New 850 Ride. Big Road Trip

[tkent02]

Lights burned out, that's probably because the charging voltage went way too high before it died.

How far to get it home? Charge the battery, kick start it, leave the headlight off, it's a points ignition so it should go an hour or two before the battery is too dead to run. Maybe more. Shut it off at lights, etc to save power.

I drove an MG from California to Seattle on one charge that way, it still had a little bit left when I got there.

Wait, are you trying to get to Toronto?
Carry a battery charger if you have to go that far.

 

[RobertGS]

Bought it and planned to ride it back 7 days to Toronto...where home is. (I know, now I'm wondering about that plan).
The ignition is upgraded from points, not sure about the ignition model but it's electric
Supposedly new RR and stator.

 

[tkent02]

Any help from the guy you bought it from? You didn't really make it very far.

 

[GSX1000E]

I would do as tkent suggested and add several ground wires to the system and clean the contacts of the stock ones. Extra/clean grounds cure most of the charging ills of these bikes in my experience.

 

[tkent02]

If there's space, carry several batteries, or better yet strap a big car battery on the back and wire it in, you can run the ignition all day off that. Charge up overnight at the hotel and repeat until you get to Toronto.

 

[RobertGS]

Yes he just returned my call from late last night. He says he was getting 13.75 volts back at the battery. Said he had gone on a few trips recently and had no trouble with the charging system. Confirmed that the stator and rectifier are new. Suggested I start checking the grounds and connections to RR.
Also took my email in case he comes up with anything and is around for phone calls today. Unfortunately I made it 170kms away plus a two hour ferry ride so it's tough to head back there.

 

[RobertGS]

Thanks Garth.. Stator Anyone??

Thanks Garth.. Stator Anyone??

Hi all,

Huge thanks to bccap who just rode over here and gave me electrical connections and a crimping tool and generally was a great guy. I really appreciated that. Think he's going to post some pictures.

Just completed the electrical fault chart and looks like the stator is bad, only getting about 28 volts on all three readings. Regulator tests look good.

Sooooo. Now looking for a replacement stator in time to get on the road and still enjoy the journey east on the bike. Anyone happen to have one they can magically get to North Vancover in short order?

The PO was pretty good about, feels bad, and is sending me the cash for the part. Bummer is that he replaced the stator with a new one, the old one was still functioning so we put in a box with other spare parts and mailed it to my place in Toronto yesterday!

I'll check in to see if you guys have a magical today solution. Otherwise I'll get on the horn tomorrow when places open (at least some places, bccap tells me shops are closed here Mondays too.

Thanks all.

 

[bccap]

Pictures for Rob. and of course one of the bike because it looks so good......

 

[tkent02]

Hey look, it even has a rack on the back for that big car battery.

 

[RobertGS]

How often do rotor's go bad? If the fault finding chart ends up showing bad stator, might the rotor also be in question?

Given my time squeeze I want to do what I can to get the part order right first time.

thanks

 

[gustovh]

Hardly ever. If you can't get the part, buy the car battery, I ran my 850 for 300 miles on a single charge on the bike bat before it died. As TKent says you can go all day on a car bat.

V

 

[tkent02]

The rotors are permanent magnets, never seen a bad one on a GS? Except crash damage.

But it could happen. Heat, impact, a bolt or something coming loose inside the engine and going through it, a few other things. But it wouldn't fail instantly, if it was charging fine and now it isn't that's not it.

 

[RobertGS]

Ok great. Got a stator from RMStator on the way by FedEx today. Arriving latest tomorrow 10am, so I'll get the old one out and set up for the new one.

I've removed all the screws from the left hand cover and it's not budging, at least not easily. I'll pick up a rubber mallet today but any suggestions for getting it off? I may have trouble getting a new gasket today so is there any chance I can reuse that gasket for the week long ride back home? It'll be a "newly" installed gasket... meaning not many km's on the bike since installation but it may have been done a year or so ago.

 

[eil]

As long as it isn't torn, it will probably be okay to reuse in a pinch. It will probably seep some. I would keep an extremely close eye on it. Check on it at increasing intervals. At the end of the block, after 1 mile, and then 5 miles, and then 10 miles etc, until you're up to only checking at every pit stop. And be checking your oil level, of course.

If it does leak after all, you can always make a gasket from a sheet of gasket material available any auto parts store. It will be tedious, but it beats waiting two weeks for an OEM gasket to get shipped in from Japan. I've heard of people using cardboard cereal boxes, but I'm not sure I recommend it.

 

[gustovh]

The stator cover is held by the stator magnets, it will come off with a really good pull and wiggle and maybe a couple taps with the mallet. There are also a couple guide plugs that might be helping hold it in.

Remember when the cover is removed to keep an eye on the washers and such for the starter and to get them back in in the right order.

V

 

[RobertGS]

Thanks the cover came off eventually with the rubber mallet. Since I'm waiting for the stator to arrive tomorrow morning I installed new bars and a windscreen. Will post before and afters soon, along with a bit of a travel log. It looks great and the bars feel excellent. Turns out the break lights are fine, switch connection at the handle was disconnected and at the rear switch just needed adjusting.
New sealed beam headlight installed so I have lights.
Drained the oil and have new stuff on hand after the stator's in.
Will post update tomorrow whether I'm good to go or not.

 

[rustybronco]

Don't be afraid to wipe a small amount of gray silicone sealant on either side of the gasket. You can even do it if the gasket tears a little.

 

[850 Combat]

You are buying the 1979 only stator? If not, you need the '80 on rotor too.

 

[tkent02]

You are buying the 1979 only stator? If not, you need the '80 on rotor too.

I wonder if that's it? 18 pole stator with a 12 pole rotor? If the PO swapped in the wrong stator, maybe it hasn't been charging at all. If the PO kept it on a tender, he would never know it isn't charging. The new buyer rides away happy, he wouldn't know it's not charging eiher until the battery went dead. With no headlight he would go quite a distance before finding out it isn't charging.

About to somewhere in North Vancouver I would suspect.


Do you know how to count poles?

 

[trevor]

I wonder if that's it? 18 pole stator with a 12 pole rotor? If the PO swapped in the wrong stator, maybe it hasn't been charging at all. If the PO kept it on a tender, he would never know it isn't charging. The new buyer rides away happy, he wouldn't know it's not charging eiher until the battery went dead. With no headlight he would go quite a distance before finding out it isn't charging.

About to somewhere in North Vancouver I would suspect.


Do you know how to count poles?

I have met the po and he does not ride very much. He mostly like to restore. Beautiful bikes he has and done nicely. Nut like you say Tom, if he keeps it on a tender and never rides it (which in this case is very likely as he has a lot bikes) it might not have ever been charging.