Electrical Problem (Urgent Help Needed)

[Guest]

A problem happened when I was out on my bike tonight, and it seems serious enough that I shouldn't run it until it's fixed, as I'm concerned that even more damage may result. My bike is a 1983 Suzuki GS450E.

Here's what happened, as I was riding I noticed a pretty load metallic sounding taping noise. It sounded like it may have been coming from the left side of the crankcase, but I'm not sure. As I was riding I noticed my headlight start fluctuating in brightness quite a bit. When I looked down at the voltage gauge I installed I saw it reading from around the normal 14.4v and rapidly shooting up to almost 19v and then back down to 14.4, and up and down it went along with the intensity of my lights. What really sucks is that this is the only working transportation I own, and I really need to get this figured out and fixed ASAP. Now I'm no pro-mechanic, just a regular ol' do it yerselfer type, but my first thought was that the generator has physically begun to separate inside. The reason I think this is because of that sound I'm hearing which came at the same time this electrical issue started tonight. Tomorrow I'll start it up and see if I can actually get a better idea of exactly where that noise is coming from, and if it is indeed the area of the generator on the left side of the crankcase or not. What are your thoughts on this?

Any help is greatly appreciated.

[Steve]

A loud metallic noise coming from the left side sure sounds like a stator/rotor problem. A spiking voltage sounds like a regulator problem. I just don't see how something in the stator that might be coming loose and making contact would make the voltage spike.

Kinda sucks that this is your only transportation, but you will have to take the stator cover off to see what's happening there. You will need a gasket to put it back together, but I have a stator for you, if that's what you need.

.

[Sentinel]

Well, I messed up! I just checked and I have an oil leak and my oil is very low. I think that's what was causing the noise and not the electrical issue. So now I'm thinking it's either the Regulator/Rectifier or a loose ground somewhere.

Thoughts?

[JTGS850GL]

Noise due to low oil... Not good. Did the noise go away after you added oil?

If you're voltage is spiking at 19V then it's your R/R that needs to be replaced. Don't ride it till you've corrected it since those voltage spikes could leave you without several other electrical components.

[Sentinel]

Noise due to low oil... Not good. Did the noise go away after you added oil?

I haven't got to that yet, but I'll post back on it.

[Sentinel]

Well, it turns out that the oil leak was as usual that damn oil filter housing cover. I hate the design of that thing; you either tighten it too much and strip the studs and nuts, of not enough and the damn thing leaks. I snugged it up and I've got one qt of oil here to refile it, I hope that's enough for now.

The motorcycle gods may be smiling down upon me tonight. A while back I attached a cigarette lighter plug to my battery so that I could plug in my GPS. About 2 weeks ago I decided to wind the excess cord around the frame under my seat. Well that’s the first thing I thought of when I went and started checking the bike here and sure enough the shielding on one of the wires has warn through. I suspect, I HOPE that it was grounding on the frame and causing the electrical problem. I'll remove it now and see how it is out on a ride.

UPDATE: I just found another wire that may be missing s bit of its shielding as well.

[Sentinel]

UPDATE:

Well it's good news and bad news. The good news is that the electrical issue was indeed the accessory wires grounding out the system, so that's taken care and no big deal and thankfully no damage done. Also the oil leak is dealt with.

The bad news is that now I've got two even bigger problems I just confirmed tonight. Rather than adding them in here since they are totally different issues I'm going to start new threads for them, so please check them out and help if you can.

[Sentinel]

Since posting this thread out of necessity I bought another used bike, but now I want to turn my attention back to repairing this one.

I think I've got the other issues I mentioned in a few other threads regarding this bike all sorted now, so now I've got to get this electrical issue taken care of.

The noise I was hearing that I mentioned before turned out to be a compression leak which has since been remedied by simply re-torquing the head bolts.

Now back to the electrical symptoms themselves. I took it out for another test ride last night and it was the same as before, and everything I've observed here I know is significant, but I just don't have enough knowledge and experience with this to interpret it, so I'm hoping for more guidance.

Something that may or may not be significant here is that this seemed to first start "after" I had replaced the clutch plates, which of course required the removal of the stator and related assembly. Could something have gone wrong with this component in the process? Could this be my problem?


