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My "New" Bike Died

  • Thread starter Thread starter Anonymous
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Anonymous

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I got bought a 1981 GS750L last week and finally got to take it out for a ride last night for the first time (other than the test drive and driving it home) and it died on me at a stop light. I got it to the side of the road, but it wouldn't turn over, no juice in the battery. I'm guessing it is probably the charging system and will start down the fault finder chart tomorrow after the battery recharges.

Is that most likely my problem or could it be something else? Because the bike was running it couldn't just be the battery, right?
 
Re: My "New" Bike Died

Yes it could. :-)
Its been sitting up and the battery is discharged. Did you check the water level in the battery? Charge the battery? Measure the voltage in the battery to check charge level? Check battery terminals for corrosion? Clean battery terminals? Make sure the battery is charged before going on to other possibilities if the problem persists.

Earl


chadlnc said:
I got bought a 1981 GS750L last week and finally got to take it out for a ride last night for the first time (other than the test drive and driving it home) and it died on me at a stop light. I got it to the side of the road, but it wouldn't turn over, no juice in the battery. I'm guessing it is probably the charging system and will start down the fault finder chart tomorrow after the battery recharges.

Is that most likely my problem or could it be something else? Because the bike was running it couldn't just be the battery, right?
Click to expand...
 
The water is within range. I didn't check the voltage before putting the charger on it (guess that wasn't too smart), it was at 12.2 after about 2 hours of charging with 1.5amp charger (12.78 now). No corrosion on the terminals or cables.I'll check it again in the morning and put it back in the bike and go from there.
 
I would start with the fuse block. remove and replace all the fuses thay are cheep get a spair set for the tool kit. clean all the connectors in the fuse block.

if the battery came with your "new bike" take it to a auto parts store and see if thay can load test it. some stores can check them the bat must be at a full charge befor the test.

if this dont fix the problem then your on the way to doing the stator papers and a general cleaning of all the connectors and switches on the bike.
 
Alt check...

Alt check...

Charge it, crank it, and put a volt meter across the battery. If it's less than 13.5, running, with a fresh charge on the battery, then the alt is dead or dying.
 
The charging voltages should be higher than that after 2 hours. Sounds like the battery is marginal, not holding charge and not charging quickly enough to recover after starting. Any electrical tests on the bike will be thrown off if the battery is dodgy.
 
I am going to attempt to take the battery to Advance Auto Parts tonight to see if I can get a load test done.

I finished phases A and B on the fault finder chart and the stator appears to be ok. It is putting out about 86 volts as 5K RPM. I started on testing the RR, but I'm not sure I am doing it right. I set my multimeter to the diode test and when touching nothing, it reads "1". With the red lead attached to the red output wire and the black lead touching the one of the other wires the readout remains at "1".

With the black lead on the red output wire and the red lead touching the other wires I get high numbers on the read out, somewhere in the 500 range if I remember correctly.

I'm probably going to remove the RR from the bike and take it to someone who has a good multimeter and have them run the test and see what happens.

Thanks for all the advice so far, I appreciate it.
 
Re: Alt check...

Re: Alt check...

Mike C. said:
Charge it, crank it, and put a volt meter across the battery. If it's less than 13.5, running, with a fresh charge on the battery, then the alt is dead or dying.
Click to expand...

I did that, there was little to no difference with the battery out of the bike and with it in the bike with the bike running.
 
You can check you regulator/rectifier by following the Suzuki procedure below.

With the r/r removed from the bike, fins pointing up and terminals facing you, the terminals from left to right will be A, B, C, D, and E.
Negative probe on A and positive on B you should get 6-7.5 ohms.
Negative probe on A and positive on C you should get 6-7.5 ohms.
Negative probe on A and positive on D you should get 6-7.5 ohms.
Negative probe on A and positive on E you should get 50-70 ohms.

Then switch the negative probe to terminal B and place the positive probe on A, C, then D, you should get no reading. Positive on E should read 6-7.5 ohms.

Switch negative probe to C and positive to A, B, then D, you should get no reading. Positive on E should read 6-7.5 ohms.

Switch negative probe to D and positive to A, B, then C, you should get no reading. Positive on E should read 6-7.5 ohms.

Switch negative probe to E, positive to A, B, C, and D should give no reading.
 
Billy Ricks said:
You can check you regulator/rectifier by following the Suzuki procedure below.

With the r/r removed from the bike, fins pointing up and terminals facing you, the terminals from left to right will be A, B, C, D, and E.
Negative probe on A and positive on B you should get 6-7.5 ohms.
Negative probe on A and positive on C you should get 6-7.5 ohms.
Negative probe on A and positive on D you should get 6-7.5 ohms.
Negative probe on A and positive on E you should get 50-70 ohms.

Then switch the negative probe to terminal B and place the positive probe on A, C, then D, you should get no reading. Positive on E should read 6-7.5 ohms.

