Odd connector

[Guest]

When I took this bike apart I found this connector melted and couldn't put it apart so I cut the wires. I'm wondering why two are looped back into the connector and should they be like that? If it's not are these the reason why the connector melted or did the headlight melt it?

[Steve]

It would help a LOT to know what bike you are talking about.


One of those loops is the infamous "mystery wire" from the stator to the R/R.
If you wire your stator directly to the R/R, it will eliminate all the extra wire and connections involved in that loop of wire.
It is a left-over from the days when the bikes had working headlight switches.

The other loop? We need to know what bike.

.

[Suzuki_Don]

It is a left-over from the days when the bikes had working headlight switches.

.

Hey Steve, some of our bikes still have working headlight switches.

[BassCliff]

Hi,

Dirty connections cause more resistance, which causes more heat, which causes things to melt. You can replace that connector with any similarly configured molex connector, something from Eastern Beaver or perhaps something similar from Radio Shack.


Thank you for your indulgence,

BassCliff

[Normk]

As was said, this may be a jumper to eliminate the headlight switch circuit. Some jurisdictions require that headlights be operated at all times while others do not. If your bike is a "headlights all the time" model, it is likely that Suzuki simply used a jumper to connect the two circuits from and to headlight switch. Similarly, it seems to be simply a jumper for this type of purpose.

While some prefer to bad mouth the practice of using standardized parts, this simplifies manufacture and requires that fewer parts be stocked for replacements. The stocking/manufacture of fewer replacement parts works hugely to the advantage of old bike owners as it is much more likely that Suzuki will find it attractive to justify the stocking of one part number of wiring harness rather than several. After all, the purpose for Suzuki is not to manufacture motorcycles but rather to secure an attractive return to stock holders. One can only hope that one's pension funds are invested with corporations whom are like minded.

A simple solution would be to cut the jumpered wire before the melted plug and connect the two ends. Of course all associated issues regarding condition & cleaning of wire, use of appropriate connection, etc. This is a quite common practice amoungst vehicle manufacturers. As was said, any suitable connector could be substituted if one does not require that it appear as original.

[Tech73]

Sorry about that, it's a GS1100e 82 model. I was just wonedring if I should wire it back up that way.

[Nessism]

Suzuki screwed the pooch on the stator wiring. Even on bikes with a head lamp switch the wire terminals can't take the heat, particularly after some resistance builds up as can be expected since the connectors are not sealed.

I strongly recommend wiring the stator directly into the R/R, bypassing the factory wiring. Also, upgrade your R/R grounding since that's a major weak point on these bikes of ours.

[Normk]

If you are not prepared to inspect and voltage drop the stator connections frequently, solder them. As long as the solder job is competently done and supported so that it does not provide a hinge point for breakage, it is the most effective connection, IMO. Thousands of 4-cylinder Wings will agree.

[bwringer]

You have discovered the root of much GS electrical evil.

[trippivot]

You have discovered the root of much GS electrical evil.

Yepper-Pepper,
that there is how Suzuki dealt with a change of American federal motorcycle equipment laws.. full time lighting instead of a choice. I really don't understand why they connected the charging system and lighting systems to begin with, on the older ones

anyway a leg of your stator runs thru the patch plug. study the schematic - and see it is a simple fix to clean up the connections and insulation.