Viper Electrical Problem

T

themaninblack

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Jan 22, 2006
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Hi, While I was out riding Saturday night my 2002 Viper started to have some sort of electrical problem. The speedometer and guages would go blank and restart. I would sort of loose power briefly then everything fine. This happened several times. It also happened when I switched the headlight to high beam. The motor never shut off just this kept happening. Anybody have any ideas? Thanks.
 
My 03 would also do this a few times this year. I have pipes and assume that the wires are getting hot as they transfer from the motor up to the hood. Since I now have my motor out (it pooped) I have inspected harness under the motor and found nothing. But I protected the harness anyway with plastic wire mold. I never could force the problem to occur. Hope someone knows this problem. Mine did the exact same thing you have explained, how weird....

Dennis
 
Check the wire harness that runs from the box to the hood pod. I believe it runs underneath the engine and close to the jackshaft. It may be rubbing and grounding out. This happened to my SXR this year as it was rubbing on the jack shaft. I haven't had any troubles with my viper, but I believe they have similar routing of the electrical harness.
 
Viper wires do not go under the shaft like a SRX, they turn up before the shaft. I have looked for weak areas and other than the hot hood that is all I can find. Wrapped with foil and heat protective racing material. On my power valve cables I put wire mold on them and then a wrap of heat foil. This really works well.
 
How about where your headlight wiring harness is? Or by your cdi box?? I have never worked on a viper so I am not much help :dunno: But someone else will chim in.....Good luck.....RR
 
my 02 viper has the same issue. been getting worse over the last couple of seasons. seems better after the sled has been in a heated shop. talked to a yamaha tech thru the dealer and he says it is the stator. have a new one on the way, hope it works
 
I have a 2004 Viper S and having the same issues. Using Hi/low switch makes gauge panel go blank and tach to cycle, same when applying the brake. I have checked all harnesses only to find no worn or bare spots. Same with all bulb connections, good.

I too think it is the stator as now head light will dim when brake is applied. Low voltage...

Trail Viper - Please respond with how the new stator worked out!!
 
Just got in from garage. Went over all wire harnesses, connectors etc... Cannot find any burn marks or shorts where wire could be rubbing. Same problem here as Locktite2. Ran sled, when I use the hi/low switch or the apply the brake the tach cycles. I would be very interested to know if it is the stator. Hope we get to the bottom of this. Thanks for the help.
 
I have a similar problem the sled flutters and the tach jumps up and down also 2 or 3 times when ive started the sled the cluster doesnt work or the headlight then all of a sudden it will come on.I think it might be the stator I'll watch too see what you found out.
 
Surprised to hear it was a bad stator, as it's a very common problem on vipers for the wiring harness to rub through and short out. Unplug the harness at the hood, and undo all the bendable clips as it goes under the engine, then pull it up behind the engine so you can inspect it real good. Mine was shorting out on the aluminum just behind the carbs causing the gauges and lights to go wacky. Then you repair(if needed) and individually wrap the bad wires with electrical tape, and put plastic wire loom on the whole harness and pull it back under the engine. Do a search on "viper wiring harness" or "rub through" and you should find a pile of info on it.
 
I did check for rub thru first and found none. I got lucky on the stator price, 79$ on ebay, I have seen them go higher. Replacing it was fairly easy. Take off the recoil, remove the flywheel ( you'll need a flywheel puller for this) only the one big nut on the flywheel need be removed before using the puller. dont put the arms of the flywheel puller in too deep you just want to grab the lip of the wheel not the stator that lies behind it. After that I think its just 3 screws holding in the stator. there is a recessed key on the shaft , careful you dont lose it. It took me a couple of hours start to finish, thats taking my time. good luck
 
Problem - A dim head light which got even dimmer when applying brake. Gauge panel/Tach cycling when applying hi/low switch or brake.

After a major effort to find worn or loose wiring and finding none, I ordered a new stator. Replace it tonight and all is well!!!

Light is back to normal and no more issues with brake or hi/low switch and gauge panel. Did not what to have spend the $$ but it was the stator.

Good luck to you other guys!
 
Mine did a few weird things too like this this past week in the UP. It has about 5600 miles on it. Pat's in Greenland, MI also mentioned that my stator may be going. A few times it wouldn't start with a warm motor. Also I saw my gauges and tach do some weird things. They also made comment about Vipers aging in general. They said that they have seen alot of Vipers with 8-10,000 miles ,that have never been apart ,seize for no reason. Turns out after some aging that the gaskets start to fail in the motor . During storage the anti-freeze seeps down into the crank leading to crank bearing failure. I plan on tearing mine down this summer and going through everything.......all bearings in motor and skid...new rings, new track and skis....etc.
 
this is a funny topic, ive got a 02, and i have the same problem, what id do is check under the tank, and even if it isnt worn, take piece of hard plastic and use it to protect the wires all the way down the tank, then check the harness under the motor, and jus follow it all the way, if theres no problems there, replace your stator, and if the problem still persists, take it in :)
 
journeyman said:
Mine did a few weird things too like this this past week in the UP. It has about 5600 miles on it. Pat's in Greenland, MI also mentioned that my stator may be going. A few times it wouldn't start with a warm motor. Also I saw my gauges and tach do some weird things. They also made comment about Vipers aging in general. They said that they have seen alot of Vipers with 8-10,000 miles ,that have never been apart ,seize for no reason. Turns out after some aging that the gaskets start to fail in the motor . During storage the anti-freeze seeps down into the crank leading to crank bearing failure. I plan on tearing mine down this summer and going through everything.......all bearings in motor and skid...new rings, new track and skis....etc.
Click to expand...

thanks for that info, its stuff like that thats good to know, mine has 5800 miles, and runs like a champ, id hate for it to break down for something so easily avoidable,
 
Just finished putting a new Stator on my sled. Solved the problem. The wires coming off my old Stator were all bare and burnt. I'm sure thats where the shorting out was occuring. Took more than 2 hours as previously stated, but then again I am a rookie. Good to be back in business. Thanks for the help everyone.
 
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