Switch negative probe to C and positive to A, B, then D, you should get no reading. Positive on E should read 6-7.5 ohms.

Switch negative probe to D and positive to A, B, then C, you should get no reading. Positive on E should read 6-7.5 ohms.

Switch negative probe to E, positive to A, B, C, and D should give no reading.
Click to expand...

I tried this and I am still getting funky numbers. I get no reading (the display stays at "1") or on a few I get numbers around 550 or so. I'm guessing this means the RR is bad or I am :wink:. I got most of the 550 numbers when the negative probe was on Red (terminal B), with the exception of when it is touching the ground, then it shoots up over 1000.
 
I had the same problem...

I had the same problem...

It took me a couple of charge/drain cycles to get the battery to where it would hold a charge. The 1st time I charged it, it would only charge to about 12V, and it ran down pretty quick. The 2nd time it charged fully(up to about 13.5V), and it's been holding a charge pretty well.

I haven't charged it since last weekend(I've ridden about 20 mi), and it's still over 12V. I have noticed it's seeming to drain a little, so I'll probably give it another charge this weekend.

The other thing I've noticed is that it helps to let the bike run over 3000 rpm for the alternator to really put out. I think if you just putt around under 3000 rpm, your not helping the battery very much.

Terry
 
I called Electrex to order direct a RR (I'm 90% sure that is what the problem is), but they didn't have any in so he suggested I call a local shop and have them order if from Parts Unlimited. Good news is that Team Charlotte Motorsports was able to order it, bad news is that it won't be in until late next week. I didn't get to take the battery in to get tested yet, so I'll probably do that tomorrow and maybe replace it as well. So after getting to ride the bike once I won't be able to ride it again until next weekend. Of course, by then it will be raining.

Amost makes me miss my Kawasaki. Ok, maybe not :D
 
Connected the new RR tonight and I am getting a little charge to the system, but still not where it needs to be. Here is what I am getting:

12.8 with engine off
13.3 with engine at 2500
13.0 with engine at 5000

Obviously even at 13.3 the voltage is not high enough and I realize this could be in my connections with the new RR, I may end up stripping it and soldering the connections like I have seen suggested before. But any idea why the voltage is dropping when it gets to 5000? I'm about to break down and take it the shop :evil:

Thanks for all the advice so far.
 
The stator(alternator) is what generates the voltage. The regulator/rectifier just turns into DC. Anything above the normal battery voltage will theoretically "charge" it(some).

It's hard to say what could cause the voltage to dip after a certain rpm. Have you tried the "no-load" test where you measure the stator outputs disconnected?

Terry
 
chadlnc said:
Connected the new RR tonight and I am getting a little charge to the system, but still not where it needs to be. Here is what I am getting:

12.8 with engine off
13.3 with engine at 2500
13.0 with engine at 5000

Obviously even at 13.3 the voltage is not high enough and I realize this could be in my connections with the new RR, I may end up stripping it and soldering the connections like I have seen suggested before. But any idea why the voltage is dropping when it gets to 5000? I'm about to break down and take it the shop :evil:

Thanks for all the advice so far.
Click to expand...

First: Batteries are cheapish. Fix everything else, but consider a new battery, too. Then get a float charger (Battery Tender or clone) and keep that thing charged in the off-season.

Second: When I diagnosed my no-charge condition, my voltage was lower at 5000 rpm than at 2500 rpm. Someone more learned than me might offer an explanation for same. I CAN TELL YOU ABOUT MY FIX. I cut off all the charging system connectors (many badly corroded) plus the first inch or more of hardened, crystalized wire, then soldered on butt connectors. All finished with lashings of heat-shrink insulation. Then, following the advice received here, I ran a ground wire directly from the regulator/rectifier case to the battery ground. The measured voltages were then within specifications. 5000km later I have had no further problems.
 
Using a 1.5 amp/hour charge, you must let the battery stay on "charge" for AT LEAST 10 HOURS before looking at what your sytem is capable of doing.

You will not get an accurate reading from your system, except the alternator/stator output (which you disconnect to read) until the battery is FULLY charged.

As suggested already, if the battery was left uncharged for some time, it may not recover, but it could come back pretty well, if it is given a L . . o n. .g charge cycle. That means a trickle charge for a full day. Then a run-down by using up whatever charge there is ...then do it again.

The sulphates that build up on the plates in your battery sometimes will clean up, but will only do so under a fair charge, and only if they are encouraged. That is why you drain the "fresh" charge, (which is probably only a small part of the battery's actual capacity) and then re-charge the battery.
 
We're charging now! I replaced all connections between the stator and the RR last night and took the ground from the RR to the battery. I'm getting about 14.2-14.3 at 5000 now, a huge difference! I took it for a ride last night and everything seemed to be working good (knock on wood). Just in time to enjoy what looks like a beautiful weekend and next week looks like it isn't going to be too shabby as well.

Thanks again to everyone for the advice.
 
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