spree losing speed

[veithouse]

spree lights dimming, losing speed. used to go 40 now only goes 25. headlight and an speedo light dimming. battery is still strong enough to start it. Ant ideas to fix this problem? something electrical?

[mousewheels]

The Spree alternator is only rated at 80w or so. Given one horsepower is around 750 watts, it's unlikely any fault in the electrical side would drop you from 40mph to 25. On the other hand, how many Spree's run 40mph? Has yours been modified?

On the dimming part - the lights should not be dimming at 25mph. There's not much to go wrong in the lighting circuit - bulbs will not fail drawing more power than normal.
Two likely 'big picture' issues are

• intermittent open, bad or high resistance ground.
• an intermittent short in wiring or the stator

If you'd like more detail, many member's here are very electrically capable. Also there is the Honda service manual available for download.

[veithouse]

It is stock, has around 6000 miles, has had new rings a while ago. It seems to hit a power band after 30 and climbs to 40. It just started doing the light dimming thing tonight and wouldn't get passed 25mph. seems like a short or something.

[Spreetard]

... Another stock spree that goes 40mph?

[devenex]

Master of the facepalm!

Did you witness it going 40, or did the person who sold it to you say it could?

Stock Sprees with intake leaks leaning them out will hit ~35mph before grenading, but 40mph sounds like a stretch even with the optimistic speedo.

[veithouse]

my son actually got pulled over by local police. said he had him at 41 in a 25. didn't get a speeding ticket, but did get a ticket for not changing his address. oh and diagnosed the bogging, it was the bystarter wire melting on the muffler. Ha!

[devenex]

Stock sprees don't go 40mph, so I'm thinking the cop was just having himself some fun.

[Bear45-70]

Stock sprees don't go 40mph, so I'm thinking the cop was just having himself some fun.

Except down a very steep and long hill.

[devenex]

Except down a very steep and long hill.

Very true, I actually did get to that speed once going down such a hill. Needless to say the trip up was not so quick.

Also the motor didn't sound too happy about turning that many RPMs, so I've never done it since.

[Bear45-70]

Except down a very steep and long hill.

Very true, I actually did get to that speed once going down such a hill. Needless to say the trip up was not so quick.

Also the motor didn't sound too happy about turning that many RPMs, so I've never done it since.

I have found, living in hill country, that the motor does not seem to mind as long as you keep the throttle at WOT. Close the throttle and it does not like the lean condition.

[devenex]

Ah, I closed the throttle

[veithouse]

My son took it to Florida with him. Going across a causeway to work going 40 it actually shut down afer about about 8 miles wot. Ha

[Spreetard]

My son took it to Florida with him. Going across a causeway to work going 40 it actually shut down afer about about 8 miles wot. Ha

Let me rephrase; Without adjusting the gear ratio via a pulley mod, the engine would be in excess of 12k rpm to go 40mph on any measuring device other than the horribly inaccurate "Spreedometer".