[bigmachdaddy]

Sled is a 2014 800 xrs

As the title states, i was riding yesterday (beautiful day to say the least)and after about 100 miles i started smelling this strange odor. i started hearing a noise at about the same time, sounds like a dry bearing type of noise coming from in front of me or a tad on the PTO side. Still not convinced its related to my issue but thought maybe i would throw that out there. about 2-300 foot from a stop sign my check engine light came on with and displayed rev limited so i coasted to the stop sign, went to take off the sled beeped several times and i shut her down. I get off the sled and light smoke is coming from right panel, so i open it and all i smell is burning electrical. Discussed with my group what the plan was, i fired it back up and the gauge cluster was dead foor about 2-3 seconds then the needled did their gauge sweep real slowly the digital rpm came up on the dash it idled really low for a few seconds then quit. fast forward 30-40 minutes for truck and trailer i started it back up and it idled great for a few minutes and drove it in the trailer, still smelling burning electrical.

Today i get it home and in garage, i fire it up idle it for 10 minutes while checking battery voltage and its 13.6 at idle, 14.8 roughly holding steady throttle, then held the throttle at about 2000 rpms for a minute, let it idle for another 10, put it on the lift and run it at 35 mph for a few minutes, did this three times, bring back to idle and it starts to die, when its starting to die battery voltage is down to 12.16 then will pick back up to low 13s with throttle input. I am leaning towards stator but when i put my hose near that blue capacitor, it smells awful. Looking for some opinions on what you may think.

I have a 2012 shop manual, will information regarding the electrical system be the same from 12 to 14?

sorry for the long winded post

 

[Funkymasta]

Yup your 2012 manual should be fine. If the capcitor smell , its dead

 

[gen1xrs]

Had an ecu go bad on a car once. Similar to what you described. Some smoke, horrible electrical/fish smell. Car wouldn't start at all though.

Opened up the ecu and a capacitor had burned up and leaked all over.

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[Daag44]

I use the 2012 mostly for the 800R and the early ETECs from 2009 to 2012. Better to use the 2013 manual for your sled, and it is an overall better manual. The 2017 850 manual is again even better. Actually it is far better with easier to follow pictures. A lot of things apply between the 600, 800 and 850 ETEC, like the electrical troubleshooting. We have them circulating on DooTalk.

 

[Judge64]

Here's the Stator test from the 2013 manual...

 

[bigmachdaddy]

Is the capacitor something that normally goes bad? Trying to understand the job of the capacitor has in the electrical system... The manual is kind of confusing. Going to get capacitor off tonight and ohm it out.

Thanks again

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[Funkymasta]

A capacitor gets charged up and act like a damper/battery. When it craps it smell alot and the system stop working. Ohm reading it wont prove anything. You have to make store electricity up and see how it keeps it

 

[Daag44]

I think that removing it from the sled to do a smell and voltage test is a good idea. Just be safe and follow the safety warnings in the manual. I don't use a resistor to bleed the capacitor, but do I measure the residual voltage and depending on the voltage I pick a load to bleed it. For instance if the voltage is not much higher than say 15 Vdc, then I use a 12 Vdc test light or my 12 Vdc shop light to drain it. Whatever you do, please don't cause an accidental short against the chassis as this is never good for electronic components.

The Capacitor is indeed a component that can go bad. Since it is an integral part of the voltage regulation, if there is any doubt about this component, then replace it. A steady voltage on a sled is everything. The Capacitor is roughly $100 CAN with taxes.

 

[gen1xrs]

I think that removing it from the sled to do a smell and voltage test is a good idea. Just be safe and follow the safety warnings in the manual. I don't use a resistor to bleed the capacitor, but do I measure the residual voltage and depending on the voltage I pick a load to bleed it. For instance if the voltage is not much higher than say 15 Vdc, then I use a 12 Vdc test light or my 12 Vdc shop light to drain it. Whatever you do, please don't cause an accidental short against the chassis as this is never good for electronic components.

The Capacitor is indeed a component that can go bad. Since it is an integral part of the voltage regulation, if there is any doubt about this component, then replace it. A steady voltage on a sled is everything. The Capacitor is roughly $100 CAN with taxes.

