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[Steveboss]

I own a 2009 CVO Ultra and am experiencing the voltage gauge and oil pressure gauge fluctuating after about 20 miles of riding. What is strange is it seems to do it when the bike is cold. I have changed the battery, stator and regulator. The bike runs fine so I plugged in my Commander tuner and taped it to the fuel tank and programmed in the voltage readings. Went for a ride and while the gauge bounced around the tuner read a solid 13.5 volts. It leads me to think it is the gauge going bad. Now the oil pressure gauge is starting the same thing. The bike has 50,000 miles and started this about 3,000 miles ago. Suggestions?

[Steveboss]

I own a 2009 CVO Ultra and am experiencing the voltage gauge and oil pressure gauge fluctuating after about 20 miles of riding. What is strange is it seems to do it when the bike is cold. I have changed the battery, stator and regulator. The bike runs fine so I plugged in my Commander tuner and taped it to the fuel tank and programmed in the voltage readings. Went for a ride and while the gauge bounced around the tuner read a solid 13.5 volts. It leads me to think it is the gauge going bad. Now the oil pressure gauge is starting the same thing. The bike has 50,000 miles and started this about 3,000 miles ago. Suggestions?

[havenolife]

I have heard that the front wheel bearing when going bad will make this happen l read it on hear no long ago it does sound far fetched to me but who know a lot cheaper than you spent already 

[grc]

More than one person has reported strange voltage gauge behavior that was ultimately corrected by replacing a failing front wheel bearing.  However, I don't remember that issue causing the oil pressure gauge to also fluctuate. 

First, if your charging system is only running 13.5 volts at highway speeds, you need to have the charging system checked out.  The specification is 14.5 ⁺/_- 0.2 V at 2000 rpm and up.  You didn't specify what RPM you were running when you read that voltage, but unless it was at idle it's too low.

Second, I'd start looking for a bad ground if more than one gauge is acting weird.  The gauges have a common ground.  The odds of both gauges developing the same problem simultaneously are very slim, unless there is an external cause common to both.

Jerry

[Steveboss]

GRC I agree with you that the ground may have a play in this. The voltage of 13.5 on my Power Commander was at speed, meaning well above 2000 RPM. Both gauges being faulty is highly unlikely. I just came off an 800 mile ride (in one day) and the gauges bounced all over yet the bike performed as expected IE: no loss of power. I will have the bike put back on the dyno and check the 14.5 volt specification you mentioned.

Havenolife, I do not see any relevance to wheel bearings with this issue. But I have had them replaced about 10,000 miles ago due to wear.

 

[Mano]

I had my oil gauge only (voltage gauge was ok) doing this when I would ride for over an hour at high speeds. It stopped when the oil pump was replaced.

[VANAMAL]

My voltage gauge bounces all over if i have the radio turned up more than half throttle.

[GregKhougaz]

My voltage gauge bounces all over if i have the radio turned up more than half throttle.

You have a throttle on your radio?  Very cool!     

[bakon]

I had this problem. Pull front wheel and feel bearings. One will be bad. Mine was NON-ABS one but replaced both.

Worked electronics and even on missiles in army.Chased it for a month. Mine was highway speed, after 10 miles, and everything checked good. Put multimeter on various spots, taped and strapped to bike, all good. I pulled connector to the abs and front light on fender, still bad, changed gauge, still bad. 
Someone suggested bearings, so Changed bearings, fixed. 24k miles on 2010 Ultra.

Told now bearings not like old ones. 2009 up bikes are going to have more bearing problems than 1999 to 2008.

[cyco1450]

Sounds like regulator going bad....

[bakon]

Mine worked good until traded a year later (5k miles) with only bearings changed.