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Blowing fuses!

  • Thread starter Thread starter GS2GO
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GS2GO

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I took my 1982 GS1100G out the other day and, 80 miles from home, the engine sputtered as if it was running on two cylinders and died. This has happened a few times in the past, but assumed that it was the petcock since it only happened when the fuel dipped to reserve, and it started and ran ok after adding gas. Anyway... this time it was not the petcock because I had just topped off the tank ten minutes before. After restart it ran for about ten seconds and then blew the main fuse. I visually checked for a broken or frayed wire, found nothing, and replaced the fuse. Upon restart, the same thing happened. I was lucky to find a kind old woman who allowed me to park the bike in her garage for a few days while I hitchhiked home. Tomorrow I am going to pick up the bike. I am bringing more fuses with me, hoping that engine heat had caused a malfunction in the electronics, and that a cold start will keep it running long enough to get it on the truck. Any thoughts on what could be the problem? I've read about the iffy electronics on the GSs. Anyone?
 
If the fuse box is not melted, then it could be a short in the R/R . Disconnect it and see if the main still blows. If it stops teh R/R needs replacing and a SERIES R/R like SH-775 is strongly suggested.

Most of the problems are lack of maintenance once you upgrade the SHUNT R/R. 95% of the bikes out there us SHUNT so to varying degrees they all suffer. A SERIES R?R will eliminate a lot of potential future problems.
 
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Don't get fooled- once cooled down, new 15 amp fuse might let it start and run a bit. As posplayr said, suspect the r/r ,but it might not short out until it gets toasty again.

i hope i get this lucky someday.......
"I was lucky to find a kind old woman who allowed me to park the bike in her garage for a few days "
 
Went to pick up the bike today.

Put in a new 15 amp fuse and it started and ran... drove it onto the truck and shut it off. That was good because it possibly confirmed that heat was the reason for the malfunction. Got the bike home and thought I would drive it around the block to see if it would shut down again while cold...turned the key...nothing. The main fuse blew sometime during transport back. Now I'm thinking that the bouncing around on the ride back caused a frayed wire to short against the frame somewhere. Could a bad R/R blow a fuse without the ignition turned on? Time to get out the multimeter.
 
I had a similar issue with my 850. Happened soon after I did the valves. Turned out to be an abraded wires that was touching the frame under the tank.
 
Could a bad R/R blow a fuse without the ignition turned on?
Click to expand...
Yes......
there is no ignition switch between the R/R and battery just a 15a fuse.
 
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Yesterday, I disconnected the R/R and installed a new fuse. I didn't run it long, but it did run and did not blow a fuse this time. Pulled the original R/R and will look for a new one. The numbers are pretty obliterated, but it looks like EC27B9. Have been searching for more info on the SH-775 mentioned, but am not having much luck. I did find a direct replacement unit (with harness plug) on Amazon. Anyone have feedback on Mister Electrical R/Rs?

http://www.amazon.com/Regulator-Rectifier-1985-1993-Motorcycle-1980-1988/dp/B00LOS965C/ref=pd_sim_sbs_263_5?ie=UTF8&refRID=1FD3S01JYPRZ5B6W9WGK

How about Caltric?

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Regulator-Rectifier-FITS-SUZUKI-Motorcycle-GS1100-GS-1100-1981-1983-G-/290645056365?fits=Make%3ASuzuki|Model%3AGS1100G&hash=item43abcb9b6d
 
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Do yourself and your stator a big favor and get the SH-775 : Polaris p/n 4012941
search on here for suppliers or find a local Polaris dealer and see if you can get one for about $75
 
I take it that Mr Electrical and Caltric are selling shunt type R/R?
 
GS2GO said:
I take it that Mr Electrical and Caltric are selling shunt type R/R?
Click to expand...

Unless something has changed, the short list of SERIES R/R's is in the link in my signature "GS Stator". They are not on it.
 
Picked up a Polaris SH-755 on ebay yesterday.

