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Another Charging Problem

2K views 16 replies 7 participants last post by  slimvulcanrider 
#1 · (Edited)
Put your minds together. Across 2 of any of the 3 leads//////Checked the AC voltage with stator unplugged,, 14 volt at Idle/70 volts at 4000 rpm. Plugged in to R/R it tested 10 volts ac at idle/ 12 volt ac at 4000 rpm with only 11.68 volt dc coming out of the R/R. Problem is???? Running with the lights on at any rpm battery volt check 11.83 dc.
 
#2 ·
do you have a clymer or kawasaki service manual? if you do, do the r/r and the stator test as per the manuals, then post those results. Here is the most important one to check first, with engine cold, test the continuity through the stator legs.

Engine Cold Tests:

Stator Legs
Continuity
A-B =
A-C =
B-C =

VAC
A-B=
A-C=
B-C=

Engine Warm Stator Tests

Continuity
A-B =
A-C =
B-C =

VAC
A-B=
A-C=
B-C=

Read the manual to perorm the R/R continuity tests. once we have all this information we can try to figure out what is going on..

One other thing, disconnect the battery and clean the terminals, and disconnect the main ground (battery to frame) and clean, make sure you tighten the connection back down tight.
 
#3 ·
Engine Cold Tests Disconnected from R/R:

Stator Legs
Continuity
A-B = .00 ohms
A-C = .00 ohms
B-C = .00 ohms

VAC
A-B= 16 at 1000 rpm 70 4000 rpm
A-C= 16 at 1000 rpm 70 4000 rpm
B-C= 16 at 1000 rpm 70 4000 rpm


Engine Warm Stator Tests Disconnected from R/R

Continuity
A-B = .00 ohms
A-C = .00 ohms
B-C = .00 ohms

VAC
A-B= 16 at 1000 rpm 70 4000 rpm
A-C= 16 at 1000 rpm 70 4000 rpm
B-C= 16 at 1000 rpm 70 4000 rpm

Connected to R/R: Cold and Hot

A-B= 10 at 1000 rmp 12 at 4000 rpm
A-C= 10 at 1000 rmp 12 at 4000 rpm
B-C= 10 at 1000 rmp 12 at 4000 rpm
 
#4 · (Edited)
Just went and checked it again, Battery showed it was getting a charge of 12.4 volts and then I started smelling hot plastic. The boots over the stator wire connections in front of the battery were starting the smoke from the connections getting hot. I cut the engine off and restarted it. The battery was not charging but the connection were getting hot again. Stator got to be producing power to do that. Is the R/R shot causing a shortage or resistants on the stator wires?
 
#5 ·
If you know that the battery is in good condition (this is important), it is starting to sound like the R/R is dumping all the stator power to ground (high stator current). Sounds like the battery is ok if you can start the bike. I would do the R/R checks Slim suggests. And I would not let the stator wires get hot any more, you could significantly reducing the life of the stator in doing so.
 
#6 ·
Just went and checked it again, Battery showed it was getting a charge of 12.4 volts and then I started smelling hot plastic. The boots over the stator wire connections in front of the battery were starting the smoke from the connections getting hot. I cut the engine off and restarted it. The battery was not charging but the connection were getting hot again. Stator got to be producing power to do that. Is the R/R shot causing a shortage or resistants on the stator wires?
The connectors get hot because of a poor connection. Do whatever is necessary to make a good contact.

Measuring the stator output voltages while the stator is connected to the R/R gives very little useful information.

Did you measure the charging voltage directly from the battery poles, or between positive pole and the frame? If you measured between the poles, there may be voltage loss in the battery ground wire you did not see. Make sure that the ground wire has a good contact at both ends.
 
#7 ·
Put my bike up on 2 car ramps and put the center stand up on a concrete block. Wouldn't gonna work that low to the ground. got my brother tranmission jack top plate that has adjustment knobs to make it level anywhich direction and put it on my floor jack for the engine to sit on. Pulled the stator out of my bike last night. Had the engine ready to turn in about 3 to 4 hr.s taking my time. For the life of me I could not get the engine to turn more than 2 1/2 inches. Just enough for the shift rod not to clear the frame. I had a pry bar giving it hell, jacking the engine up and down, tilting it, and it would pull itself back in place for the most part. 3 more hr.s of this went on. Only thing left hooked to the engine was the driveshaft and it was not in a bind. Finally after mashing a finger till blood ran out from under the nail and having to use the pry bar to get it out, I grab the handlebar and shook the piss out of the bike almost to the point of turning it over, the engine moved right on over. Lord PLEASE forgive for the words I use during this process. Got Up this morning only to find Tim Parrots website still "under construction" so I couldn't get his mailing address. I just went ahead an order a Ricks stator new from his web site.
 
#9 ·
I sent him an email last Sunday and the same one again Tuesday and haven't got a response. For what the new one cost, what it cost to send the old one to him and then the price of the rebuild and shipping back, I can sell him my old one and he will pay the shipping I was told in the first email, I will only have $20 dollars difference in the new one and a rebuild. I'm sure he does good work but I can let the bike stay apart long. Had to borrow shop space at my brothers superbusy mechanic shop ( tax return time) for space to take her apart. My shop has too many 4 wheelers, lawn mowers and and a VW fiberglass dune buggy in it. Small to start with.
 
#10 ·
But those stators aren't as good as Tim's rebuilt ones. IIRC, one member had his new stator (correct me if I'm wrong) fail in less than 275 miles.

Did you see the $20 stator mod by Tuxedoseven? No longer have to pull the engine!
 
#11 ·
#13 ·
I had a similiar problem last summer. I cut the old connectors off and put new ones on. Then the heating problem went away. Still I have problems though. I put the bike away with a dead battery. If the damn thing sits more than 3 days it wont start. Battery runs down and thats it. Its worse in cold fall days. I am really sick of this Kawasaki as it has such a POS electrical system. I put a put a new stator in 10,000 miles ago. I'm thinking its time again since I cant seem to keep batteries more than a year. I cant afford a new bike so I will most likely fix this one. :-(
 
#15 ·
Well, Good news is my bike is charging again. New Ricks stator and regulator, the later getting a relocation in the process. Bad news is all this happened just as I was reading the post on here about the stators going out. Like I got jinxed reading about it. All that put aside, just ready to do some riding. Took her out tonight for a little ride to circulate the antifreeze. It's 37 degrees, suppose to hit 70 tomarrow. Gonna wash her up in the A.M. and put her in the wind for a while. :smiley_th
 
#16 ·
Slim, mine turn over fine but soons runs the battery down. Im not sure if I dont have enough juice to fire the ignition, or if I am not getting good gas flow. Worse after sitting a few days. It usually crank and crank, then will pop, but then it too late. I charge the battery and zoom it starts right up. Im thinking plugs, carb cleaning, change brushes in starter, ignition coil adjustment, check grounds, connections, etc. I put a new battery in.
 
#17 ·
do you have an MF battery? I recommend you do every thing you mentioned and check your grounds and battery cables for looseness and corrosion... then after that, test the voltage at the battery if neccissary

Key Off Voltage:
Key On Voltage:
Engine Idle:
engine 2500 rpm
Engine 3500 rpm
Engine 4500-5500 rpm

key off should be around 12.5 V
Key on should be close to 12.0V
Idle: 12.5V
engine 4500-5500 rpm 14.5V
(between Idle and 4500 rpm, the voltage should keep increasing as you roll on the throttle.)

after taking these measurements, make a new thread and post your results and we will help you from there.
 
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