Rectifier/Regulator for 1979 GS1000

[dluszcz]

I found the post that had 18 pages of info on rectifiers and regulators. Seemed a little overwhelming and to be over my head.

I'm still trying to get my engine started. Bought a new starter solenoid. I have power on the red wire going into the rectifier. I do not have any power on the orange/white wires.

Does this mean that I need to upgrade to a combined rectifier/regulator unit?

If so, anyone know if they are cheaper than $99 from Z1?

Any other ideas? Thanks.

 

[bonanzadave]

Id get a Honda combo RR from Duaneage.

Duane

 

[Nessism]

The R/R is for the charging system, if you can't get the bike started it's not related to this part.

Please discribe the problem in detail; what is the bike doing or not doing? Also list what you have done to try to fix the problem.

Give us more details and I'm sure we can help.

 

[SqDancerLynn1]

Even with a bad regulator the bike should run,

 

[dluszcz]

Last weekend, I was able to jump the start solenoid to turn the starter. But, when I tried to take the positive cable off the post, the starter solenoid literally cracked in half.

So, went to Menards. Nothing. Home Depot. Nothing. Autozone, no lawnmower starter solenoid but we found one that would work. So, I hooked up it.

I have power supplied from my car battery and jumper cables. The car is NOT running. I have the red power wire for the rectifier also hooked up to the positive post of the starter solenoid.

I checked the ignition fuse and no power is being supplied to it.

I guess my question should be, do I need a different starter solenoid? I hooked it up as described but it is not a lawnmower starter solenoid.

 

[Nessism]

First of all, hook up your jumper battery into the normal motorcycle battery cables so you are feeding the entire motorcycle harness. Next, make sure your new starter solonoid has a power feed from the battery, and you need to hook up the yellow/green wire into the solonoid since this is the trigger wire to tell the solonoid to trip and send power to the starter. Some starter solonoids also need to be grounded so look into this as well. You should be able to hear the solonoid click when you hit the starter button as long as that green/yellow wire is hooked up right.

Good luck and don't forget to check the wiring diagram - you can download the factory manual for your bike from basscliffs site for free if you don't already have one.

 

[Billy Ricks]

First of all, hook up your jumper battery into the normal motorcycle battery cables so you are feeding the entire motorcycle harness. Next, make sure your new starter solonoid has a power feed from the battery, and you need to hook up the yellow/green wire into the solonoid since this is the trigger wire to tell the solonoid to trip and send power to the starter. Some starter solonoids also need to be grounded so look into this as well. You should be able to hear the solonoid click when you hit the starter button as long as that green/yellow wire is hooked up right.

Good luck and don't forget to check the wiring diagram - you can download the factory manual for your bike from basscliffs site for free if you don't already have one.

Good point on the solenoid ground. I had been using one intended for a riding mower for a short time and it had to be grounded since it only had positive in.

 

[dluszcz]

On the starter solenoid, it has 2 posts. On one post, I have the power wire for the rectifier and the 4 gauge cable for the battery. On the other post, I have the ground wire from the starter.

I hooked up the jumper cables to the positive wire 4 gauge wire that should go to the battery and the negative cable that should also go to the cable.

I have the yellow/green wire hooked up to the post that the directions say I should hook up to because this particular solenoid has 4 posts. When all these wires are hooked up, I use a tester light to confirm I have power. I touch the posts of the solenoid to confirm power.

Then, I stuck the needle of the tester into the red wire that goes into the rectifier. That has power.

I have the Haynes manual and I have followed the wires on the wiring diagram. For whatever reason, I cannot get power to the ignition system. The main fuse in the fuse box has power also when I test it with the light but not the ignition fuse.

Could it be that the starter solenoid is the problem or is it my wiring?

 

[Nessism]

On the starter solenoid, it has 2 posts. On one post, I have the power wire for the rectifier and the 4 gauge cable for the battery. On the other post, I have the ground wire from the starter.

I hooked up the jumper cables to the positive wire 4 gauge wire that should go to the battery and the negative cable that should also go to the cable.

I have the yellow/green wire hooked up to the post that the directions say I should hook up to because this particular solenoid has 4 posts. When all these wires are hooked up, I use a tester light to confirm I have power. I touch the posts of the solenoid to confirm power.

Then, I stuck the needle of the tester into the red wire that goes into the rectifier. That has power.

I have the Haynes manual and I have followed the wires on the wiring diagram. For whatever reason, I cannot get power to the ignition system. The main fuse in the fuse box has power also when I test it with the light but not the ignition fuse.

Could it be that the starter solenoid is the problem or is it my wiring?

The problem is your wiring.

The starter solenoid should have three (maybe four) wires: main feed from the battery, feed from solenoid to the starter motor, yellow green trigger wire, and (maybe) a ground wire depending on if your solenoid grounds though a wire or though the solenoid body itself. This business about the "power wire for the rectifier" is not part of the factory wiring diagram so not sure how you came into this detail. Again, the rectifier has nothing to do with the starting circuit, it's part of the charging circuit. Please get the factory wiring diagram off basscliffs site and look though this before you get too far off track.

