Thursday 19 January 2012

Yamaha YZF-R1 Engine code 46 problem and fix

Earlier this month I was driving and all of a sudden pooooffff. My R1 Stopped in the middle of the road. The instrument cluster was still lighted, but it also showed the Engine code 46. The R1's starter motor also wouldn't run. I had to get towed back home. Engine fault code 46 meant there was no power going to the ignition control unit. I was hoping for an easy fix. Checked all the fuses, they were all good. I was hoping that it would be the regulator because I have one. But you can't check it if you can't start the bike.

Push come to shove. After measuring the 3 white wires of the stator (generator) it was clear there was a short.

I removed the stator/rotor assembly and it was clear that this was the culprit. All the magnets of the rotor were broken in a million pieces and slit one of the 3 white wires to the ground. It was even hard to get the rotor out, had to use a hammer.

I managed to buy a used stator/rotor for a cheap price, and place it in and it worked like a charm.

However I must warn you: When you remove the side generator engine cover, the rotor assembly comes out, but: There's a big chance that pieces of the starter clutch and dampeners will fall off and fall in the engine!!!

I had one dampener fall in the engine, and wasn't able to get it out, tried with a vacuum cleaner, it sucked all my engine oil out, but not the 1 dampener that fell in, and I wasn't feeling like to remove the entire exhaust (rusted bolts) to get the oil carter out. so you are warned.

Anyway I got it fixed. Picture will follow of the broken magnets.
If you have any questions let me know using the comment form below


35 comments:

  1. We thank you for expressing your views about Yamaha bikes. We appreciate your expressions.

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  2. So what did you wind up doing with the part that fell in the engine?

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  3. I actually didn't worry about it and left it in there. It's so big, I didn't think it would come back up, and it's plastic anyway.

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    1. Did you ride the bike while the piece was in there and if so how did it ride this just happened to me and I can't find them

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  4. Hi I had same issue on my r1. I dropped the large washer though into the sump. It was easy to get at. I suggest you try and find the rubber cush drive you lost. I see you lost a valve, maybe the rubber got mashed and a piece blocked an oil gallery feeding that cam? If you can't find it, then its stuck somewhere.......

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  5. I was kind of thinking the same thing. Now that the engine is out, I will open the oil carter and locate the cush. When I was doing the alternator job, after dropping the cush rubber, I tried with a vacuum in the hole deep down to suck it up, I got all the oil out, but not the rubber.

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  6. hi there, be noted that it will happen again if you replaced the damaged rottor with one of the same product code. Yamaha after 10 years replaced the code since they understood that the rotor is defective. we are chasing Yamaha Greece and the factory to announce a recall for these, we have more than 50 similar occasions here, most probably the problem is the enviromental heat conditions that cause the magnets to dettach from the stator. FZ1/FZ8/R1 users will face this,if not faced already. except for the damage itself, ths could lead to a fatal accident (imagine speeding to 200 kmh) while this happens......

    ride safe

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  7. Hi, thank you for this post. I did not know that there was a factory recall on the generator. I have not had any issue after doing the replacement.

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  8. There is no recall yet, that's why we have started moving things here to make them recall this part. Spread the word, the part is defective and can cause too much damage and in worst case scenarios fatal accidents....

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    1. Any word on a recall yet or are they just expecting people to replace it themselves after the damage is already done

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    2. sorry for the late reply, no, unfortunately Yamaha said the part can cause any accident. they only they do right now , is sell the new part and give a guarantee for a 2 year period in case it happens again. Last but not least, this is not the only problem the Fz1 has. It's also the ignition coils, which if sprayed a lot with a washing machine are @#ed up....

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    3. sorry for the late reply, no, unfortunately Yamaha said the part can NOT cause any accident.!!!! the only THING they do right now , is sell the new part and give a guarantee for a 2 year period in case it happens again. Last but not least, this is not the only problem the Fz1 has. It's also the ignition coils, which if sprayed a lot with a high pressure washing machine are @#ed up....i m now replacing the left and right ones ....

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  9. Just had this happen on my 04 R1. I just bought the bike and had the best 50 mile ride of my life until I got the engine light with code 46 and The bike shut down. I got the stator cover off with the stator and rotor. But what size torx are the 3 bolts holding the stator on? Also do I need a new stator and rotor or just a stator? The stator is like $50 but a rotor is around $400 on eBay. Thanks!

