Stator grounding, everything else looks alright, not charging though, what next?

[75-650]

Thanks again everyone who contributes to
this amazing archive of troubleshooting...

Here is where i am after a week
of testing and fixing...

Okay, tested winding ohms, good
tested ac volts on white legs - (10- 10.1v for each at idle)
tested power to brushes, 12.2v

connecting the regulator drops the battery a few tenths
and if i rev it it goes from 12.2 to 12.4v

but the stator legs are grounding.
Does that mean the stator is shot?

Just replaced the rectifier, built a radio shack one..

Any help would be great..

 

[XSLeo]

Try unplugging the yellow wire. It comes up from alternator with the rest of the wires. It is in a single connector, not in the big one with the rest.
When you say you tested somthing, giving what the readings are helps us help you.
Most of the reading you list are in spec.
The stator legs are grounding, how did you determine this?
Have you checked the ohms of the rotor? and the stator? are your brushes longer than 3/8's inch?
Your repair manual tells how to check these things.
Oh yea, welcome to the asylum. We all suffer from varing degees of an addiction.
XS650's

 

[barkcollar]

The samething happened to me. I pulled the alt. And sent it to a local motor shop. They said it was grounding out. Hopefully I'll get it back Tues. I'll let u know what they did to it

 

[75-650]

Okay with safety relay unplugged
the stator wires do not ground..

Can I check the rotor and brushes
without taking the rotor out?
I have removed the left side cover,
what next?

thanks

 

[XSLeo]

At this point checking the brushes, rotor and stator will be easy.
To check the brushes you remove them. Are they at least 3/8 inch long? While the brushes are out, set your meter to it's lowest ohm setting often 200. Put one probe in where each brush was, touching the slip rings. Should read 5 ohms + or - 10%
What was the ohm reading when you checked the stator? The three white wires.
If what you have said so far the regulator is the trouble.
From your name I assume you have a 75 XS650B. If so I might try bypassing the regulator to find out if everthing else is working. To do this hook a jumper wire from the battery positive to the green wire at the brushes. When you do this have your meter hooked to the battery to watch the voltage. If everything is working when you hook the jumper with the engine idling the voltage will climb up quickly. DON'T let the voltage go above 15 volts.
If it climbs up then the regulator is bad. Adding the Chyrsler regulator is a good mod. Easy and work very well.

 

[75-650]

Okay, Jumped the regulator,
and the bike goes from 12 - 12.4volts on revving up
tested the rotor rings
and only .5ohm resistance, is it shot
would i still get that bit of charging.

 

[barkcollar]

Got my alt. back. They said it had a partial ground. Carbon dust was also causing it to jump ground.they fixed the brush guard (it was touching) and steam cleaned it. Have to wait to get off work to install it. Hope it works

 

[XSLeo]

&5, yes even with a low ohm rotor you will get some charging. As long as current can flow through the rotor there will be some charge.
The 81 I have I rode it almost a week every day with out much trouble.
It has some driving lights on it. I wanted to check them out after dark. Went for about a 45 minute ride. Almost didn't make it home. The bad rotor was keeping the bike running, with the extra draw of the driving lights it just couldn't keep up.
After checking things out the rotor has 1.8 ohms.
Once I charged the battery I checked the current flow on the driving lights, about 5.7 amps draw. That's more than the headlight.
I think those driving lights are coming off and going on the van.
Back to your Question. If in fact your reading of the rotor is .5 ohms then it is bad. Before you replace it I would make sure of the reading. Clean the slip rings, bright and shiny is good. Retest. Use the lowest ohm setting on your meter, Digital usually 200. Now touch the probes together, remember that reading, this is the reading of the probes and wires to the meter. Often .3 ohms, can be as low as .1 or as high as .7 ohms.
Now touch the slip rings, subtract the first reading from the second. This is your actual reading.
If this seems like to much detail, often people don't really understand how to use a meter. If you do then I apoligize for the lesson.
Bark, I hope so too. The rotor should be checked also. See above.

 

[barkcollar]

between brass and brass it should read 5 to 5.5 ohms. not 0.5. according to Curly's.

 

[barkcollar]

I finally got it working!
First the motorman cleaned and fixed the partial ground(carbon dust build up)
Then I repaired(replaced) both Brush wires. inner to +power, outer to chrysler volt reg.
Then I put a ground from the metal guard thing on the reg. grounding the mounting hole was not good enough.
TADA! 14+ while rev. Maintaining 12.6v with headlight and tail light on.

Hope this helps
I felt like I went through Hell and climbed my way out.
good luck