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Trip in 3 weeks and the battery is dead

  • Thread starter Thread starter Scudder
  • Start date Start date
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Scudder

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I am riding to the smokey mountian from Chicago in 3 weeks. Bike ran fine last Fall. It has been missing and has blown a couple fuses in the past few weeks. I thought it was carb stuff (I've dipped them and rebuilt them a couple times), but after I got home tonight from my commute, I went to the garage to adjust the throttle and the thing wouldn't start. Dead battery.

Over the winter, I installed a new stator and R/R. Every thing has been fine since it got warm enough to ride in Chicagoland (3 weeks) until today. I checked the Stator wires and the red one may have been a bit loose in it's connection. Everything else seemed in order.

I have a gs750 that gave me similar problems when I accidentally hooked the the stator up wrong. It was running rough and then eventually the battery died on me.

Any Ideas?

Scudder
 
whew in doubt charge the battery and do a quick test.

A loose connection could have fried the R/R
 
I know... blown fuses and carb issues don't mix. Initially sounds pretty stupid, but I believe I have a bit of both issues now. However, the one that needs immediate attention is the electrical.

Charged it over night. Gonna go start it now. No taking it to work today.

scudder
 
Better to happen now then later! Replace the stator and battery and call it!
 
Do we have sufficient grounding to not damage the new components?
 
The bike is my 1980 gs850. I replaced the stator and R/R this winter. Hard to believe that they are bad. I expect the red wire that leads to the battery off the r/r was loose. Not sure, but I'm hoping that is it. What's funny is the old stator and r/r were not giving me any issues before I replaced them. I replaced them as a precaution before an extended trip. Perhaps I should have left well enough alone.

scudder
 
I believe I had everything grounded properly. However, how will I know if I fried the new stator and r/r other than riding until the battery totally dies again.

scudder
 
First check stators resistance (disconnected- not running) and it's voltage output when running.

Because it's blowing fuses and if the R/R checks out ok, I'd put a different R/R on it.
 
rustybronco said:
First check stators resistance (disconnected- not running) and it's voltage output when running.

Because it's blowing fuses and if the R/R checks out ok, I'd put a different R/R on it.
Click to expand...

If the R/R connections are loose, then there maybe nothing wrong beyond that. HE Should ensure he has good connections and then doing a "Quick Test" to see if he is charging. Of course if he doesn't have a volt meter... there are the bubble gum and popsicle stick methods :rolleyes:
 
Consider soldering the connections. Absolutely add some grounds. Run a jumper from the bolt on the solenoid that Suzuki used as a ground to the frame and also to the battery. I have made more than one GS charge perfectly just by adding the grounds and soldering the stator wires. from like 13.3 volts to 14.5 volts.
 
Got a volt meter, no bubble gum necessary. I will run the tests this weekend.

scudder
 
850 Combat said:
Consider soldering the connections. Absolutely add some grounds. Run a jumper from the bolt on the solenoid that Suzuki used as a ground to the frame and also to the battery. I have made more than one GS charge perfectly just by adding the grounds and soldering the stator wires. from like 13.3 volts to 14.5 volts.
Click to expand...

Absolutely :)

With poor grounds and a very small amount of corrosion 0.1 ohms of resistance can loose you 1.0-1.5V .
 
rustybronco said:
Jim, checking for proper connections is a given.
Click to expand...

I was just thinking that doing a "Quick test" after checking his connections would get to the heart of the problem faster than disassembly and doing AC stator tests . Those can be a little problem a times.:)
 
Got home from work and did the quick test steps for the Battery to see if it is getting a charge. Below are the Results. It would appear to me that the batter is not getting charged because of the drop in numbers. I had the battery on a trickle charge all day and then did the test after removing it.

Quick Test Steps:

1.) key off................Normal 12.7 volts-12.9 volts
My 850s numbers: 13.11 volts

2.) key on (but not cranking with lights for 10 sec).....Normal 12.2-12.5 volts
My 850s numbers: 12.38 volts

3.) at idle (1500 rpm).....12.6volts - 13.2volts
My 850s numbers: 12.66 volts

4.) at 2500 rpm 13.5 -14.0 volts
My 850s numbers: 12.75 volts

5.) at 5000 rpm.....14.0 -15.0 volts
My 850s numbers: 13.10 volts

6.) key off.....slightly higher than measurements # 1 (12.8-13.0 v)
My 850s numbers: 12.41

So... I lost voltage. Right? I'm going to test the stator and r/r soon. Battery was totally dead and wouldn't even turn the bike over before I charged it.

scudder
 
Scudder said:
Got home from work and did the quick test steps for the Battery to see if it is getting a charge. Below are the Results. It would appear to me that the batter is not getting charged because of the drop in numbers. I had the battery on a trickle charge all day and then did the test after removing it.

Quick Test Steps:

1.) key off................Normal 12.7 volts-12.9 volts
My 850s numbers: 13.11 volts

2.) key on (but not cranking with lights for 10 sec).....Normal 12.2-12.5 volts
My 850s numbers: 12.38 volts

3.) at idle (1500 rpm).....12.6volts - 13.2volts
My 850s numbers: 12.66 volts

4.) at 2500 rpm 13.5 -14.0 volts
My 850s numbers: 12.75 volts

5.) at 5000 rpm.....14.0 -15.0 volts
My 850s numbers: 13.10 volts

6.) key off.....slightly higher than measurements # 1 (12.8-13.0 v)
My 850s numbers: 12.41

So... I lost voltage. Right? I'm going to test the stator and r/r soon. Battery was totally dead and wouldn't even turn the bike over before I charged it.

scudder
Click to expand...

Have you performed any of the electrical repairs recommended?
 
Stator Test:

#1 Continuity test between the 3 stator wires: .6-.7 ohms

#2 Continuity to Ground: OL "Good to go"

#3 Output of stator at motorcycle is held at 4000 rpms:
Wires A-B: 56 v
Wires B-C: 60 v
Wires A-C: 95 v

From what I've read from BassCliff, my volts on the 4000 rpms, needs to be at 60V or higher. So... is my stator bad? It's new. I guess that means my R/R is bad too, or the stator wouldn't be wrecked, right?

Maybe I'm wrong. I need some insight on this one.

Scudder
 
Scudder said:
The bike is my 1980 gs850. I replaced the stator and R/R this winter. Hard to believe that they are bad. I expect the red wire that leads to the battery off the r/r was loose. Not sure, but I'm hoping that is it. What's funny is the old stator and r/r were not giving me any issues before I replaced them. I replaced them as a precaution before an extended trip. Perhaps I should have left well enough alone.

scudder
Click to expand...

Were the new stator and R/R OEM or what? Brand names please.
 
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