Sudden power loss and fuse blowing

[heyblue46]

Hi all,
have a 1980 gs1100et with about 47k miles on it. So far everything had been running great until yesterday. In between all the weekend work I was doing I jumped on it just to run it down the road and back as my battery is starting to get weak and really needs replacing, but so far as long as I drive it daily it keeps going.

Yesterday however, I only got 1 block down the road, and when I pushed in the clutch at a stop sign, it completely cut off. I let go of the clutch and it restarted but was barely running. I gave it some gas which kept it running but again just barely. You know that low dull engine running noise when it sounds like a engine is running on half its cylinders or less? It was like a very low popping sound with it. I managed to limp home and saw that the 3rd fuse down had blown. I replaced that and it cranked right back up and sounded like new. Stood there and revved it up a little and decided to go again. Didn't even get out of the driveway this time. Same fuse was blown. Am I reading my schematic correct that this is the fuse to the kill switch?? I disabled my kill switch years ago. Could something in there be making contact now where it shouldn't and blowing that fuse? But if its the kill switch, why can I keep it running?

Really need some help here guys and thanks in advance. Got to go back and see if my TarHeels can beat Clemson now. GO HEELS!

Steve

[heyblue46]

RE:fuse blowing

Well my Tarheels won..yeaaa! I am replying to my own thread in the hopes of merely moving this back up to the top so maybe one of the magic guru's here will see it and be able to help me!

Thanks guys.
Steve

[skreemer]

Are you blowing the main fuse?

If so.
check your regulator/rectifier. I had this happen to me and the rectifier part was still working but the regulator part was broke. I was over charging my battery and literally cooking it, and at the same time I was blowing fuses left and right. After ignoring the problem all weekend I found I had melted my stator wires together and they were shorting against one another.

Check the wires running from the stator to the R/R. Checkt he wires running from the R/R to wherever they go (battery/ground). Make sure everything is grounded properly and none of the wires are melted together.

If all that checks out go get the stator papers and start checking your charging system.

[heyblue46]

Are you blowing the main fuse?

This may be a dumb question, but which one is the main one??
Steve

[focus frenzy]

third fuse down is ignition, fourth down is the main.

you have a short.

[heyblue46]

thanks

Thanks guys.

[Matchless]

Just a comment. If you have a bad battery you run the risk of damaging your stator and/or regulator and vice versa. It is a good bet to always replace any of these components if they fail immediately to save further problems. At worst you may have to replace all 3.
You are most likely familiar with the Stator papers here http://www.thegsresources.com/garage/gs_statorfacts.htm

Good luck.

[heyblue46]

4th fuse not 3rd

Thanks matchless I was planning on replacing it soon. Guess I'll do it sooner.
BTW guys, I'm blowing the 4th fuse, which according to the previous post is the main fuse. Any ideas what to look for first?

Steve

[chef1366]

Do the stator papers off the home page on the left.

[focus frenzy]

if you are blowing the main you need to first disconnect the red wire from the regulator and see if it still blows the fuse. if it does you have a short someplace between the battery through the fuse box up to the ignition switch.

if it stops blowing fuses you have a bad regulator and the stator will also be suspect.
part of the regulators job is to rectify AC current into DC current and if the rectifier part fails you end up with DC power running back down to the stator. not good.

[focus frenzy]

there will be a couple connectors on the frame near the front under the tank, make sure the plastic has not broke down and caused a short there.

[heyblue46]

Thanks Leon and everyone,
I'll check the r/r and connectors under the tank as soon as i get home. I've read the stator papers and they are excellent. Seems I may have to review them soon!
I had recently done some work where I removed the tank a couple of times (not work related to whats happening now). So thats a real possibility. I've also charged that battery several times lately, so I may have brought this on myself by trying to save some money for a month or two.. .
My garage is crazy right now. The bike is the only vehicle in there, but I'm right in the middle of building a rocker/cradle combo for my daughter-in-law and new grand-daughter. When I work on one I have to move everything else somewhere else! hahaha. At least its relatively cold so I can justify driving my truck this week!