Very good point about safety.

I was just looking up the price myself. $70 US from doo or used on Ebay $25-$40.

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[Daag44]

Someone on DooTalk recently posted a video of the voltage creeping-up on their 800 ETEC (see below). I found it in my browser history, but I can't find the DooTalk thread. Maybe someone remembers seeing it? I would bet it needs a capacitor.

Below is another bad capacitor citing, but the cause is unclear.

https://www.dootalk.com/forums/topic/1505009-800-etec-eating-stators/#entry22756467

My 2015 had similar symptoms. Just replaced a fried stator but my capacitor also fried and leaked out it's oil. Put new doo stator and capacitor in and the sled popped the capacitor after maybe 1 minute idling and that's where I'm at. Sled seemed to be running normal except check engine light was on. It currently will start but I'm hoping stator is still ok. I don't know what to at this point

 

[Daag44]

Very good point about safety.

I was just looking up the price myself. $70 US from doo or used on Ebay $25-$40.

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Used on eBay sounds good. Something of note, the capacitor is rated very close the System Voltage on an ETEC.

 

[bigmachdaddy]

So from reading the manual a little at lunch time, it looks like that capacitor supply's power to injector coils and fuel pump at lower engine speeds, say idling..... I also was reading the chart about beeps.... I had 4 beeps, CEL, and rev limit, according to that chart that's a problem in the 55/60 volt system which sounds like it's the capacitor side of things? Daag can you confirm this?

Thanks guys.

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[Daag44]

The stator is the only power source when the engine is running.

The role of the capacitor is to help regulate the voltage. The Shop Manual says it is to stabilize which is the same thing. I just use my own words.

For the 4 short beeps, it depends which Pilot Lamp gets lit. You mentioned the Check Engine Light (CEL) so I imagine the actual engine pilot light and not one of the others. That one means there is a fault of some sort. It needs to be read with the headlight switch procedure or BUDS or CanDoo. Where you are finding the reference to the 60Vdc System Voltage?

 

[bigmachdaddy]

Will the code still be stored if the battery was unhooked?

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[Daag44]

Most codes do get stored to memory and will stay there even if the battery is unplugged. It is those elusive codes that don't get stored that are a PITA. If you get one of those on an ETEC then should be able to retrieve it before shutting down the sled. I never have, but someone on DooTalk did get lucky and found the code. I wish that I had kept the link because it is one of those rare sightings like spotting a Big Foot or Loch Ness. They do exist I think? lol

 

[bigmachdaddy]

Ok thanks daag.... So I just went and tried to get codes from it and it didn't work, does the sled have to be running in order to get the codes? So if I can't get codes my plan of attack is take capacitor out and visually look and then smell it? Should I check the capacitor charge hold test after that? Plan on working on it a little tonight.... Thanks

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[mbret2004]

Interesting guys, please update as information becomes available.

Bigmach, typically if an electrical item has that typical electrical burnt "smell" it's defective. Putting any electricity to it will more than likely make the item a good fire starter. Inspect the capacitor closely for burn marks or melted areas.

 

[bigmachdaddy]

So can someone clarify something, the one part of the stator charges the capacitor, the 2nd part is primary voltage for the cluster and other things and the third is for accessories? If this is true, is it possible to check the voltage at the capacitor with engine running. Kind of like checking to see if an alternator is charging a battery. You would be looking for 50-60 volts...... I will not try this until someone else with more experience chimes in.....

FWIW, it just doesn't make since that the stator is bad because of the smoke that comes from the sled..... My headlights, heated plug , 12v plug heated grips all work fine....

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[bigmachdaddy]

Pulled a p1562..... Manual doesn't say anything about stator.... They say bad wire loose connection or capacitor...

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[bigmachdaddy]

I just got out of garage..... I started it up pulled the code only the p1562.... I had my meter on it the entire time, with a little throttle voltage was up around 14.7 consistently. I pulled the capacitor out and gave it a smell and it wasn't that bad, but when I smell the plastic that the capacitor sits in, that stinks like burnt. I checked the inspection shield and it looks pierced to me... The manual says if it's pierced then to replace it. I will post a pic of it and hope someone chimes in... Thanks guys have a good night.

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