Blew the main fuse, is it my stator?

[lehrin]

So I was driving down the street at normal around-town speed, (though just before that on the freeway I had opened it up quite a bit, but only for a little) and all of a sudden, no power. Thought I had hit reserve, but I looked down and the lights were all out on the instrument cluster. So, i pulled it apart and the main fuse was blown. put another one in, blew that too (duh...). When looking around I thought it was an extra wire from the positive battery terminal that had grounded, but i removed that and it still didn't work.
So here's the break down of what else I found, and I'm not sure if all this stuff is relevant, but here goes:

There was an extra red wire coming off of the positive battery terminal, connected to nothing. I removed it.
There's a plastic-coated teal green wire with a blue stripe that has a male bullet connector, and it's connected to nothing either. It comes from the headlight in a group of wires that go to the ignitor.
There's a fabric-coated white wire with a blue candy-cane style stripe that looks like it comes from the stator, and it looks burnt.
When I plug the 15amp main fuse in, the red wire going to the reg/rect starts to smoke, and the whole reg/rect gets hot.

Anyone know what's going on? Any help is appreciated; local bike shop won't be able to help until next week, so I'm on my own until then. I will post some pictures tomorrow in the hopes that they will help diagnose the situation.

[Billy Ricks]

Time to run a stator and R/R check.

[focus frenzy]

the regulator rectifier is toast, it has a dead short in it, or a rectifier has failed.

[lehrin]

the regulator rectifier is toast, it has a dead short in it, or a rectifier has failed.

Ok, so at this point this is my thinking: Check the stator, if it's bad, replace both with Electrex, then clean all electrical connections and test using the fault-finding chart to make sure everything is OK. Am I right?
-Lehrin

[argonsagas]

Hmmm Hot rectifier is toast? Thanks, but not for my breakfst.


Actually, he is right. Your R/R is telling you it is time for burial.

You will often need a stator when the R/R goes....that's is just what happens.

But not necessarily so. Do a check before investing any money.

First thing to do is changes pages on this Forum and get to "In the garage". Then print out The Stator Papers.


Take the printed pages with you to the bike, and bring your trusty multimeter with you. Digital seems to work better, but sweep-hand or digital will work.

Disconnect the stator wires. Follow the instructions IN ORDER. Excepting the parts that concern your R/R, (which you already know is dead) do not skip any step.

If the readings come out OK, you can keep your stator, and replace the R/R.

Electrex makes a very good unit, competitively priced, and they give a two year guarantee on it.
They give the same guarantee on their stators.


If you can afford the new R/R, go with Electrex. If not, look for one off a 400/450 Honda from early 80's. Not clear what bike you have, but on several models it will bolt right on. You will have to splice your old connector onto the Honda wires. There is an extra wire (black) that has to tie into a live circuit on your bike. (Taillight is one option) and a green wire that goes directly to the negative side of your battery.

[lehrin]

So, I took the papers and my multimeter to the bike to test the stator, but the only two wires coming off the stator are green and blue (they hit a connector under the air filter, then go to the ignitor), not 4 like the papers say. am i looking in the wrong spot? (right side of engine, underneath TSCC emblem, right?) or is the stator already aftermarket? Anyone know?

You will have to splice your old connector onto the Honda wires.

Also, from the RR there was not a connector, just 4 wires with male/female connectors (not bullet) wrapped in elect. tape and some rubber
-Lehrin

[argonsagas]

You are definitely looking in the wrong spot.

Go back to the starter (no misspelling there).

You have a fairly heavy gauge single wire at the starter, which actuates the starter itself. Ignore it.

Look for wires exiting from under the cover at the rear of the starter, covered by a loom. This is the stator pack of wires, all wrapped toegther inside the loom. Follow these back to the frame to where they end, approximately under the battery. They tie into your harness at that point.

Write down where each individual wire goes, according to colour and/or connector type, then disconnect them.

Now do your test(s)

[lehrin]

You are definitely looking in the wrong spot.

Go back to the starter (no misspelling there).

You have a fairly heavy gauge single wire at the starter, which actuates the starter itself. Ignore it.

Look for wires exiting from under the cover at the rear of the starter, covered by a loom. This is the stator pack of wires, all wrapped toegther inside the loom. Follow these back to the frame to where they end, approximately under the battery. They tie into your harness at that point.

Write down where each individual wire goes, according to colour and/or connector type, then disconnect them.

Now do your test(s)

Thanks. What was I looking at? the timing or something?
-Lehrin