keys!) and have spotted that at some point someone has spliced into the loom on the left hand side (I presume to remove the HISS gubbins...) but I've found no sign of any distressed wiring aside from the old rec/reg plug which has now been replaced.

The only outward signs of any trauma following the voltage 'spike' were a couple of popped bulbs out back. If a voltage spike were to cause damage to an electrical component, would the wire leading to said component necessarily be burned or show any other unusual signs? I'd guess it would, but does anyone know if this is the case?

[marlbororman]

what year is the vtr ?

[silversixx]

'99

[marlbororman]

then it never had honda hiss system fitted, sure someone will correct me if im wrong, but dont think it was introduced till the digital dash was fitted ;)

[cupasoop]

I know everyone is jumping on the electrical bandwagon but have you checked the vacuum pipe going to the fuel tap?