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  10. We own a small independent motorcycle repair shop and have seen the magnets separate from the assembly on 4 different bikes in the past year. Yamaha needs to set up their game and make this a recall

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  11. Exactly the same thing just happened to me with my 07! I've got an 01 R1 which I love, but after this shit, I'm gonna unload the 07 and get an 06-07 zx10r

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  12. Hello guys.....I just had the code 46 on my r1 2006..... Is there something new on the case? Did Yamaha made a recall of the problem part? Is it for sure the issue to the rotor??

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  13. So question I have a 03 and I had to replace the stator twice and just had to get a new rectifier but still can't find out why the stator engine cover gets extremely hot after 10 minutes of the bike running any idea what it could be I don't want to keep replacing these parts all for nothing

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  14. I can't believe I'm reading this I bought my secondhand r1 2004 ran it for days starting probs occasionally then fail bits of magnet all over the rotor housing some bits in sump have flushed with paraffin new oil and filters hopefully a new rotor from eBay will fix it I'm going to try old stator to try and keep costs low Yamaha come on !!! Recall please!!!

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  15. My 08 fz1 flywheel is gone as well this pass week.droped the oil pan plastic all in it. I was riding fast and bam check engine light and all my dash goes off as im on the freeway. Luckly i made it off befor the bike completly turn off. Parts super exspensive. So sad

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  16. My 08 fz1 flywheel is gone as well this pass week.droped the oil pan plastic all in it. I was riding fast and bam check engine light and all my dash goes off as im on the freeway. Luckly i made it off befor the bike completly turn off. Parts super exspensive. So sad

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  17. 2008 YZF-R1 40,000km and mashed magnets, can live with the broken part, but shards or magnets all through a high reving engine is criminal...how can they not recall this stuff...the redesigned part might cos them $200 and takes 5 min to replace....I dont know why they are such tight arses when this inevitable problem is avoidable.

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  18. That's what I was thinking too. How on earth can those magnets separate like that? never seen that before.

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  20. My bike mast up for the 2nd time in 1 year and sane code 46. This shit needs to get fixed asap

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  21. This also happened to my '06 R1, Was riding down the road when I lost power, engine light came on and error code 46. I have spent $1100 on a new stator, magneto flywheel, rectifier and battery!

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  22. My 06 r1 did the same thing .Come on yamaha recall

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  23. the same thing to me!!! all magnets were crushed at all and everything dropped to the engine oil... i worry about my engine when i replace the rotor... :(

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  24. Same thang 06 r1 replaced stater r/r and batt. Now it does not charge enough to keep it running for over 10 minutes goin crazy. 3 staters. 3 r/rs and 3 batteries and still aint charging right. Help

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    Replies
    1. Hi, I would say to check your charger/regulator also under the seat with cooling fins

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  25. So, I plan on tackling this obstacle after my magnets turned to dust on my 05 R1. What’s a reasonable procedure for removing as much magnetic particles as possible. I bought the gen two magneto and bought a new stator. Because the magnets chewed up my stator.

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  26. Now thatvi replaced the stator with new flywheel, coil, regulator. My bike still wont start now its giving a code 12 for the crankshaft position sensor. Ive only got 12k miles on my bike. I had to replace the starter last year for tge same reason all the magnets came off unside of it too. Anybody have any input on this..... its been down 6 months and im very frustrated at this point.

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  27. Now thatvi replaced the stator with new flywheel, coil, regulator. My bike still wont start now its giving a code 12 for the crankshaft position sensor. Ive only got 12k miles on my bike. I had to replace the starter last year for tge same reason all the magnets came off unside of it too. Anybody have any input on this..... its been down 6 months and im very frustrated at this point.

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    Replies
    1. My 05 R1 has just done the same thing. Engine light then total power loss with error code 46. Luckily it coasted to a stop rather than seizing up

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  28. O4 r1 samething code 46 but bike was riding hot and got home but wouldn't turn back on till I charged batt and code disappeared, changed stator and rectifier already aswell as battery and purchased the new 1 frm rmstator puzzled

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