Honda CL450 Not Charging: Weekly Wrench

[@jimh.5286]

It might be a high-resistance connection due to old, corroded electrical plugs and connectors. Have an assistant hold the throttle at high rpm and watch the voltmeter carefully for blips, while you go around and vigorously pull, slide, wiggle every electrical connector you can find, including fuses. With some of my old bikes I've gotten so fed up with electrical gremlins caused by old connectors (often a rats' nest of connectors crammed into the headlight nacelle), I've resorted to cutting out the connectors and reconnecting the wires with solder and heat-shrink tubing. Corroded, high-resistance electrical connections can be a nightmare because they don't always show up when checking with a VOM. Great video!

[@TheMotorcycleMD]

I agree!

[@gringoanon4550]

Yes me too, pull them out and look for blue and white spots if they get damp , they get metal salts forming, polish them up and they work fine.@@TheMotorcycleMD

[@davidrice3056]

Hey Bud, I haven't watched this in full yet, so maybe something you already know/have discovered. Anyways, these old 350/360/450 twins only charge on half the stator with headlight off, with the second side only kicking in once headlight is switched on - hence why you're getting more charge with headlight on. You can get the stator to run full output all the time by joining the yellow and white wires in the harness. That's a bit vague, I know but let me know if you need more info. Joining these wires would at least mean you are using both sides of stator all the time, as opposed to just when headlight is on.

[@TheMotorcycleMD]

Great idea David! Smart thinking I like that

[@CB-xj4jr]

Hello Cody. I may be a year too late but if your problem is not fix yet, may I suggest you check the voltage regulator. On my Triumph it was a simple Zener Diode with a big heat sink just under the headlight for maximum cooling. If it conduct at a too low voltage, your battery would not charge or very little. With a magnetic rotor, the alternator is always at maximum output and it is up to the voltage controller to cut it down. I am not sure of what kind your Honda has. If you it does, a fast way to check, without a meter, is to verify it's temperature after running the bike for a little while. Your videos are awesome. Thanks for all the wealth of information and the once in a while free tips like how to open rubber gloves. I will now subscribe.

[@ZippoVarga]

If all else fails, install a diode equipped jump wire to trick the charging system into thinking the headlight is on when it isn't. When you power the headlight on, the diode will bypass the splice, but in the interim, it will allow the bike to charge while you further investigate and troubleshoot. Just a thought! Zip~

[@TheMotorcycleMD]

Shmart thinking zip! Honestly, thing thing needed a new harness 20 years ago. I have in coming in the mail 🤙🏻

[@ZippoVarga]

I have my moments every now and again lol. I've done this my self (on my own equipment of course) with great results. Just something to keep in the back of your mind if you want to power something, but have it automatically shut off when another in line item is powered on. Like a strobe headlight for example. Zip~

[@gavinkarey-mckenna1353]

I was a little freaked out that all the bolts were going on backward (left) then saw that the video was mirrored - (ADNOH). Still you make it look easy.

[@ZippoVarga]

I'm faced with the wonderful task of replacing the stator in my 1986 GL1200 this off season. Bigger bikes require bigger repair jobs. As you well know, the only way to perform this is, engine out. BUT...while it's out, it's 64K miles will be thoroughly gone through while it's on the bench and preventative measures taken to keep these notoriously charging plagued engines from ever burning up a stator again. It's got one bad leg, so I can still ride it so long as I keep the battery fully charged. I also carry along a jump pack in the event I run Smokey to the point where the battery is too low. I know charging issues well my Friend. Good luck with the 450!! Zip~

[@TheMotorcycleMD]

Ugh Gl1200 stator swaps. No fun

[@troycrowder9942]

hey i have had at least10 450 hondas most of mine were burning field wires on the stator coils it was causing mi bikes to cut out on the top end they have a problem with the output or something i hope you get some youse out of that something has to be the cause for the wires burning out

[@maakatipa4613]

Finding it off putting that the vid is in reverse like a photo negative turned so left is right and right is left. How do you even do that with a video ?

[@JohnJones-uk7cs]

cody i have a cb100n and it runns for about 15 mins and then cuts out and it will noe restart what could it be

[@inthenameofjustice8811]

I am 6 minutes into this video and all I can think of, assuming no failed components, is that the charge current must be hitting a massive resistance if it cannot climb with the revs. The question, assuming that is the case, is how? To track it down I would look for heat because that much resistance would have to be producing a lot of it. Whatever it is I wish you luck finding it.

[@TheMotorcycleMD]

I fully agree with this!

[@charging7]

Thermal imaging camera would show the heat signature of the culprit

[@nigelchapman6984]

Hi, did you fix the charging issue? I had the same with my 71 cl450 and it turned out to be the selenium rectifier, swapped it for a silicon one, job done.. good luck

[@joedeleon3435]

Hey Cody is that your 66 cb450 black bomber with the front fairing on it in the background? That is one of my bikes I have got to have before I die, but they are harder than hell to find, where did you get the one you have? Codi on your issue you're having, have you changed out the voltage regulator by chance just to see if that might give you some kind of different readings? and I mean the voltage regulator does regulate how much voltage goes to that battery in DC right? And the rectifier just make sure that that power goes one way and not the other...

[@robertadams4415]

What about the regulator rectafier

[@camaroguy2919]

I'm working on a 78 CB400t hawk mc and I tell ya that old electrical will drive you crazy got her running wrapped the harnes back up back to nothong. Not running.

[@sharonsharon2604]

Hi cody! Great content and presentation!!! Can you please make a shirt vis about fuse blocks terminals, and how to disconnect them? Thank you and keep this amazing Chanel going...

[@terrychestnutwood5127]

Hey Cody, I have a 03 shadow 750 ace. I'm having issues with it I changed plugs cleaned carbs and changed gas but still has no power when accelerating it just spots and spitters what can I do?

[@charging7]

are the carb diaphragms in good shape?

[@ripsnorter1015]

Hey man can u do some big bore Hondas 1000 cc cbr

[@stephenhullah3104]

I like your videos keep them coming

[@jonlees6772]

Morning from England bud!

[@TheMotorcycleMD]

Good morning Jon!

[@jonlees6772]

Very much enjoy your videos, informative and helpful.currently trying to restore an 88 CBR 6,folks like you that take the time to share the knowledge can be a god sent,many thanks keep up the good work and good look with electrics!

[@8788luigi]

how about EFI mods>

[@tobydykes8781]

heard everything but the video did freeze

[@andreasbrandstetter9221]

Had the same problem with my CB200. I changed the old style regulator/rectifier (2 peace) with a newer "modern one peace" version. for the 3rd coil i weldet it together in the headlight switch becaus the switch conects the 3rd charging coil. Sorry 4 my english..... greatings from austria. works fine now. 13V at 2000rpm.....

[@torrielandsman4625]

could be as simplee as tht ignition switch!

[@TheMotorcycleMuse]

What an interesting problem you encountered there. What fixed the issue in the end does anyone know? I don't see any follow up video on it.