Texaskid Posted December 12, 2008 Share #1 Posted December 12, 2008 Hello, I have a 1989 venture, 87,000 miles. Bought it couple of months ago. Noticed when I apply brakes, the volt meter drops down almost to the yellow line. When I release, it comes back up past 12. It had trailer wiring on it which I removed thinking that was the problem. Gauge still drops down. Pulled the connector for the rear tail lights and turn signals and applied brakes and still drops down. Disconnected foot brake switch and applied front brake, with connector to rear lights still disconnected and needle still drops. Is it possible that the switches are bad and causing the drop in voltage when I apply the brakes? Thanks for the responses in advance. Ya'll have a good Holiday and a Happy New Year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snaggletooth Posted December 12, 2008 Share #2 Posted December 12, 2008 I'm not a guru on this but it seems like that is pretty normal for these bike. Lots of draw on the system with those 1157 firing up. Any add on lights will only make it more dramatic. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lonestarmedic Posted December 12, 2008 Share #3 Posted December 12, 2008 On the 1986-1993 bikes there are 2 electrical solenoid valves on the front forks for ant-dive. These are activated by the brake light circuit. Sp, they run on either brake. My bike drops about 2 volts at idle when I activate the brake. You might start inspecting the electrical charging circuit if the solenoids are working correctly. I suspect your voltage is a bit low. These bikes like a good battery, very clean connections, and will show low voltage when loaded below 1500-2000 RPM. Others will list a lot of good information I am sure. Good luck and welcome. JB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lonestarmedic Posted December 12, 2008 Share #4 Posted December 12, 2008 Snaggletooth- You need to meet up with Condor (Jack). He is very familiar with the 1st Gen ventures. He lives in or near Carmichael. Bribe him with Dairy Queen and BBQ! That combo works well with most folks on this list. JB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MiCarl Posted December 12, 2008 Share #5 Posted December 12, 2008 Sounds really similar to my 89. My charging system checks out. New battery made it less pronounced. If the cooling fan is on it'll drop even more. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Condor Posted December 12, 2008 Share #6 Posted December 12, 2008 Snaggletooth- You need to meet up with Condor (Jack). He is very familiar with the 1st Gen ventures. He lives in or near Carmichael. Bribe him with Dairy Queen and BBQ! That combo works well with most folks on this list. JB Dropped by Bill's this afternoon. Looked at a few things, but without a multi-meter it was pretty much a dry run. It had a mess of wiring for the trailer. The big problem was the old hard start when hot, so I'm going to drop off a set of Squidly Cables a bit later, and bring my multi-meter with me.... Harbor Frieght next stop.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skydoc_17 Posted December 12, 2008 Share #7 Posted December 12, 2008 Hey Bill, I have an 87' VR that did the same thing! I cleaned or replaced the bulb sockets, ran and cleaned all of the grounds, and a bunch of other things, with little or no luck. If you go to my profile, on the right side of that page, you will see a header called "My Albums". Below that is a link called "show all albums" if you click that and scroll down you will see pics and a description of how I changed out and added all LED lighting to my 87' VR and that pretty much solved the problem! If you have questions PM me and I will help you all I can. Brake Safe, Earl Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeorgeS Posted December 12, 2008 Share #8 Posted December 12, 2008 If the Start Solinoid, has never been changed, thats highly reccomended. The main contacts inside the solinoid are probable pretty well Fried. Causing Increased Resistance in main Cable to the Starter. A good modification, is, IF, you replace cables, also replace the solinoid with a Small Car, Solinoid. Have to find a place to mount it, and modify the + Cable for the new installation. ( Stock solinoids are about $75 . car units much cheaper ) Also, Resolder the Studs on ends of Both Battery cables, if you do not replace them. Check out the Odyessy, PC -680 Batteries. Go the their Web site, and read up on the Specifications for their Dry Cell Batteries. Be sure you still have the Extra #12 ground Wire from the Neg Bat Cable to the Frame . Neg, post to a Frame Ground. Be sure Engine case, and Frame are at same Ground level. Pos. Stud on the Starter Motor might be corroded, from Road Wash. Clean up the stud, resolder the End of the cable there, and then Seal it up with Silastic. Find the Main Pull Apart Plugs, going " TO " and " From " the Rectifier/Regulator unit, Open , inspect, clean the Pins. These plugs are notorious for going bad, and any extra resistance thru the connections will cause a Voltage Drop. Clean the Neg Bat Cable connect point at the Engine case. A few places to start. I finally gave up, and Installed Two PC-680 Dry Cells, and two Start Solinoids in Parallel, and #4 cables, after doing all the other work. Now the darn thing works like it should. One touch on the Start Button and its running !! :mo money:But it cost a few bucks to do it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Texaskid Posted December 12, 2008 Author Share #9 Posted December 12, 2008 Thanks GeorgeS, Condor was here to day to help out. He mentioned about the battery cables being to small and going to a larger cable( fatter). Will try that and also the other items that you mentioned and some of the other things that other members have suggested. Will keep you posted as to results. Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dragonslayer Posted December 13, 2008 Share #10 Posted December 13, 2008 On the 1986-1993 bikes there are 2 electrical solenoid valves on the front forks for ant-dive. These are activated by the brake light circuit. Sp, they run on either brake. My bike drops about 2 volts at idle when I activate the brake. You might start inspecting the electrical charging circuit if the solenoids are working correctly. I suspect your voltage is a bit low. These bikes like a good battery, very clean connections, and will show low voltage when loaded below 1500-2000 RPM. Others will list a lot of good information I am sure. Good luck and welcome. JBHere. Here, I just got finished doing a month and a half trouble shoot on the exact same thing. The problem ended up being low charging voltage due to bad degenerating stator. Once the stator was replaced problem solved and brake light voltage drop quit happening. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeorgeS Posted December 13, 2008 Share #11 Posted December 13, 2008 (edited) If the lead acid battery is old, there might be extra Internal Voltage drop inside the battery itself. Also, check out the Ignition Fuse, circuit. Maby some high resistance across the following components. 40 amp main fuse holder, Ignition On - Off switch contacts, the 15 amp fuse holder contacts, the Run-Stop Switch. Also there are pull apart plugs between all these components. Any excess resistance across any of these contacts, will add up in series, and Drop the Voltage to the Ignition Coil Primary windings. Low voltage to the Coils is not good. Edited December 13, 2008 by GeorgeS Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Squeeze Posted December 13, 2008 Share #12 Posted December 13, 2008 If the Hazard-Switch is bad, there's also no change getting the Signals wo work. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Texaskid Posted December 14, 2008 Author Share #13 Posted December 14, 2008 Condor came over to day and I now have the new cables to install. I just finished the positive cable and will do the negative cable tomorrow. Taking my time to install as it suppose to rain the entire week. The negative cable is hooked to the engine. Is there another cable to the frame and if so where? as per GeorgeS...(Be sure you still have the Extra #12 ground Wire from the Neg Bat Cable to the Frame . Neg, post to a Frame Ground. Be sure Engine case, and Frame are at same Ground level.) I have only been able to find the neg cable from the battery to engine. As soon as I get the neg on and get it fired up i will try to see what my stator is putting out. And then go from there.Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeorgeS Posted December 14, 2008 Share #14 Posted December 14, 2008 Some ( at least ) of the bikes had an extra, #12 or #10 lead From the Neg Bat. Stud going to a ground just to the right , and somewhat aft of the Battery. The idea is to make sure the " Fram " is as same ground Level, as the Engine. As the Engine Mounts are Rubber. Take a Resistance Reading from several points on the Engine block to several points on the Frame. Should be Zero ohms, ie: dead short. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Texaskid Posted December 14, 2008 Author Share #15 Posted December 14, 2008 So I should run a second ground from the battery or where it connects to the engine to the frame??? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dano Posted December 14, 2008 Share #16 Posted December 14, 2008 You'll have to take out the right inner box from the fairing (be it glove box, CLASS or CB box. You should see a #10 metric bolt with a black wire along the upper frame tubing. That is the secondary ground point, along with one on the left frame tube just above the front valve cover. At least that's what I found on mine. Dan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Texaskid Posted December 14, 2008 Author Share #17 Posted December 14, 2008 When I followed the ground wire from the battery. it lead to the engine right next to the water pump and just above it.. There was not a second wire coming from the neg side, just the one. So then I will run a second ground to the frame then. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
timk Posted December 14, 2008 Share #18 Posted December 14, 2008 You could put a switch to de-activate the fork solonoids. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dragonslayer Posted December 14, 2008 Share #19 Posted December 14, 2008 You could put a switch to de-activate the fork solonoids.or unplug the quick connect plugs behind the head light. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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