Fuse blowing every 20 miles..

[af1-windy]

I must now hold the record for owning a Stelvio with the most problems for a not very old or high mileage bike.

I'm doing my best to stay calm and tackle the problems as the arise. Since buying the bike in October last year I've only managed three rides that haven't resulted in being recovered or limping home. The bike has spent more time in an unridable state than ridable and I've spent over £900 so far. inch:

Last weekend was no exception, recovered.. :x

What causes are there for a main fuse 40amp to blow, not a short (??) as replacing it with a 30amp (that's all we had) allowed the bike to fire up and run perfect for another 20 miles or so then repeat again and again until on the last occation it wouldn't start.

I'm not good with electrics but if I could get a list of things that could cause this I'll ceck everyone in turn until I get to the bottom of the problem.

Pete is very kindly working on this for me via another site, he's great like that but if someone has had a similar thing happen that is rare you may just hold the key to making me a happy biker again.. :lol:

Thank you in advance

Cheers

windy

 

[john zibell]

Is it the main connected to the alternator, or the one that powers the ignition switch? If the power outlet socket is dead when the fuse is out, then it is the one that powers the ignition switch, and instrument panel. If it isn't the one from the alternator, it will be difficult to isolate as the two components the fuse supplies (the ignition switch and the instrument panel) must be connected for the bike to run. If a different component was the culprit, the other fuses would be blowing.

 

[GTM®]

Windy, the dealer isn't being of much help? They should, it's under warranty. If you want to tackle it, I'd start at the fuse block and trace the wires to be sure the terminals are good (we've heard of failed crimps), all the way down to seeing if any of the wiring is earthing/grounding. Also, you have good/tight/clean connections at the battery and under the starter cover? Wet weather worsens all of your problems. You should move to SoCal USA.

 

[Harry]

Hi,
I'm fairly new to riding, and brand new to Guzzi (I've recently taken delivery of my Bellagio).
Anyways, My mate who is anything but new to Guzzi has a new Stelvio and has also had the fuse blow on him.
He said that it was the wire from the headlight chafing, and that his mechanic had effected a repair whilst a new loom was on order under warranty.
The thing is, I'm pretty sure he said that there was a recall on the Stelvio for this problem.
Could there be one for yours?
The other interesting thing is that the Guzzi dealer was not aware of any recall. My mate found out for himself.

 

[Bisonheed]

On a couple of Honda's I've had in the past the blowing main fuse was normally the last throes of the regulator/rectifier ? Just a thought .

 

[af1-windy]

Thanks all for the replies.

There are two fueses side by side at the bottom of the battery 40amp/30amp it's the 40 amp that is blowing. When it blows the bike stops running but not immediately, it sort of feels like it running out of fuel and putters to a halt.

The dash stays on and goes through it's cycle with the fuse blown but won't start until the fuse has been replaced. Once replaced bike fires up and runs perfect for a few miles and then the problem starts all over again.

One side of the 40amp fuse goes direct to the possitive on the battery, not sure from memory where the other runs, I'll check it out.

If it's a built up of amps blowing the fuse under too much load what would be the cause, doesn't seem like it's a short or surely it would blow when inserted or when attempting to start the engine.

Hopefully get to the bike tomorrow night and check a few more things.

Regulator / rectifier.. how much money am I looking at?

cheers

windy

 

[af1-windy]

Windy, the dealer isn't being of much help? They should, it's under warranty. If you want to tackle it, I'd start at the fuse block and trace the wires to be sure the terminals are good (we've heard of failed crimps), all the way down to seeing if any of the wiring is earthing/grounding. Also, you have good/tight/clean connections at the battery and under the starter cover? Wet weather worsens all of your problems. You should move to SoCal USA.

Sorry, bike is out of manufacturers warranty and anyway I bought it from a used bike dealer, that warranty is out as well, just three months which is usual for a used bike.

All contacts have been checked and cleaned, I'm pretty sure the battery is flat at the moment so having it chrged and I'll get it back on tomorrow, the bike will start but for how long will it run before the fuse goes agagin, this is the worrying thing for me.

All i'm doing at the moment is getting it fired up, how the hell I will track down the fault is anyones guess.. :unsure:

Move to SoCal? now that sounds like a plan :lol:

windy

 

[canuck1969]

Electrical gremlins are the worse. Could be a rub in the harness and only happens when you do something like turn the bars from one side to the other or certain vibes (RPM). Seen it before and it is a bitch to track down. Found one the other day. Took off the left side cover and there was a harness running along the bottom of the ECU. Sharp corner and started to rub through the covering. Start shaking wires and see what happens....

 

[john zibell]

Since the dash and ignition switch still function with the fuse blown, that tells us it is the fuse to the alternator. I believe the regulator/rectifier circuitry is build into the alternator like modern cars. Pull it and see if a shop can re-build it. If not, it will need replacement.

