No power after stator and rectifier replacement

[Guest]

I hope someone out there can help me with this one, and that it will be a quick and easy fix...

The bike is a 1981 GS850G, and I posted earlier this week about the starter idler gear washers, and a stuck pin. That problem was resolved and I have put everything back together after changing both the regulator/rectifier and the stator. In addition, I changed a connector block under the gas tank (it looked partially melted and a couple of wires were exposed and corroding. I believe I was scrupulous in installing everything correctly (made diagrams of wire placements, etc.), and there are no spare parts left over.

Anxious to get on the road again, after turning the key, I checked the horn since I thought changing the connector block might bring back to life my right side horn (it did not); the left side horn worked however. The console lights were lit. I then noticed that my headlight was not working, but thought maybe I had a wire loose in the new connector block.

Finally, I tried to start it, and upon pressing the starter button, everything shut down and I now have no power whatsoever. It is as if there were no battery attached. I have no blown fuses in the fusebox. Nothing I can see from the outside looks melted or burned, including the new connector block.

Am I overlooking some other main fuse?

What is the most likely cause of this problem?

Any help would be appreciated. Thanks in advance.

[steckmocr]

Update to that last post…

Moving the bike back to where it needs to be parked, I just for kicks turned the key, and lo and behold, it has power. It even starts! Not sure what happened, but I am not complaining.

However, I have no lights and turn signal. The horn does work.

So I am guessing this problem lies in the connector block I changed. It seemed like a no-brainer. Anything I could have done wrong there?

Thanks.

[posplayr]

Update to that last post…

Moving the bike back to where it needs to be parked, I just for kicks turned the key, and lo and behold, it has power. It even starts! Not sure what happened, but I am not complaining.

However, I have no lights and turn signal. The horn does work.

So I am guessing this problem lies in the connector block I changed. It seemed like a no-brainer. Anything I could have done wrong there?

Thanks.

Did you NOT clean the connectors, contacts and switches? DeOxit.

[steckmocr]

Thanks for the response.

If you mean the connectors for the stator and regulator, yes. Since I was not really doing anything else with the electrical system, I did not specifically open up and clean anything along the way. All were working fine before. All the leads on that new connector block are new and in good connection.

Since your message, I opened up the light and turn signal switch cover and nothing seems obviously wrong there, and the horn still works. The brake lights also work. I have the tank off at the moment so I don't know about the fuel level indicator.

It looks like from the collection of cables that go to the light and turn signal switches, only one goes to the new connector block I installed. It is a yellow that is split into two (with a bullet connector) before it enters the connector block.

When I use the turn signal switch, I can hear and feel something in the relay clicking.

Is it possible I somehow burned out all of these lights?

I am not much of an electrical type so thanks in advance for any other hints you can offer.

[posplayr]

do you know what a high resistance contact looks like? If not why are you just looking. Clean them, I'm sure they have not had it in a while.

Or are you looking for the one single special connector that you think might need cleaning so you can get back on the road faster?

[steckmocr]

Thanks again,

Yes, I am sure they probably all need to be cleaned but no, I don't know what a high resistance contact is specifically. I'm happy to learn.

Is it common that these contacts become problematic when doing the kinds of electrical work I was doing?

I suppose if the lights had stopped working without me having taken things apart, I would't be thinking so cause and effect. But in this case, it was after everything was put back together and I had that problem with have no current at all. That is why I have been looking for something specific.

Finally, can you let me know what other comparable cleaning products might do a good job, since I doubt the one you mentioned earlier is available where I live.

Thanks again for your help.

[posplayr]

Thanks again,

Yes, I am sure they probably all need to be cleaned but no, I don't know what a high resistance contact is specifically. I'm happy to learn.

Is it common that these contacts become problematic when doing the kinds of electrical work I was doing?

I suppose if the lights had stopped working without me having taken things apart, I would't be thinking so cause and effect. But in this case, it was after everything was put back together and I had that problem with have no current at all. That is why I have been looking for something specific.

Finally, can you let me know what other comparable cleaning products might do a good job, since I doubt the one you mentioned earlier is available where I live.

Thanks again for your help.

The question about the what dirty contacts look like, is somewhat rhetorical. If they are green then you know elsewise who knows.

Three steps with commonly available materials:

1. apply naval jelly
2. followed by flushing with water
3. followed by application of dielectric grease or solder if it is a crimped contact

That is why DeOxit is preferable (just spray) unless it is so dirty that you really need to get the gunk out.

[Grimly]

Is it common that these contacts become problematic when doing the kinds of electrical work I was doing?

Yep. Bullet connectors are prone to developing bad connections internally, yet look fine from outside. Only way is disconnect every one (one at a time, so you don't lose track, even if they're colour-coded), clean up the female and male halves and bung them back together with some Vaseline or silicone grease. I usually give the females a little squeeze, but that sometimes got me into trouble...

Bullet connectors are rubbish - they have no place on a modern bike, but it was excusable for Suzuki to use them 30 and 40 years ago, as everyone else did, and nobody seriously expected them to last longer than ten years anyway. Bullet connectors belong on a 1950s jalopy, where they should have stayed, in my view. Even in the '70s there were much better options, but in a production bike, the cost was an important factor.