Wiring questions

[Guest]

I am reassembling a 1980 gs850g. Engine is in as well as wiring harness. It was torn down for a full restore, but the previous owner lost interest. So now, because I am not the one who disassembled it, I am not sure about a couple things.

1. The alternator has three black wires that come to the rectifier. The wiring diagram shows colored wires that match the rectifier. My question is, is it a 3 field alternator and does it matter which black wire plugs into which colored rectifier wire.

2. After making all other connections, I have 3 wires at the back of the harness that I do not seem to have mating connections. They are male green/white, female red/white and female yellow/green.

[bwringer]

No, it does not matter which color wire from the alternator goes to the regulator/rectifier.

Going from memory (so please double-check this), the green/white and red/white are part of a mysterious and worse than useless loop that sends one leg of the stator wires up to the headlight and back. Most of us bypass these and connect the stator directly to the R/R as you have done. I usually just clip these leftover connectors off when I find them.

This is a great way to give a new GS owner a heart attack -- unplug two wires, connect them differently, then clip the two leftover connectors...

I think the yellow/green connects the starter button to the starter solenoid, but please double-check that with a wiring diagram.

[bikemtn]

I believe that the stator (alterator) wires do not need to match a specific connection at the r/r. When I replaced and rewired to an sh775 r/r I did not need to be specific on wire connections between the two.
Y/G is the starter disconnect wire, so it should run from the starter button to the starter disconnect switch to the starter solenoid. R/W...not sure on that one. G/W it think is the kick stand down indicator.
Basscliff's links will help.....

http://members.dslextreme.com/users/bikecliff/images/80GS850GT_wiring_color-new.png

http://members.dslextreme.com/users/bikecliff/

[JTGS850GL]

As stated above, the three stator wires are not color dependent. Just wire each one to each of the R/R inputs.

Green/White and Red/White are part of the headlight loop of one leg of the stator that should be bypassed anyways. If you connected the three black stator wires directly to the Rectifier/Regulator then those wires are not used. The Yellow/Green wire should be for the starter solenoid. It runs from the start button to the safety switch in the clutch lever to the starter solenoid.

[jim900]

Thanks all. Seems to have done the trick. However, mine does not have and does not appear to ever have had a kickstand safety switch.

[loud et]

One additional note (which I believe is on Bass cliffs page)
Is the modified stator wiring method which others have mentioned below is that you wire the 3 stator wires to the 3 r/r wires. Then, the rectifier black (neg) goes to a direct ground to the battery negative terminal and the rectifier red(pos) goes to an inline fuse directly to the battery.
This (also as others have mentioned) reduces the distance of the wires and makes the system more direct and less prone to wire melting and weak charge due to wire heat , damaged connections and loss of voltage.
That's the method I've used with success on my gs bikes.
Some ground to the frame and some take the red to the fuse box but it's generally the same.
Sounds like you are on the right path.

[Redman]

Thanks all. Seems to have done the trick. However, mine does not have and does not appear to ever have had a kickstand safety switch.

I think it was 82s that started to have the kickstand switch and light (but was not any "safety", just a light)

.

[bwringer]

I think it was 82s that started to have the kickstand switch and light (but was not any "safety", just a light)

.

Yeah, I think it was around there. In any case, it was just a light on the dash, not an ignition cut as on later bikes.