 

[WayneOrwig]

Sounds like you may have a bad diode in the alternator.
OR a bad battery. I understand that a bad battery can cause the alternator to run at a high output current, which can cause the fuse to eventually pop. Maybe.....

Put in a fuse, tell us what the dashboard voltage shows. Start the bike and tell us what the voltage is at idle, then what it is at high RPM. That might gives us a bit more to go on.

In the end, it may be a damaged wire that only shows up with vibration and such, and we'll never be of any help through the internet.

 

[af1-windy]

Thanks chaps, you are all of great help to me, I will keep checking and doing the things you ask. Bike is kept 25 miles from where I live so it's a long drawn out job getting stuff done and back to you. I'm going to try and get over to the bike tomorrow evening after work and check a few things out.

What do I press to get the voltage readings?

I'll check all wires to the alternater, if it has to come out is it a big job?

Thanks again, windy

 

[fatal]

to access the voltage use the on board computer, the large switch on the left. It's a bit of a farkle to work through, have you an owners handbook, instructions in that.

 

[af1-windy]

to access the voltage use the on board computer, the large switch on the left. It's a bit of a farkle to work through, have you an owners handbook, instructions in that.

The instruction booklet is at my ex's and my bike is at a mate's, the round trip is over 75 miles :unsure: must remember to pick it up when I'm next over there..

Anyway my brother has a Stelvio so I'll ask him to check it out and talk me through it. Thanks..

Going over tonight to check everything that has been mentioned on here, will update later tonight or in the morining.

windy

 

[af1-windy]

Update;

Bike fired up once the battery had been charged, chrging at 13.9 idle and 13.5 at 4k revs. Not sure how accurate this is as I'm told the on board voltage reading isn't the best. I will borrow a tester before the weekend and take more readings.

The only way I will know if it's ok is to set off on a ride which will be Sunday. The original problem was that the bike was blowing the 40amp fuse after 20 miles or so but this time the maintenance relay has been removed, also I had fitted a back box with a power supply, just to be sure I have disconeccted it.

One thing concerned me a little, the wires that run from the fuse holder at the bottom of the battery case make their way along the air box and head to the rear, at the right side of the air box [as you sit on the bike] there's a white connector block with some quite heavy gauge wires, I noticed that after just a few minutes on idle these were quite warm, not hot but very warm... is this normal, oh, and when I pressed the 40amp fuse in to make sure it was seated properly it too felt warm...


windy

 

[WayneOrwig]

Those voltages are reasonable given the accuracy of the built in gauge. I would keep the voltage display up while riding just to see if it changes.

It is normal for a fuse to get a little warm with high current. For example, the 40 amp fuse must metal the metal inside over 40 amps. So at a more normal 20 amps, it is half way to molten metal so to speak.

But if you can, it wouldn't hurt to pull and reseat the fuses just to get a fresh contact.

 

[af1-windy]

Those voltages are reasonable given the accuracy of the built in gauge. I would keep the voltage display up while riding just to see if it changes.

It is normal for a fuse to get a little warm with high current. For example, the 40 amp fuse must metal the metal inside over 40 amps. So at a more normal 20 amps, it is half way to molten metal so to speak.

But if you can, it wouldn't hurt to pull and reseat the fuses just to get a fresh contact.

Thanks, I'll pull and re-seat the fuses before my ride on sunday and leave the voltage reading up, fingers crossed that all the cleaning of connections and pulling the maintenance relay has done the trick and for once I'll get a trouble free ride..

windy

 

[af1-windy]

Fuse blowing every 20 miles...UPDATE!!

Ok, went for a ride yesterday, bike was perfect, started first tiume, engine running smooth and pulling strong, more important, no blown fuses...

I set off in a possitive frame of mind and just rode as if nothing had been wrong. I have to say though, when overtaking I kept fearing the feeling of the fuse blowing and leaving me stranded half way passed a row of traffic. As it turned out we had a great day out, not huge mileage, just short of a 100 miles but planning a trip weekend after next which will be close to 400 miles.

The only thing I've done is to remove the maintenance relay so I'm putting it down to that, Jason at Moto Strada was convinced that's what it was and it seems he was right. I know it's taken a couple of weeks but that's because the bike isn't where I live, a proper pain in the ass... inch: :lol:

Thank you all for your support and advice
windy

 

[contractor20]

Good to know that ! I keep a spare up under the seat and now feel vindicated :unsure:

 

[canuck1969]

What is the purpose of the maintenance relay. Read some other posts that is should be removed....is it supposed to be there all the time and if so what does it do.

 

[fatal]

What is the purpose of the maintenance relay. Read some other posts that is should be removed....is it supposed to be there all the time and if so what does it do.

I'm glad I'm not the only one who's wondering what the 'maintenance relay' is :?: