would a voltage regulator cause lights to be bright for a few seconds right after i start the engine and then get dim and remain dim. If I shut the engine off and start it up again it does the same thing every time.. Lights are bright for a few and then become dim.. very dim??
Thanks
Dave
Dim lights???
Dim lights???
Do they brighten up as the rpms go up?
1973 John Deere 400-Fall 08-Ongoing project
1980 John Deere Trailfire 340 (RAT)- Spring 09- Daily rider
1982 John Deere Trailfire 340 - Spring 12- Daily rider
1980 John Deere Liquifire 440- Fall 12
1976 Arctic Cat Jag 2000 F/A Fall 10
1976 Arctic Cat Jag 3000F/A- Summer 10-Daily Rider
1980 Arctic Cat Jag 3000F/A-Summer 10
1988 & 1991 Polaris Indy 650s
"If You Don't Know Where To Start, Go Back To The Beginning"
1980 John Deere Trailfire 340 (RAT)- Spring 09- Daily rider
1982 John Deere Trailfire 340 - Spring 12- Daily rider
1980 John Deere Liquifire 440- Fall 12
1976 Arctic Cat Jag 2000 F/A Fall 10
1976 Arctic Cat Jag 3000F/A- Summer 10-Daily Rider
1980 Arctic Cat Jag 3000F/A-Summer 10
1988 & 1991 Polaris Indy 650s
"If You Don't Know Where To Start, Go Back To The Beginning"
Dim lights???
no they stay dim. cant hardly see ahead.
Dim lights???
could be regulator, lighting coil or just a bad ground. what i have experienced with a bad regulator is that it puts too much power to the lights and burns them out. Therre is a way to test a regulator. It was in the ccw forum awhile back. I believe it was on a jdx 8 or something. Maybe someone else knows what i amm talking about. i will look for it and get back to you.
1973 John Deere 400-Fall 08-Ongoing project
1980 John Deere Trailfire 340 (RAT)- Spring 09- Daily rider
1982 John Deere Trailfire 340 - Spring 12- Daily rider
1980 John Deere Liquifire 440- Fall 12
1976 Arctic Cat Jag 2000 F/A Fall 10
1976 Arctic Cat Jag 3000F/A- Summer 10-Daily Rider
1980 Arctic Cat Jag 3000F/A-Summer 10
1988 & 1991 Polaris Indy 650s
"If You Don't Know Where To Start, Go Back To The Beginning"
1980 John Deere Trailfire 340 (RAT)- Spring 09- Daily rider
1982 John Deere Trailfire 340 - Spring 12- Daily rider
1980 John Deere Liquifire 440- Fall 12
1976 Arctic Cat Jag 2000 F/A Fall 10
1976 Arctic Cat Jag 3000F/A- Summer 10-Daily Rider
1980 Arctic Cat Jag 3000F/A-Summer 10
1988 & 1991 Polaris Indy 650s
"If You Don't Know Where To Start, Go Back To The Beginning"
Dim lights???
I Thought of that also.. The only ground that could be bad is the one to the regulator. I think??
Everything else is wired solid. could a bad bulb do this..It is almost like something is arcking out and drawing all of the power? but it takes a few seconds for it to go dim.
Everything else is wired solid. could a bad bulb do this..It is almost like something is arcking out and drawing all of the power? but it takes a few seconds for it to go dim.
Last edited by malone on Mon Feb 16, 2009 7:18 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Dim lights???
I looked back at that jdx 8 post and it says a regulator should read about 125 ohms. It also mentions to check for a good grounded regulator. This guys problem was opposite of yours though his tach and lights were going crazy. I would check all your grounds. What kind of machine is this.
