ambitious undertaking

I wouldn't get too hepped up about the RR yet. Your bike ought to start without it working as long as it is connected.

As I recall you took your bike off of the road because its outer windings fried. Since then you are having trouble with the solenoid and RR. Could it be that you've got some wiring mixed up? Your bike should have been ready to roll after swapping the rotor or at the very least been able to start if you had an incorrect diagnosis.

Your best bet at this point would be to put it back together as best as you can and then ask us why it won't start. From there we can help you start it and then diagnose your electrical problems.

i tried that and got 0.L for ohms, that means infinite resistance which means they don't connect at all

Don't just check for continuity, look for the following values.

With the r/r removed from the bike, fins pointing up and terminals facing you, the terminals from left to right will be A, B, C, D, and E.
Negative probe on A and positive on B you should get 6-7.5 ohms.
Negative probe on A and positive on C you should get 6-7.5 ohms.
Negative probe on A and positive on D you should get 6-7.5 ohms.
Negative probe on A and positive on E you should get 50-70 ohms.

Then switch the negative probe to terminal B and place the positive probe on A, C, then D, you should get no reading. Positive on E should read 6-7.5 ohms.

Switch negative probe to C and positive to A, B, then D, you should get no reading. Positive on E should read 6-7.5 ohms.

Switch negative probe to D and positive to A, B, then C, you should get no reading. Positive on E should read 6-7.5 ohms.

Switch negative probe to E, positive to A, B, C, and D should give no reading.

Hope you can follow what I am outlining here.

i checked the r/r for continuity , i have a digital multimeter, and i get 0.L which means something like out of range for all terminals. the starter relay has always been there and it seems either it is fried somewhere between the ignition switch. all my lights work, i tested all of them one by one either a bunch of circuits are fubared or one that connects them all, i havent had a chance to look yet. i have a wiring diagram. yes this is the battery i used to remove the stator but it is fine. i did a load test

Ice, DON'T DO IT!!!!!

If your sure that all your components are good, then go ahead and fix your harness. Don't drive yourself insane with trying to make a new one.

Here's how you rebuild a wire harness.
Take it off the bike. Lay it on a big (really big, 3'x7') piece of paper or cardboard or plywood. Trace out the shape of the harness noting where all the conectors go. This is real important, it allows you to get the correct lengths for all the pig tails so it will fit properly when your done. Next strip all the tape off the harness. Do it slowly and try to follow how it was wrapped in the first place. Make notes on your sketch, it will go back together much easier.
Now, take some Mineral spirits or equivelent solvent and clean each wire from end to end. After you clean each wire, check it for continuity at the connnections. If there is a break or bad connetion, you will find it. After fixing any problems, retape the harness and reinstall. Be carefull not to wrap the tape to tightly or the harness won't be flexible enough and may cause future problems.

Steve

I would recommend soldering the connections: it helps prevent corrosion.

I didn't bother with the gauge of the wire, I just went by the amp rating of it. Most auto electrical shops stock 10 and 15 amp wire, this will do for the bulk of your harness. Its not too hard to rewire your bike, its just crimping the connectors that takes a little practice to master.

Most of the wiring looks like 16 guage on my 700. You can use 14 guage to be on the safe side. I doubt you really need to be putting together a whole new harness. You never have answered the question as to whether or not the battery you tried charging was the one you used to remove the stator with. There is more than one reason not to be shorting a battery out on purpose, and this experience should remind you of that the next time you want to try experimenting. The first place to start is to test your R/R. After that test the stator, then the ignitor and so on. You need to test one thing at a time instead of just going from all angles at once. THe R/R seems the most logical source of your problem.

Instead of being impatient, maybe you should try kissing some @$$. But to answer your question, like posted earlier, 14 and 16 Ga wire is sufficient for most of your wiring. If you need connectors & Plugs, try using Molex connectors available at radio Shack. those will be a good replacement for the bad ones you may have. Also, if you don't have a manual with a wire schematic, then replace only ONE at a time, and with the same colour. Chuck the 'relay' and get a solenoid before it really messes things up. Even one of those large Ford models will work if you absolutely cannot find the right one. a bike salvage yard would be a great place to find a good used solenoid. Hope that helps.

ok what the hell 21 people viewed this post and not a single one knows what gauge wire i should use for my wiring harness?

You show considerable impatience for someone who is looking for FREE advice. Why don't you take your wire harness to a local electric shop and they can assist you in determining what gauge wire to use or hang on to your shorts and someone who knows or gives a &^%&% will be with you when it is convienient for them and not you.

you tell him Dan!!! I was trying to help him but he is aparantly un willing to help me help him.
I WAS going to go buy a service manual that covers 85 550's to see just how they are wired.
I get enough bad attitude at work, I am not going to deal with it here :x

Bring your old harness into an autoelectric shop and buy a bunch of each guage wire that you already have. Different colours are very important.

Then, only rewire the parts of your bike needed to get it running and charging. No lights, no nothing. As for the relay, a solenoid is a super heavy duty relay, I doubt what you have will last long before it catches on fire even if it does work. Then, learn how to use hand signals and only ride during the day... A horn would be good too, actually, that would be a good place for you to start since it is really easy to set up.

I hope you have a wiring diagram of your bike by now because it is going to be impossible to rewire it without one. Unless, ofcourse, you decide to draw up your own harness.

And last but not least, you need to find some kind of drug to calm yourself down before you torch the bike in your next "fit of rage".

im impatient because i suspect some people are still harboring bad feelings towards me and i thought it was over and done with

Most of the wiring I think is a combo of 14ga and 18ga for the finer stuff.The heavier wires are around 10ga.

Jon Kram
_______________________

81 GS750EX and proud of it!!

Sorry Ice,

I don't know one guage from ten guage. Unless you're talking about shotguns.

ok what the hell 21 people viewed this post and not a single one knows what gauge wire i should use for my wiring harness?

You show considerable impatience for someone who is looking for FREE advice. Why don't you take your wire harness to a local electric shop and they can assist you in determining what gauge wire to use or hang on to your shorts and someone who knows or gives a &^%&% will be with you when it is convienient for them and not you.