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Bike Suddenly Broke Down
- Thread starter MAW117
- Start date
Yes, as electrical connections deteriorate, the resistance goes up, as RG said. Current flow doesn't stop, but it degrades, causing issues.
That is why it is a good idea to check and clean all of the electrical connections on the bike especially the fuse panel, and for models with one, the kill switch on the right handlebar.
I unplugged the regulator and started my bike up. It ran much better, so it the weak alternator magnet you mentioned sounds like the problem. I am about to take a look at MikesXS for the part unless I should consider getting it somewhere else. (I might take a look at Amazon too.)
Replacing the fuse panel sounds like a good idea and now I have some ideas of how to do that. Thanks guys. Hopefully the alternator is the causing all these issue and my bike will run well after I replace that part and the fuses.
MAW117.........................if you want more information, type in "rare earth magnet" in the Search box in upper right corner.
A bunch of threads there talking about how they replaced the weak rotor magnet with a rare earth magnet. Radio Shack used to sell them, and yes try Amazon,as they sell everything.
The original tiny magnets are just getting old, and can fail at any time.
xjwmx......................it may have been on the verge of failing for a while. The TCI circuitry likely has the ability to compensate (amplify a weak pulse) as the magnet slowly gets weaker, until one day it just can't detect the pulses properly.
A bunch of threads there talking about how they replaced the weak rotor magnet with a rare earth magnet. Radio Shack used to sell them, and yes try Amazon,as they sell everything.
The original tiny magnets are just getting old, and can fail at any time.
xjwmx......................it may have been on the verge of failing for a while. The TCI circuitry likely has the ability to compensate (amplify a weak pulse) as the magnet slowly gets weaker, until one day it just can't detect the pulses properly.
There *is* another scenario. If something starts making more demand on the charging system, like a battery that starts drawing more recharging current, or the voltage to the regulator drops, the regulator will compensate by having the rotor pass more current, increasing its magnetism, increasing the likelihood that the trigger magnet gets "overshadowed"...
^I can think of two more scenarios off the top of my head. One is the reg is screwed such that it's dragging down the system voltage. The other is that what happened with the reg disconnected is being misreported -- I'd want to see it happen many times first...and in person 
The magnet flying by the pickup induces a big sloppy voltage that no doubt gets amplified and squared up and fed into the primitive digital circuitry... That involves chopping the top of the pulse off such that there's plenty of amplitude to spare. You have to ask yourself what are the odds of the magnet being on the hairy edge such that after twenty mi. of running fine the magnet goes over the cliff. Is it even possible? And you have to ask yourself what is more likely that could cause the same symptoms.
Lots of hypothetical reasons, but the simple test of removing the rotor's magnetic field and finding the engine runs much better, means the trigger magnets strength is not there anymore. Glue on a rare earth magnet and problem solved.
xjwmx and 2M.............................yes there is always a possibility that there is an additional cause. However, I believe the weak trigger magnet is the primary cause and the most common cause. As in any trouble shooting, you repair one cause, and if there is still problems you move on to the next likely cause. Can sometimes be 2 or 3 things causing the same problem.
I have a lot of experience trouble shooting mechanical, electrical, electronic, pneumatic and hydraulic systems during my work life.
xjwmx and 2M.............................yes there is always a possibility that there is an additional cause. However, I believe the weak trigger magnet is the primary cause and the most common cause. As in any trouble shooting, you repair one cause, and if there is still problems you move on to the next likely cause. Can sometimes be 2 or 3 things causing the same problem.
I have a lot of experience trouble shooting mechanical, electrical, electronic, pneumatic and hydraulic systems during my work life.
I respect that. I have decades of software testing and debugging experience in my work life, which is the logic side of this. A lot of the time you confront a problem that has to be caused by X, then you finally realize it was some other thing doing something in a way you never considered before. Another lot of it is poor reporting from the field -- i.e. something happened that really didn't...
xjwmx....................your name is a little long, can I just call you xj ?
xj................I totally agree with you. I have worked quite a bit with software input and testing the software in real world operation of field equipment. Yes strange things can happen.
Inaccurate reporting of problems....................so true! Many threads on the site, in which the OP states his bike is running like crap, and they give their reason, which is often wrong. The lads then start posting solutions to a fictitious problem.
The inexperienced lads lack the understanding of how a piece of equipment really works.
As Grizld1 often says.......................everyone wants to blame the carbs for every problem that comes up. The carbs are the whipping boy of the XS650. I've also noticed that another favorite for many people is grounds. As soon as someone has an electrical problem, the most common answer is "check your grounds".
With electrical problems, poor grounds are no more likely to be an issue that any other wire or connection on the bike.
xj................I totally agree with you. I have worked quite a bit with software input and testing the software in real world operation of field equipment. Yes strange things can happen.
Inaccurate reporting of problems....................so true! Many threads on the site, in which the OP states his bike is running like crap, and they give their reason, which is often wrong. The lads then start posting solutions to a fictitious problem.
The inexperienced lads lack the understanding of how a piece of equipment really works.
As Grizld1 often says.......................everyone wants to blame the carbs for every problem that comes up. The carbs are the whipping boy of the XS650. I've also noticed that another favorite for many people is grounds. As soon as someone has an electrical problem, the most common answer is "check your grounds".
With electrical problems, poor grounds are no more likely to be an issue that any other wire or connection on the bike.
Another basic rule of troubleshooting: Logic out the issue after testing, never before.
Right. Don't assume, in other words.