Symptoms and Conditions:


What seems "normal" -

When the bike is idling the charging voltage is "normal".

When revving the bike while parked "not moving" it seemed stable and "normal".


What is "abnormal" -

However, when actually "riding" the bike at speed the charging voltage fluctuates rapidly from normal to as high as about 19v of charge and the lights on the bike get "extremely bright".


So what's the problem here guys? I'm sure this jumps out clear as day to some of you here.

Loose wire? Rectifier/Regulator failing?


So far the concourses on this I've heard is that it's the R/R, and the recommended replacement is this one,

http://www.partzilla.com/parts/detail/polaris/PP-4012941.html

What are your thoughts on this?

[Steve]

Something that may or may not be significant here is that this seemed to first start "after" I had replaced the clutch plates, which of course required the removal of the stator and related assembly.

Say WHAT??? The clutch and the stator are on opposite sides of the engine. Why would you have to remove the stator to change clutch plates???

However, when actually "riding" the bike at speed the charging voltage fluctuates rapidly from normal to as high as about 19v of charge and the lights on the bike get "extremely bright".

Sounds like a loose ground wire on the R/R.

So far the concourses on this I've heard is that it's the R/R, and the recommended replacement is this one,
http://www.partzilla.com/parts/detai...P-4012941.html

That would be correct.

If you are interested in saving another dollar or so, get it from 2 Wheel Pros.

.

[Redman]

Since posting this thread out of necessity I bought another used bike, ...........
......

Whatjaget?
Whatjaget?

....
Something that may or may not be significant here is that this seemed to first start "after" I had replaced the clutch plates, which of course required the removal of the stator and related assembly. Could something have gone wrong with this component in the process? Could this be my problem?....?
....

Replaced Clutch plates... and had to remove stator?
Maybe Starter clutch...?

Anyway, either way, problem with stator would more likely cause voltage to go low, not high.

.....
However, when actually "riding" the bike at speed the charging voltage fluctuates rapidly from normal to as high as about 19v of charge and the lights on the bike get "extremely bright"..
...

Do you know if you have a stock type R/R that has 3 stator wires and hot wire and ground wire ...
... or do you have a R/R (from, say, a Honda) that also has a "sense" wire that has to be connected to a switched hot wire, if so, and if that wire has bad connection, so senses low or no voltage, then it will crank the R/R up to the max it can put out, and you will see 18 or 19 volts.

.

[OldVet66]

Sentinel, I wondered when I would see you over here.

[Sentinel]

Say WHAT??? The clutch and the stator are on opposite sides of the engine. Why would you have to remove the stator to change clutch plates???



Sounds like a loose ground wire on the R/R.



That would be correct.

If you are interested in saving another dollar or so, get it from 2 Wheel Pros.

.

I think maybe I'm calling out the wrong part. Maybe instead of "Stator" I meant the part on the "right side", which the manual calls the governor. It has the rotor with the magnets around it. But I guess the clutch job and then the electrical issue happening was just a coincidence.

[Sentinel]

Whatjaget?
Whatjaget?





Replaced Clutch plates... and had to remove stator?
Maybe Starter clutch...?

Anyway, either way, problem with stator would more likely cause voltage to go low, not high.






Do you know if you have a stock type R/R that has 3 stator wires and hot wire and ground wire ...
... or do you have a R/R (from, say, a Honda) that also has a "sense" wire that has to be connected to a switched hot wire, if so, and if that wire has bad connection, so senses low or no voltage, then it will crank the R/R up to the max it can put out, and you will see 18 or 19 volts.

.

I got a 2009 Suzuki Gladius, which is a really nice bike, but guess what? I recently found it it has a recall for the R/R! lol

Why can't these companies get a steady supply of good ones?

Also the one on my GS450E is the stock original.

[Sentinel]

Sentinel, I wondered when I would see you over here.

Hi there!

[OldVet66]

I got a 2009 Suzuki Gladius, which is a really nice bike, but guess what? I recently found it it has a recall for the R/R! lol

Why can't these companies get a steady supply of good ones?

Also the one on my GS450E is the stock original.

What did you pay for it? Sounds like a good future choice for my youngest son.