Oh no! The charging system...

[skiri251]

As you may recall, my '82 GL1100A had a battery drain issue before.

Yesterday rode her 60 miles on freeway @ 75~80 mph. Good ride.
On the way home, dropped by local u-haul to fill the propane tank.
Tried to start the engine but the starter wouldn't turn.
U-haul guy pushed the bike for me and bump start worked and went home.
Charged the battery overnight.
Load tested this morning. (~400 CCA and good.)
Hooked it up to the bike and the engine starts.
The voltage at the battery terminals is 12.3V no matter how I rev'ed the engine....

Is this infamouse alternator gone bad or Reg/Rec dead?
How should I proceed from here?

 

[brianinpa]

Have you done any other maintenance to the bike recently that maybe a ground might be loose?

 

[skiri251]

brianinpa » Mon Aug 26, 2013 10:17 am[/url]":2csmhjtp]
Have you done any other maintenance to the bike recently that maybe a ground might be loose?

Not really...
I touched wiring in the left fairing pocket when I re-connected the voltmeter (direct to the battery to the switched main power).
Other than that I only changed the engine oil.

 

[joedrum]

:swoon: now that's out of the way get in left side cover and look at stator connector or whats up there as connection ....sheesh so far not sounding good .... :fiddle:

 

[skiri251]

joedrum » Mon Aug 26, 2013 11:21 am[/url]":3enx88mp]
:swoon: now that's out of the way get in left side cover and look at stator connector or whats up there as connection ....sheesh so far not sounding good .... :fiddle:

Do you mean three yellow wires?
The connector is gone and those wires are soldered (by PO).

I guess I need to rule out bad Reg/Rec. If I cut those solder connections and measure alternator winding resistances, will that tell if alternator is dead?

Okay, the manual says stator wires themselves (continuity) and to the ground (no continuity). I will do this test next.

 

[dan filipi]

It say's 1200 only but the same should apply to the earlier models also:

(To gallery image)
View media item 14325

 

[skiri251]

Did the ohm reading and VAC reading.

All three yellow have continuity to the ground.
All three pairs produced only 16~23 VAC @ 3000 RPM.

So it's the stator, I suppose. (sigh)

Now the obvious question is which way is easier (for my wallet and/or technically).
Should I put a new stator (obtainable?) in, or add external alternator like Dan and others?

I understand it's not so straight forward to get (make?) a pulley for external alternator.
I should have been on that band wagon for custom made pulley...

What do you experts think?

 

[jerryinmich57]

I went back and forth on this all winter long going out in the garage and looking at it and drinking coffee and thinking when Stella's stator died. I wanted to keep it original but kept reading about others who changed their stator more than once that did not strike me as a good thing so I went with the external alt.
I might suggest to use a flat belt like many have done I used a v belt and I think you need more room between the pulley and radiator for a v belt to change the belt.
And another thing I used a green belt not good only last for one season at a time. :doh:
Jerry

 

[backlander]

Seems like 1060dsl had a couple of the original aluminum pulleys a while back for sale, might check with him if you decide to go external.

 

[skiri251]

Just exploring the possibilities.
Found brand-new stators on eBay.

https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_tr...1100+stator&_sacat=0&_from=R40#item3f17b6af01

Prices range from $60 to $120.
Do the expensive ones (says 20% more power) worth it?

 

[slabghost]

More power would be nice but whether it's worth the price or not is purely opinion. Joe found bad stator connections in the plug the wires exit the case through. You'd need to pull it to check that though. 1200 stators and 1100 are both physically the same size and mount the same. So those are also an option.

 

[skiri251]

Thanks.

I read up the alternator section.
I guess I will try replacing the stator.

 

[joedrum]

sheesh it seems to be a close call on this always ...either way it aint easy

 

[zman]

The high performance type like electrosport and maybe Ricks will produce about 50 watts more and run cooler. I cant vouch for either, I used to have mine re-wound, but on a GL I would definitely not want to have to do it twice.

 

[skiri251]

Thanks.

I guess I should believe the following sales pitch for Electrosport.

Heavy duty high quality replacement stator for non-fuel injected models.
•Designed with a new type of stator core that offers very low magnetic resistance
•Incorporates copper winding wire of the highest temperature rating
•About 20% more output due to a change in the winding configuration
•Generates less heat
•Built in aluminum through-grommet
•Uses high temperature oil- and abrasion-resistant lead wires
•Offers superior performance and reliability compared to OEM
•Tested power output: 350W @ 4000RPM (the actual power output varies depending on the configuration and condition of the charging system - within +/- 5% of this value)

I will drop the engine and look at clutch and other stuff. Maybe repaint the frame and gas tank.
Then if that Electrosport should fail in the future (hopefully not), I will go external alternator route.

I didn't have any complaints with the stock alternator. I have HF cheapo LED running lights which don't draw huge current. I don't need heated vest or grips.

 

[skiri251]

I read up engine removal section of the service manual.
Sounds easier than my past experiences of CB750, XS750, maybe even BSA A65.
That sub-frame must be a big help. I don't have to lift up the engine to clear the frame downtube.

Any gotcha's the manual doesn't say?

 

[slabghost]

None I know of.

 

[joedrum]

hmmm skiri you know how it is first time .. it dont matter what info you have this is going to be rough...just go slow and don't get fustraited were here when something stonewalls you

on the centerstand is nice ... get rid of exhaust... clean with brush and vacume continuously ...

 

[skiri251]

Thanks!

Possibly a stupid question...
Do I need to remove upper fairing and the support?

 

[joedrum]

I would ... I always get things out of the way ... this is not a time to be cramped up ...there enough of that already in this job ....undoing the drivshaft is quite the deal also ....personally I have lots of tree stumps cuts I use to slide under everything and wedges to drive ....floor jack or atv jack can do almost as good ...atv jack is nice period to use ...its not hard and good time to get rid of heat shield what a piece of crap that is and how much trouble it is .. but most put them back not my I bled enough over those things ...radiator should be loose at bottom for sure but it just as easy to take it off lube all the stuff up before reinstall ..access is everything