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07 v star 650 cel

5K views 10 replies 3 participants last post by  Beave 
#1 ·
I’ve recently got my new to me v star 650 on the road after some work. (Tires front and rear, fixed tappet cover leak, neutral safety switch leak.)

Maiden voyage and all is well. That is until I hit highway speeds. The cel comes on solid. Still runs fine.

Get home and cut the bike off and the cel starts flashing. 4 long and 2 short flashes.

Turn the bike off and back on. And it’s gone.

I haven’t been able to find the exact code for this. Or any for that matter. But I’m going to guess it’s one of 2 things.

1. Fuel shutoff solenoid.
2. Something with the speedometer. It works but putting the front wheel back on I had a lot of trouble getting it all to line up properly for the axle to thread. I’ve also read mixed reviews on this. Some say that a Speedo malfunction can not cause this. Others say that when they have replaced the cable or some other speedometer related part it corrected their problem.

Anyone have any ideas?
 
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#2 ·
Code 42 is speed sensor malfunction. At least that's what Yamaha says. Might have damaged the speed sensor hub when you having troubles with front wheel.

 
#3 · (Edited)
the speedometer on a 650 is mechanical, like on a bicycle

I dont think there is a speed sensor, the fault code might be universal for all bikes, in which case i dont know why a 650 would be throwing that fault code

tried to google the fault codes for the 650 and found squat! WTH?!

if your speedometer is working it cant be anything with the cable spinner on the front wheel

I have the Yamaha factory service manual for the 650, it shows how to read the blinking lights, but again it say NOTHING on the fault codes, so again? WTH?!
 
#4 ·
KCW, I thought the same thing and check out some other sites and that's where I got the info. Seems something in speedometer can trigger an issue with cable. Read on one site that it was a safety thing that all vehicles legally must have a working speedometer. Don't know if it's true but saw it on a couple of sites in reference to code 42 on a 650.
 
#5 ·
I looked at the yamaha service manual again, there is a section on the CEL blinking, and the only fault it lists is the throttle position sensor - so from that I would take: if your CEL is blinking your throttle position sensor is disconnected or not moving.

If the bike has a speed sensor somewhere buried in the instrument cluster, then how would the ECM know if the bike is moving or not - or if you are reving the engine in neutral or with the clutch pulled in?

Check engine lights with a table full of fault codes are normally for fuel injected engines. I have never seen a vehicle with carbs that had check engine lights

I got nothing

If the bike is running correctly put a piece of electrical tape over the yellow light.
 
#6 ·
Hopefully the OP can find a solution. I've found a couple of threads like this on 650 forums. Logically it doesn't make sense because it's a mechanical connection. Is it pure coincidence?

Short version - While riding speedo stopped working shortly after noticing this I also started seeing check engine light (CEL) come on and go off. Fixed speedo issue and now I no longer get CEL. weird...

Long version - I was riding the other week and my speedometer stopped working. During that same ride (25 miles around the neighborhood) my CEL would come on and go off, this was mostly above 40 mph or so. I tried to find documentation or anything that pointed to a connection between the two. I found a couple threads online where the question was posed but none of them had a final update/result. The consensus - there would be no connection between the two and it was coincidental.

It ended up that the speedo cable had disconnected from the speedo gauge cluster, easy fix. I took the bike out for a ride and the speedo was working fine again AND I could not get the CEL to come on. I rode around for about 20-30 miles again and no CEL.
 
#7 ·
I’ve searched a lot and came up with the same threads as you guys. Some say it will. Some say it won’t.

The fuel cutout solenoids have the wires attached. And click when 12 volts applied. And the tps wires are connected. May try to adjust/calibrate it. I seen a post where this can be done with a multi meter.

Not going to try it today though. I’m a little under the weather plus it’s raining.
 
#8 ·
if the bike is running well it could be a false indication error code

the TPS is used to advance the spark as you rotate the throttle - if it was unplugged the bike would run like crap - it would have no power.

a 650 hits its peak HP at 55mph in 4th gear, and the carbs growl with glee when you do that wide open on the throttle - about 70mph in 5th.

if the shutoff solenoids were unplugged there would be no fuel to the carbs

if there really is some connection to the speedo, it wont affect how the bike runs
 
#9 ·
For future reference l, the speedometer CAN illuminate the cel.

So I took the front wheel off. Cleaned up the speed sensor. Put everything back together etc. went for a ride. Was out about an hour at highway speeds and no cel. But I didn’t like the way something wasn’t lined up with the forks. The triple trees was off center when traveling straight.

Took it back apart. Aligned everything. Put it back together and went for another ride. And the cel came back on. Same code.

So once again I loosened everything up. Let it settle by itself and put it back together. 30 minute ride at highway speeds again. No cel.

Which brings me to my next problem. I have something bent up front. But that’s no surprise it’s been wrecked twice. Oh well I’ll look into it over the winter.
 
#10 ·
if you dont already have it, google Yamaha V star 650 factory service manual.

You can find it as a free PDF download

look at the exploded drawings for the front axle, make sure you are not missing a spacer or washer, or someone didnt put it on the wrong side.

There should be nothing to center, adjust, wiggle or settle when you put the front wheel on the bike. Put the axle bolt thru with all the right parts and torque it down, then torque down the lock bolt.

If you can move things around, a bearing is shot or parts are missing or in the wrong place, or worse yet your fork is bent or loose!

is interesting about the CEL light - there is no sensor on the front wheel, its a mechanical gear/wheel that spins the mechanical cable, which begs the question: If its not connected and the cable is not turning while you are riding, how could the ECM possibly know you are riding, and that the bike is suppose to be moving?!
 
#11 ·
I’ve got the manual. Everything is in the right place. The axle shaft just doesn’t line up when you put it through. Which is also why I think something else is bent.

Maybe there’s someThing built into the speedo/odometer that will cause it to illuminate if it’s got spotty/intermittent input from the sensor. I don’t know? I have to replace the glass in the odometer maybe I’ll see something while I’m in it.
 
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