Wiring Harness

[gstom]

I have purchased an 81 gs1100e and love the bike. I have a couple problems with the wiring though and was wondering if there was anywhere I can get a new harness. The guy I bought it from modified the harness and the bike no longer charges and it seems the simplest to just start over if I can. Any suggestions?

[83GSrider]

I had been looking for one for about two years and I finally found a brand new one on E-Bay. Good luck with your search.

[BassCliff]

Greetings and Salutations!!

Hi Mr. gstom,

For charging system issues, start with a known good battery and go through the Stator Papers. Let me roll out the welcome mat for you...

Please click here for your mega-welcome, chock full of tips, suggestions, links to vendors, and other information. Then feel free to visit my little BikeCliff website where I've been collecting the wisdom of this generous community. Don't forget, we like pictures! Not you, your bike!

Pay particular attention to the "Top 10 Common Issues".

Thanks for joining us. Keep us informed.

Thank you for your indulgence,

BassCliff

[gstom]

I have a brand new battery. It holds a charge for a few hours of riding. My charging system is only putting out 11.5 v roughly. I have read the stater pages and have some ideas where to continue testing. As I was looking over my bike I found the wires coming from the stator were melted together. Which is the main reason I was interested in finding a new harness, instead of taking apart the old one to find where the short is located.

[BassCliff]

Hi,

If the wires from the stator are melted together, you may need both a new stator and a regulator/rectifier unit. You won't know for sure until you go through the troubleshooting chart in the Stator Papers.

What is the AC voltage output of your stator? Also check my website for a guide with pictures. It's not necessary to replace the entire harness just to install a new stator and r/r unit.

I strongly encourage you to clean every electrical connection and ground on the entire motorcycle, from head light to tail light including the fuse box and ignition switch.

Thank you for your indulgence,

BassCliff

[posplayr]

gstom

I can understand your concerns about starting with an old harness and trying to fix electrical problems. I would normally agree except in the case of power and grounding.

Almost all the connections that have to be correct in order to charge correctly are largely separate or should be separated from the harness.

The three wires that are melted (stator wires) together should connect directly to the R/R and avoid the harness which route 1 of the wires to the headlamp switch.

The positive lead from the R/R does go through the harness but it is almost directly to the fuse box where the usual issue is with corrosion in the fuse box. The grounds are connections as have been described here before to frame, battery and R/R.

If your parts are not toasted already, then making these connections might solve all your problems but as Basscliff says, you need to follow the stator pages to know.

If you still want to swap out the harness later, that is a good idea but little will have any bearing on change to this first step.

Pos

[gstom]

ac voltage on stator

"What is the AC voltage output of your stator? Also check my website for a guide with pictures. It's not necessary to replace the entire harness just to install a new stator and r/r unit."

I have tested the stator and r/r as per the stator papers and found my stator voltage to be at 90v ac at 5000rpm on all wires. My r/r shows no continuity on all wires. I am not sure if my meter has a diode tester. I use it everyday for work, but never use diodes. What am I looking for. And should that be done with the bike running? I assume it should as you are looking for voltage.

I have repaired my starter recently. I replaced the brushes and bottom plate they attach to, as my starter would hardly turn over. I replaced the battery 3 times thinking it wouldn't hold a charge, until I tested it with my meter. Since then the starter works great, but my bike doesn't charge. I just replaced the plastic insulator in the starter as ig cracked when I put the starter in after I repaired it. I suspected that maybe this might have caused my wiring to melt. I restarted the bike after this, and the wires immediately started heating up and smoking again, so I don't think I found it

[gstom]

grounds

I can understand your concerns about starting with an old harness and trying to fix electrical problems. I would normally agree except in the case of power and grounding.

Almost all the connections that have to be correct in order to charge correctly are largely separate or should be separated from the harness.

The three wires that are melted (stator wires) together should connect directly to the R/R and avoid the harness which route 1 of the wires to the headlamp switch.

The positive lead from the R/R does go through the harness but it is almost directly to the fuse box where the usual issue is with corrosion in the fuse box. The grounds are connections as have been described here before to frame, battery and R/R.

Pos

I have located two of the grounds. The one to the r/r I have moved to the negative post on the battery. I read that the rubber mounts on the r/r mounting plate can cause a problem and the site recommended that move. The other is the negative post the the transmission case. It appears to be ok. Where is the frame ground located?

[posplayr]

Grounds

I have located two of the grounds. The one to the r/r I have moved to the negative post on the battery. I read that the rubber mounts on the r/r mounting plate can cause a problem and the site recommended that move.

That is unusual but OK good luck with it. All current supplied from the stator to the system has to return to that R/R (-) (that is why it is grounded). If not you will smoke the R/R and stator.

The other is the negative post the the transmission case. It appears to be ok.

OK this has nothing to do with charging.

Where is the frame ground located?

Your harness probably has two brass ring lugs on 14 guage wires (black and white stripe). In the original installation 1.) goes to the front of the battery box under the spacer against the frame. 2.) Goes to the side plate under the solenoid mounting bolt.

You might be interested in this.

http://www.thegsresources.com/_forum/showthread.php?t=140109

[gstom]

That is unusual but OK good luck with it. All current supplied from the stator to the system has to return to that R/R (-) (that is why it is grounded). If not you will smoke the R/R and stator.

Ok. i thought that seemed a little funny, even though it increased my charging voltage. I have repaired this

Your harness probably has two brass ring lugs on 14 guage wires (black and white stripe). In the original installation 1.) goes to the front of the battery box under the spacer against the frame. 2.) Goes to the side plate under the solenoid mounting bolt.

I have found two ground wires going to the solenoid, but they disappear into the harness and I am unsure where they come out as I cannot find them again. Any ideas. They appear to travel up to the headlight.

[/QUOTE]

[posplayr]

http://www.thegsresources.com/_forum/showthread.php?t=140109

There are some specific wire routing in the link above.

when you think you are done measure the voltage between

R/R(-) and Battery (-)
as well as
R/R(+) and Battery (+)
both of these voltages need to be less than 0.5 v at 4000 rpm
preferably about 0.25v

If they are not there is too much resistance somewhere.

Pos

[gstom]

wiring

pos,

If I understand your wiring notes correctly you made a ground wire that joins the three ground points, frame, solenoid, and r/r to the negative post on the battery. Would I be correct?

I won't be able to test voltage tonight, as it is late and the exhaust on my bike is fairly loud, so I will keep you posted. Thanks for the help.

tom

[posplayr]

If I understand your wiring notes correctly you made a ground wire that joins the three ground points, frame, solenoid, and r/r to the negative post on the battery. Would I be correct?

If you call frame the side plate then yes. Also, you absolutely need to make sure that one of the harness ring lugs also has a low impedance path to the same R/R mounting bolt.

Jim

[gstom]

regulator/rectifier question

when you think you are done measure the voltage between

R/R(-) and Battery (-)
as well as
R/R(+) and Battery (+)

As the r/r is sealed how do I tell the positive and negative wires. There are 4

[posplayr]

typically pos is red and ground is black or check your schematic if everything is OEM.