1973 John Deere 400-Fall 08-Ongoing project
1980 John Deere Trailfire 340 (RAT)- Spring 09- Daily rider
1982 John Deere Trailfire 340 - Spring 12- Daily rider
1980 John Deere Liquifire 440- Fall 12
1976 Arctic Cat Jag 2000 F/A Fall 10
1976 Arctic Cat Jag 3000F/A- Summer 10-Daily Rider
1980 Arctic Cat Jag 3000F/A-Summer 10
1988 & 1991 Polaris Indy 650s
"If You Don't Know Where To Start, Go Back To The Beginning"
1980 John Deere Trailfire 340 (RAT)- Spring 09- Daily rider
1982 John Deere Trailfire 340 - Spring 12- Daily rider
1980 John Deere Liquifire 440- Fall 12
1976 Arctic Cat Jag 2000 F/A Fall 10
1976 Arctic Cat Jag 3000F/A- Summer 10-Daily Rider
1980 Arctic Cat Jag 3000F/A-Summer 10
1988 & 1991 Polaris Indy 650s
"If You Don't Know Where To Start, Go Back To The Beginning"
Dim lights???
My buddies 80 lf. I thought the hand warmers were doing it but they are hot and it makes no diff if u turn them off??
Last edited by malone on Mon Feb 16, 2009 7:32 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Dim lights???
Sounds like some sort of capacitive effect; like something is charging for a few seconds.
Below edited this from the Sportfire Tech manual. Besides this test you might want to clean up all your connections & test switches for resistance should be .2 ohms or less on a good contact. Found a previous owner had cross connected the brake & headlight harness on my sled.
If lights will not light at any engine speed, check the
voltage regulator as follows:
Testing Volrage Regulator
1. Disconnect the yellow lead from the voltage regulator.
Fig. 2.
2. Start the engine and allow it to idle.
IMPORTANT: Do not run eng ine above idle
speed or all light bulbs will burn out.
Lights Light Replace the voltage regulator.
Lights Do Not Light: Test the alternator as shown in
Fig. 1. If alternator tests OK, replace voltage regu lator.
SPOR TFIRE
Below edited this from the Sportfire Tech manual. Besides this test you might want to clean up all your connections & test switches for resistance should be .2 ohms or less on a good contact. Found a previous owner had cross connected the brake & headlight harness on my sled.
If lights will not light at any engine speed, check the
voltage regulator as follows:
Testing Volrage Regulator
1. Disconnect the yellow lead from the voltage regulator.
Fig. 2.
2. Start the engine and allow it to idle.
IMPORTANT: Do not run eng ine above idle
speed or all light bulbs will burn out.
Lights Light Replace the voltage regulator.
Lights Do Not Light: Test the alternator as shown in
Fig. 1. If alternator tests OK, replace voltage regu lator.
SPOR TFIRE
Last edited by oscar89 on Mon Feb 16, 2009 8:45 pm, edited 1 time in total.
-
cowboy mark
- Posts: 29
- Joined: Sat Feb 14, 2009 1:00 am
- Location: Manitoba, Canada
Dim lights???
i'm having a similar prob. w/ my 1976 Cyclone. i'm gonna check the voltage regulator, and the connections. my light is very dim but it's always that way right from start up.
Sleds owned..
1 1976 JD Cyclone
1 1976? JD Liquifire,
1 1977 JD Liquifire (parts)
1 1976 JD Cyclone
1 1976? JD Liquifire,
1 1977 JD Liquifire (parts)
Dim lights???
It is a good idea to look at all the grounds. Engine to chassis, stator to engine and chasswis to harness.
But what you discribe sounds like a short on the hot side.
Check your taillight socket very closely. I have seen several of them have a flaky contact that has a strand or two that touches the base and sucks down the voltage.
Also look at the small bulb sockets on the gauge backlights. Same thing, a single strand of wire touching ground.
But what you discribe sounds like a short on the hot side.
Check your taillight socket very closely. I have seen several of them have a flaky contact that has a strand or two that touches the base and sucks down the voltage.
Also look at the small bulb sockets on the gauge backlights. Same thing, a single strand of wire touching ground.
Todd Schrupp
Milbank SD
Milbank SD
Dim lights???
I'll try it thanks
Dave
Dave