 

[dluszcz]

According to the wiring diagram. Starting at the battery, I have the positive red wire going to the starter solenoid (called relay on the diagram).
From the starter solenoid, I show the red wire going to the rectifier and the yellow/green wire going to the starter button, which has already been bypassed in the headlight assembly so that I do not need to engage the clutch to start the bike.
From the rectifier, I show the yellow wire and the white/blue wire going to the regulator.
The only difference between last week and this week is the starter solenoid. All I did was remove the wires from the old solenoid, replaced the old solenoid with the one from autozone, and put new connectors on the wires and hooked them up to the new solenoid. So, in theory, I should have power to the entire wiring harness since the only thing I replaced was the solenoid and connectors on the ends of the same wires.
I don't know if it would help, but I could take pics as well, but I followed the wiring diagram when I put the wiring harness on and I had power to everything last weekend.

 

[Billy Ricks]

Shouldn't the red wire from the R/R should be going to the battery then another heavy wire from battery to solenoid?

 

[Nessism]

This diagram is from the factory GS1000 service manual. The trigger wire coming onto the starter relay is the yellow/green wire. There is no wire going over to the regulator so I don't understand what you are saying. Sorry.

 

[dluszcz]

There are actually 2 wires on the post of the solenoid.
The 4 gauge red wire from the battery and a 2nd, 12 gauge red wire going to the solenoid. Those wires in addition to the 4 gauge black ground wire on the other big post and the yellow/green wire on the smaller post. The other small post is covered with a rubber cap so I know not to use it per the instructions in the box.

And, taking the last post into the equation, there is no 2nd red wire from the battery going to the fuse box. I wired it the way I received it and maybe that was the problem.

I think I need to take a step back, removed all the wires, and start from scratch. This way, I can give the correct problem and I can receive the right advice.

I didn't intend to waste some people's time but I did learn something from these few posts. Thanks to all for trying to help.

 

[Billy Ricks]

There are actually 2 wires on the post of the solenoid.
The 4 gauge red wire from the battery and a 2nd, 12 gauge red wire going to the solenoid. Those wires in addition to the 4 gauge black ground wire on the other big post and the yellow/green wire on the smaller post. The other small post is covered with a rubber cap so I know not to use it per the instructions in the box.

And, taking the last post into the equation, there is no 2nd red wire from the battery going to the fuse box. I wired it the way I received it and maybe that was the problem.

I think I need to take a step back, removed all the wires, and start from scratch. This way, I can give the correct problem and I can receive the right advice.

I didn't intend to waste some people's time but I did learn something from these few posts. Thanks to all for trying to help.

The heavy black wire from solenoid to starter isn't a ground, it's hot. They just use black insulation so it hides itself against the cases.

You're not wasting anyone's time. People here are glad to help.

 

[Steve]

There is no problem connecting that small red wire to the solenoid instead of the battery. Essentially, it's the same connection, just the other end of the wire. I actually prefer to do that on my bikes. I am more likely to remove the battery to work on the bike, so I like to have as few connections to its terminals as possible. I have the large wire from the battery positive to the starter solenoid and all the other wires that most of you seem to connect directly to the battery are also at the solenoid.

On the ground side, I do have two wires connecting to the battery. One is the large ground wire connected to the engine to ground the starter, the other is connected to the central point where everything else is grounded, including the r/r.

.

 

[sschering]

I have to ask the dumb question..

When you are testing what position is the key in? 1 click or two from off?

Position 2 does nothing but light the taillight and headlight.

 

[850 Combat]

On two occasions I have had a solenoid fail after the battery was jumper from a car. I thought it was a coincidence when it happened on my CBX. After the same thing happened on my 1000G, I'm not so sure that it was.

 

[Steve]

I have to ask the dumb question..

When you are testing what position is the key in? 1 click or two from off?

Position 2 does nothing but light the taillight and headlight.

OK, it's my turn to ask the dumb question? :-k

All of the ignition switches on my GS bikes (and others I have seen) only have four positions. I number them 1-4 from left to right.
#1 is LOCK, all electric circuits are OFF and the handlebbar is locked if turned to either extreme.
#2 is OFF, all electric circuits are OFF and the handlebar is unlocked.
#3 is ON, all electric circuits are ON, the bike is basically ready to ride.
#4 is PARK, it's like #1, except the tail light is turned ON.

Your "position 2" that only lights the headlight and tail light confuses me. The only switch position that has both lights on also has the ignition circuit on, too. If you do not have the handlebar turned to either extreme, there are only two positions in which you can have the key, #2, OFF and #3, ON.

"Dumb question" time: what is your second click from OFF?

.

 

[sschering]

Ya know you are right.. tail light only in park.. (2nd click from off)
Duno why I thought the headlight was on in park..

I got my Yamaha from a guy who couldn't get it to run..
He had it in park.

 

[Steve]

I know the feeling. We got my wife's 850 from a gal who had problems with the battery dying. Even after taking it to a shop a couple of times to have it worked on and pronounced "healthy", the battery would die before the next weekend when she wanted to ride. I couldn't find anything wrong with the bike, I suspect she was also using the PARK position.

.