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stator or regulator/rectifier?? something else, HELP!

  • Thread starter Thread starter kvgarrison
  • Start date Start date
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kvgarrison

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I have a 1982 GS850GL with a charging issue. I am currently going through the stator papers and I'm getting confused!!!:confused: I've grounded everything, checked my battery, these things are good! In opening the big boot harness I noticed one of the previous owner's has already been messin' around with the stator harness because the OEM connectors were replaced at some time. Now when I hook up the multimeter and fire her up she does not charge or "go up" at idle, when I take her up to 2500 or better the yellow stator connection starts to smoke and the other two connections heat up somethin' fierce. Also at this point the volts start to drop. I am charging my 2nd brand new battery almost everytime I go out because if I don't she won't fire the next time. I usually run 150 to 200 miles when I go out and that seems to totally kill the battery everytime. can someone please help! I love this bike with only 13000 miles on it and I would like to keep fixin her up and customizin but the 'lectrical issues are just killin' me[-o<
 
Mr. kvgarrison,

If you've checked all the connections, cleaned all the grounds, and replaced the battery, then it could only be either (or both) the stator and/or the "regulator/rectifier" (usually referred to as the r/r).

At the battery terminals your meter should show about 13.5 to 14.5 volts DC with the bike running around 4000 to 5000 rpm.

When testing the stator, disconnect all the wires between the stator and the r/r. Then start the bike and measure AC voltage from the stator. Call the three (usually yellow) wires from the stator A, B, and C. Measure A-B, B-C, then A-C. All three should show around 70-80 volts AC at 4000-5000 rpm. If it's more or less then there's a problem. Turn the bike off and measure the resistance between the stator legs. Should be somewhere around 2 to 5 ohms. If it's more or less then there's a problem. Measure for continuity between the stator legs and the chassis ground. There should be no continuity. If there is, there's a problem.

Set your meter to the diode check setting to check your r/r. Use the chart in The Stator Papers to measure that the legs of the r/r will conduct electricity one way but not the other. In other words, between two legs there should be a slight resistance in one direction but when you reverse your test leads there should be infinite resistance.

Let us know how you fare. Do you have a Suzuki shop manual? If not, PM me. I might have an extra one around here somewhere.

Thank you for your indulgence,

BassCliff
 
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If it's killing Batteries, it sounds like thr RR is Bad. A dead stator just won't charge the battery but a bad RR will fry it with too much voltage.
 
marvinsc said:
If it's killing Batteries, it sounds like thr RR is Bad. A dead stator just won't charge the battery but a bad RR will fry it with too much voltage.
Click to expand...
Scott .. I must say that you sound like qualified stator diagnostician.

Mike
 
i may have a copy of the manual on cd or other. PM me about it.
 
I have an owners manual by Clymer and a bunch of info from this sight but I do appreciate everybody's input, this site is very informative, I thank you all!
 
BassCliff said:
Mr. kvgarrison,

If you've checked all the connections, cleaned all the grounds, and replaced the battery, then it could only be either (or both) the stator and/or the "regulator/rectifier" (usually referred to as the r/r).

At the battery terminals your meter should show about 13.5 to 14.5 volts DC with the bike running around 4000 to 5000 rpm.

When testing the stator, disconnect all the wires between the stator and the r/r. Then start the bike and measure AC voltage from the stator. Call the three (usually yellow) wires from the stator A, B, and C. Measure A-B, B-C, then A-C. All three should show around 60-70 volts AC at 4000-5000 rpm. If it's more or less then there's a problem. Turn the bike off and measure the resistance between the stator legs. Should be somewhere around 2 to 5 ohms. If it's more or less then there's a problem. Measure for continuity between the stator legs and the chassis ground. There should be no continuity. If there is, there's a problem.

Set your meter to the diode check setting to check your r/r. Use the chart in The Stator Papers to measure that the legs of the r/r will conduct electricity one way but not the other. In other words, between two legs there should be a slight resistance in one direction but when you reverse your test leads there should be infinite resistance.

Let us know how you fare. Do you have a Suzuki shop manual? If not, PM me. I might have an extra one around here somewhere.

Thank you for your indulgence,

BassCliff
Click to expand...

And, don't do something stupid like I did TWICE, and hook the cables up wrong!!( luckily didn't fry the stator or R/R ) The cables were both black, and didn't check to see where they went.....( had a stupid attack!) BUT, the bike started.....go figure...I had similar conditions though, wires got smoking hot.... and thought it was a grounding issue....I learned a lot in a matter of a day or 2......:?
 
marvinsc said:
If it's killing Batteries, it sounds like thr RR is Bad. A dead stator just won't charge the battery but a bad RR will fry it with too much voltage.
Click to expand...

It depends how its killing them. If its overcharging them (voltage is 15 or more volts, and the batteries are gassing (bubbling)) then I agree (and the OP should NOT charge them when he gets home)

But if it undercharges the battery, that will kill it too.
Since the OP says that the voltage drops, that implies it's too low, so it could be the R/R, stator, or connectors.

Also, there are obviously connection problems, which could be the only problem he has.

Try this:

1) Run a 12 or 14 guage wire directly from the R/R ground wire to the battery ground post. Suzuki's scheme of going through frame grounds is subject to corrosion and poor connections

2) Cut the bullet connectors where the stator wires connect to the harness out, and replace them with insulated spade type crimp connectors. Bullet connectors tend to make poor connections when new, and do a REALLY poor job of maintaining even that connection as they age. NEVER EVER USE THEM !!! What the He11 was Suzuki thinking when they specified them.

I personally think that those two steps should be the first part of any charging system troubleshooting.
 
Just about every old Suzuki I ever had did the same thing, running a wire from the rr housing somewhere directly to the battery's negative terminal cured it, every time. Seems that the rr is grounded only were its bolted to the frame, however those same bolts have rubber grommets under them to insulate the rr from vibration. They seeem to help insulate the rr from grounding properly as well. My experience might sound extreme, but all of my past experience was in Hawaii, where the weather and conditions are just that, and there might be something to the conditions exagerating the problem, but the addition of that wire, cured the problem, every time.
I've heard of this being very common to old Japanese motorcycles.
 
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