Apparent Regulator Failures

[L J VFR]

Charles/Bidd daddy,  The info I got from my last article about the Australian Engineer was pretty simple.  All he is basically doing is adding a computer heat sink fan to disperse the heat off the R/R like it would do in a computer. According to his trials, it seemed to work.  Just FYI..    I may end up still buying the "Len Special" though.   My bike being a 2001 model, I haven't had any issues to date (wood/knock) however preventing something from not happening isn't a bad thing

[Charles S Otwell]

I just suggested he go back a several post, to see if the R/R he bought was one of the bad ones talked about on here earlier. I want to see how well my older R/R holds up in this 100+ temp. If I repaint ,while the bike is down I will probably move the R/R to the right side next to the side cover, away from the heat. I think you guys putting your heads together to come up with a better regulator is great, I am anxious to see how this all turns out after production and testing, but Bigdaddysnake sounds like he needs a solution now so I was just throwing my redneck fix in the ring. I mean't no disrepect to our resident rocket scientest .. Sometimes I even read their post and pretend to understand

[L J VFR]

 Sometimes I even read their post and pretend to understand        You took the words right out of my mouth Charles...

[Greg Cothern]

As I posted earlier, I am in the corner in the fetal position mumbling 

Seriously I hope Len and Lawrence and others whom are considerably more intelligent than I, get a improved unit up and going!  I am certainly inline for one.

[lragan]

So today I called the Honda dealer in New Braunfels, TX, regarding a change in the part number or design of the regulator on or about year 2000.  Their parts man said he couldn't tell if the part number has changed, that all the 3rd gen Magnas called out the same part number regardless of model year, and that the R/R was used on "10 or 12" Honda bikes, so "it couldn't be the problem".

So much for trying to get info from this source.  A couple of things occur:

1) None of the other Honda motorcycles mount the part on plastic in the heat vortex from the engine.
2) If they changed the design because of reliability issues back in 2000 or so, they will not admit to having done so, as they do not want to be forced to recall all the old designs.  So even if the design changed, the part number might not if the new one was backward compatible.
3) Even if they changed the design, since they don't seem to have changed the part number, there is no way to tell if you are getting a better unit when you buy a new one.

What a mess!

[L J VFR]

Thanks Lawrence for the follow-up..

[bigdaddysnake361]

Ya I caught that, about the aftermarkets not being as good as the OEM. Unfortunately a little late last time I had checked someone was suggesting the purchase of the cheaper aftermarket brands. My dilemma is even if I move it to a cooler area (since this one hasn't burnt out yet) or install a PC fan, I still have the boilover problem. That's why the question "should I breakdown and buy a $200. one from Honda and would that alleviate all my problems. I went to some of the sites the "techno gurus" (no disrespect) mentioned and they have some R/R 's on sale there which mention no overcharging and no overheating issues but, I believe you have to buy in quantity. Maybe not all of them, what I'd like is a darned warranty. However, on most electricals you don't get one. I got this bike from my cousin who said he never had problems with it, thats cause it saved them all for me.  
MOOT MOOT MOOT MOOT

[TLRam1]

I had a dealer where you could purchase a R/R for 142.00 plus I guess 10 bucks to ship if you are in dire need on one.

[Charles S Otwell]

You are right, you are going to have to replace the regulator if your still boiling over. You can purchase a used honda regulator just about anywhere for $20.00 to $40.00 (mine was free ), you'll have to change the plug and add an outside ground (just to be on the safe side). At least this way you can make sure that your problem with boil over is for sure the regulator without being out $150.00 bucks again.

[lragan]

There is no proof at all, only anecdotal evidence, that Honda redesigned the R/R around year 2000.  I have never heard of a later model Magna with a R/R failure of either type -- just stopping charging, or causing boilover.

Has anyone encountered such a case?

If not, it is a reasonable inference that if you can purchase one from a popular dealer who has flushed the bad units out of stock, you will solve the problem.  If the dealer doesn't have any in stock, but has to order from his authorized Honda supplier, then you are at least assured of getting one of the assumed later design.

I am considering replacing mine with a new one, even though it is still functioning normally.  If you look at the measurements I made, posted above, it gets really hot, so it is only a matter of when, not if, it dies.

It would be interesting to take some temperature data from a 2001 or later Magna.  If anyone near me has one and would allow me to instrument it, the measurement is simple, non-invasive, and, I believe, pretty accurate.  If, as I suspect, the operating case temperatures are substantially lower than mine, I would accept that data as proof of a redesign.

[Charles S Otwell]

What if the redesign (assuming there is one) is just designed to handle more heat and not necessarily run cooler?

[L J VFR]

Lawrence, I wished we could have tested mine at MOOTmag6.  I would have been willing to let you "dissect" it. 

[Charles S Otwell]

Guy Wheatley still has his old bad one, and was wondering if anyone  still wanted it for research ?

[dgc67]

A few threads late, but..
I don't think a pc fan will hold up to the environment that puts it in.  Namely moiture.

[bigdaddysnake361]

Terry, is that a Honda dealer? Would it be the same as an OEM? One of the maint. Eng. where I work suggested that maybe the regulator is functioning poorly cause it's overheating. Which goes with what someone else was saying about other bikes not having the same problems due to the mounting location. Anyone agree? I'd hate to waste another battery on a hunch not to mention the bear it is to get to the R/R. Charles, there are no motorcycle graveyards here in Alice unless I find one junked behind someones house I'm flying solo. We are lucky to have an off brand dealer here. I think i'm going to move the R/R first then try to refill my batt. C if that works if not buy a new one and just ride close to hm for a while till I either build up the confedence to drive it to work or till the R/R  burns out. It's just that it costs me $25. a day to drive my truck and $7. a day to ride my bike. Do the math, even if I do buy another it'll pay for itself in the long run but damm not one a month. Ya DG I agree with the moisture thing and they'r not made to withstand that kind of heat most are made of plastic and would probably melt.