Pma, Ultimate pamco from Mikes. unsolved problem

MrBillohnooo

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I am running a pma charging system with small battery and a ultimate pamco kit from Mikes. It all performed flawlessly for over 1000 miles, and as I was riding to the house one day at lunch the bike dropped one cylinder, and then within 1/4 mile shut down. After getting the bike hauled back home, it would start, and charge at an idle. Above an idle it showed less than 12 volts, and spit, and backfired, and wouldnt pull any more rpms than about 1300 running very rough. To make a much longer story shorter, I have replaced the stator, and the voltage regulator along with the ignition switch. I have cleaned and quadripple checked all the electrical connections and grounds. Still getting the same rough running and lower voltage above idle. I even narrowed the electrical system down to running nothing but the ignition. Still runs/ charges the same. I am getting very erratic timing readings on the timng light.
Bad coil or ignition unit?
I am about to pull my hair out. :wtf:
Any ideas welcome.
 
Your charging system is not working reason whi the bike start to misfire and then die.You should get around 14V above idle.
 
Did you check your reg/rect?

Also Racer, to some degree I would agree, but his bike would just use the battery to keep it from stuttering. It would run till the battery began dying. Then it would start stuttering. I agree with Racer though, too. You need to check your whole charging system and try setting up another battery to it.
 
As a comparison, I rode with no charging at all and 3 volts at the battery across the poles with my "Green PAMCO" setup. So your battery could be collapsed, I don't think it is the culprit here though. But check the current across the pole without lights on and then turn on the lights to check if it drops.

How is it wired? 5/6-pole? Positive sensitive or negative sensitive? Directly to the battery or after the ignition switch?

It is weird that the charging system goes down with the ignition system, when I have been able to run at such a low voltage and Pete has said himself that it can be done with 6 volts.

However, fix what you can test and true first, then go through the bike like that. I do agree with Jimmy though, trying another battery is a good idea, it is a common problem, but I don't see the connection here though.

Nice to be able to rule it out atleast :)
 
I am suspect of the battery at this point. I am going to go get another after work. It wont light the headlight, but shows 12.9 before turning it on. I am also going to go buy another volt ohm meter as I loaned it to a friend and....it came back fried. all I have at the moment is a autometer volt gauge.
Right now all that s hooked up is the charging system, with all new components (except battery and flywheel) including the ignition switch . The ignition sytem is the only operable circuit. all others have been disconnected fron the fuse panel.


Gotta get back to work
 
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Thank you for all your help!
The verdict is in.
Bad battery.
It had 12.9 volts with no load, not running... turn on headlight.....2.6v.
Hooked up a different battery, and it started and ran as it should. 12.6 before startup, 14.5v at idle, 14.5- 14.6 above idle to 4000+++ rpm. That was with headlight on.

Moral of the story: If ya think your charging system isnt working with a Pma, Check your battery under load. Or if using a capacitor, hook a known good battery up to check charging system voltage!!!
 
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I had a battery problem like this a year or so ago. I got one of the infamous MikesXs AGM batteries. Did same thing. I of course went through every possible thing before it got to that...sucks


Thank you for all your help!
The verdict is in.
Bad battery.
It had 12.9 volts with no load, not running... turn on headlight.....2.6v.
Hooked up a different battery, and it started and ran as it should. 12.6 before startup, 14.5v at idle, 14.5- 14.6 above idle to 4000+++ rpm. That was with headlight on.

Moral of the story: If ya think your charging system isnt working with a Pma, Check your battery under load. Or if using a capacitor, hook a known good battery up to check charging system voltage!!!
 
rwingsfan... what do you mean "imfamous" Mike's AGM battery? I have one and so far love it. What was your experience with yours?
 
Mikes had a run of batteries a couple years back that were defective. A lot were sold and I fought the issue for quite some time and still never received a new battery. I am sure the ones he has now will be fine though.
 
I will have it all buttoned up and goin again tomorrow. You know how it is, ya fix one thing and change 3 more because ya wanna. :laugh:
I am a happy man now, bike figured out and the Red Wings are still in the playoffs! :thumbsup:
 
I took the bike around the block yesterday, all ok.
Today, I left to go for a ride, all seemed ok. came to a stoplight. Bike died.
called the girlfriend, she brought me volt/ohm meter. 8 volts dc at idle, less with more rpm.
getting an a/c voltage reading of around 20 volts at idle.
I am about to give up and go back to the stock charging system.
If I turn on the headlight, it wont run. I got exactly 7 miles riding time with all new reg/rec, battery, and stator. I just got done checking all the connections, which are all soldered. Excepting my redundant (4) grounds to frame, engine and battery. (they are bolted.) all clean on eye connectors and no paint underneath. The bolts are tight.
Arrrgh!
 
try star washers under the ground mounts? they bite in better. If your bike is still charging at idle you will just keep boiling your batteries.
I had baoght a rotor from mikes when they had a bad run, but seems mines OK. charges off idle.
 
I am sure the grounds are good. all of the bolted on attachment points are freshly cleaned to bare metal, and the wire terminals are cleaned and anti-corrosion coated too.
Small battery on the trickle charger now, taking it back tomorrow,( as I just bought it Friday) to have it load tested.
 
I quote myself again.

How is it wired? 5/6-pole? Positive sensitive or negative sensitive? Directly to the battery or after the ignition switch?
 
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