Resurrection - bad stator. what's next?

[ducfun]

Hello everyone,

I'm slowly resurrecting my '96 M900, which had been sitting. Whew, this is a process....

I'm mostly writing to vent and also to say how awesome this forum is. Your posts have been very helpful and encouraging to read as I persevere through new problems.

The latest discovery is a bad stator. The two (only two) yellow wires have less than 1 ohm across them with the bike off. With it at idle the AC voltage is ~ 20, ~ 40 VAC at 2k and ~ 55 VAC at 3k. However, I think I see an occasional spike!?

Could the bad stator be responsible for blowing ignition fuses?

I also have a bad regulator (did the stator damage it?), but a new one already I hand. 

New timing belts are going on for good measure next too.

A little history: I tried rebuilding my stock carbs, but waisted time and money. I now have 41mm FCRs. I also replaced the stock (one damaged) coils with exactfit from ca cycleworks.

Anyhow, thanks again to everyone here.

[Howie]

I'm not sure you have a bad stator.  I would clean all connections, especially where the regulator connects to the stator and the engine ground.  If the stator connection shows signs of heat damage repair of the affected connection and wires.  Install new regulator and test.  A bad stator will not blow ignition fuses

[ducfun]

Howie,

Thanks for the post. Many of the other threads I've searched here have you responding with valuable insight.

I have a new regulator in hand. There is certainly wire damage near the connector, but I don't know how far back it goes.

I'll check it out now...and install the new regulator.

[suzyj]

The damage will only be at the connector. The connectors (especially on single phase stators) aren't up to the job, and overheat.

Replace it with a decent quality connector, like the Metripack 630 series shown here:  http://easternbeaver.com/Main/Elec__Products/Connectors/Sealed/MetriPack280/metripack280.html

[beethoven]

You can hard wire the Regulator and check performance without connector. Up to you then if you want a connector at all.

[ducfun]

I installed the regulator with bullet connectors like the stock connectors (I already had them on hand), but I'd like to replace them with something better. I'll check out the link above.

Most of the wire damage was near the connector. I cut back two or so inches before finding good wire. The replacement regulator had a long enough lead that extending the wire was not required. I placed dielectric goop on all connections

I need to check everything per the electorsport diagnostic again with the new regulator. I'll do this after I load test my battery.

After the new regulator install the bike seemed to run fine. The yellow wires didn't get hot like before, the VAC across the yellow wired was "normal", the no charge (battery indicator) stayed off, and no blown fuse.

I went for a short test ride and the bike died on me. Now I have no electrical power at all. After pushing it home, I measured next to no DC voltage across the battery terminals.

Thanks again everyone!

[ducfun]

Oh, I cleaned the ground wire from battery lead to the frame (under the battery holder), the ground near right footpeg, and the ground under the regulator too. Did I miss any?

Since I was previously blowing the 7.5A fuse for ignition, I shook wires from head light to taillight with the bike running before my test ride too.

[ducfun]

The battery is dead. It won't hold a charge. I'll report back after I replace it.

[ducfun]

Posting to compete the summary:
It seems that I had a bad regulator with an 'okay' battery at the start of the troubleshooting and a bad battery by the time I replaced the regulator and cleaned up the stator wires.

Also, I originally misinterpreted the table in the Haynes manual on checking the stator...I read the table to say that the two yellow wires should have a couple mega ohms across them. Thinking of it now, that makes no sense. They have about 0.25 Ohms. Thanks Howie for making me slow down on targeting the stator as bad.

I took a test ride and no symptoms appeared. I'm hopeful it stays that way.

Thanks!

[koko64]

Good rebirth and great bikes the old Monsters.

[ducfun]

Howie et al,

My bike won't start...again.

I have a battery that is ~ 2 weeks old and a new regulator from ca-cycleworks. Now, the (new) battery won't charge with my home tender/charger. I'm at a loss...How do I avoid feeding my bike batteries to repeat the electorsport diagnostic? Did my bike kill it? Wrong type of battery?

I did the diagnostic after the new RR and new battery and it checked out okay...

[Howie]

Dead battery, assuming the charging system is operating correctly, leads to two possibilities.  One is, well, the battery just decided to fail at this confusing moment.  Charge the battery with a known good charger and get it load tested.  Any worthwhile motorcycle shop can do this for you.  If the battery is good, reinstall.  If not, buy a new battery.  Now you will check for a drain (parasitic draw).  Since you have a carbed bike this is easy.  Remove the negative battery cable.  Place a 12 volt test light between the negative battery cable and negative on the battery.  If the test light is lit with the ignition off you have a drain.  Pull the fuses one at a time.  When the test light goes out you found the circuit where the problem exists.  Do keep in mind there is a possibility you may have left the ignition switch in park instead of lock or off.  Most of us have done that at one time or another.  Except me.  OK, I lied.

As far as your battery tender goes, is it it a Deltran  battery tender?  If so, tell us what the lights are doing.  If not, what brand and model are you using?  You can also put it on a known good battery with a voltmeter connected across the battery.  Measure voltage across the battery with the tender on.  Does the voltage go up?

[ducfun]

Thanks again Howie! With some new ideas for another day maybe, just maybe, I can get some sleep - or - go to the garage! Cheers...

[ducfun]

I'll get back to you on your questions...

[corey]

so what i'm gathering is that your charging system, when you check it at all the connectors, is outputting just fine...
and your battery is good...
but the battery won't take a charge...

is it possible that the charge isn't being delivered?...
a hole in the system between the regulator and battery?

what I'm getting at is... did we already check the 40amp main fuse?