I read a lot of posts on installation, etc., and the wiring is not clear to me. The three yellow striped wires on the old R/R go into the the three-bank plug of the SH-755. It identifies them as having "no polarity", but that doesn't necessarily mean that they are not sequenced somehow. Can they be wired indiscriminately into that plug, or is there an order?
 
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GS2GO said:
Picked up a Polaris SH-755 on ebay yesterday....It identifies them as having no polarity, but that doesn't necessarily mean that they are not sequenced somehow. Can they be wired indiscriminately into that plug, or is there an order?
Click to expand...

No sequence or polarity, the 3 stator wires are AC and can be wired any way you like. Does your bike have the headlight switch loop? You'll want to eliminate that if so. There are several posts here about that as well.

There are also 2 schools of thought on the hot red wire placement. Most people (including posplayr) say to wire into the harness where the red hot wire T's in the main harness just upstream from the fuse box, others say to wire it straight to the battery with a fuse.
 
Thanks to everyone for the help. I haven't received the R/R yet, but will post an update when I install it.
 
I installed the sh-775 R/R today... I cut the harness off of the old R/R and soldered female connectors to all three stator wires and the positive wire, and ran the negative wire to the battery. After a full battery charge, I started the bike and ran it for a few minutes. No blown fuses, but I did notice that one stator wire was warm. The inside of the plastic harness connector was slightly melted at that wire's terminal, but I'm not sure when the melting occurred. I cleaned the terminal, restarted, and it was better, but I hesitate to run it because it is a fine line between warm and cooked wires. I will do a multimeter check when I get home. Any suggestions in the meantime? Will a visual check under the stator cover accomplish anything?
 
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GS2GO said:
I installed the sh-775 R/R today... I cut the harness off of the old R/R and soldered female connectors to all three stator wires and the positive wire, and ran the negative wire to the battery. After a full battery charge, I started the bike and ran it for a few minutes. No blown fuses, but I did notice that one stator wire was warm. The inside of the plastic harness connector was slightly melted at that wire's terminal, but I'm not sure when the melting occurred. I cleaned the terminal, restarted, and it was better, but I hesitate to run it because it is a fine line between warm and cooked wires. I will do a multimeter check when I get home. Any suggestions in the meantime? Will a visual check under the stator cover accomplish anything?
Click to expand...

Read GS Charging Health (see my signature)and follow the recommendations and then test as per Quick Test.
 
I read "GS Charging Health", and it is helpful, but too deep into the fix at this point. I (and the bike) am not in a location where I can do a major electrical reconstruction... that will most likely be the coming winter when the bike is in it's home garage. To satisfy my old-school troubleshooting approach now, I need to understand if the warm stator wire means a resistance in that one wire (bad/corroded connection somewhere within), or if that overheated condition is the result of a bad stator (one of the three stator windings is bad), or both/neither/somewhere else? Can a warm wire just remain warm and relatively harmless, or does it necessarily indicate a fried wire down the road? Also... does current flow back and forth between the R/R and the stator, or does it flow only from the stator to the R/R? Thanks.
 
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"....does current flow back and forth between the R/R and the stator, or does it flow only from the stator to the R/R? "

It's AC, so it flows back and forth. When you can ,do those tests. The SH-775 can't do much without a good stator, best to find out before you venture too far from home.
 
Not being familiar with the "old-school troubleshooting approach", I recuse myself from further participation in this thread.
 
Thanks, posplayr...

The "old-school troubleshooting approach" is finding a solution to a problem with the tools that I have at hand. I am currently staying at a cabin in the middle of the woods of New Hampshire. My well-equipped garage is 80 miles away, along with my multimeter and all of my tools. Having to travel to the town library to access a computer to read this forum doesn't speed things along. If I can narrow the problem down to one wire or connection, maybe I can get my bike home in one piece.

Your shop manual pages are helpful, but that is information that I will find more useful when I am back in my shop, with time to do the job right.

Sorry I offended you.
 
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