Tach needle jumping around...

[cajun31]

You might want to read through this thread and check your bike. Pick-up Coil Wire Repair - XS11.club Forums

One other thought .... What happens when a regulator rectifier goes bad?
A failing regulator-rectifier leads to poor battery charging, dim or flickering lights, and malfunctioning electronics.

[JonnyO]

So a new problem has reared its ugly head and it makes me wonder if it could be related to the tach malfunction.
I went early morning Monday to pick up my Uncle's mini-van to get them at the airport in the afternoon. I fired the bike up, pulled out the choke lever and drove off...only it kind of sputtered like it was cold but when I gave it throttle it really bogged down, like it was going to die. Felt like it was only running on two cylinders or running out of gas. I flipped the petcocks to no avail and the only thing that really kept it running was keep the choke out. Managed to make it the two miles and parked it. Picked it up at 4 after I dropped them back home and I expected to have to deal with the problem-nope-ran GOOD. I parked it in the garage and went to drive it today and only got about a half a mile before it started to bog down again and I drove it back and put it in the garage. I'm thinking A COIL PACK as it seemed to be missing badly.
As most of you seemed to think my tach problem ( needle jumping around or not functioning at all ) was/is electrical related any thoughts that this might explain the tach problem? That is, if it is a coil pack wouldn't a weak coil make sense?
Also, the tach hadn't moved at all the last few rides I went on over the last couple of weeks-until the ride back after the Airport pick up.
Anyway, thanks for your help.
-Jonny

[JonnyO]

Appreciate the positivity from you guys but I've done everything suggested. ( I think ) I'll just have to say "I've shelved it for now" then. Frustrating to an old buzzard, it is. It will continue to bug me, no doubt, as it bounced around on my trip to get Pig Spit.
ANYWAY, Happy New Year! to you all and I'm forever grateful for your invaluable gifts of shared wisdom and advice!
-Jonny in SCW

[LAB3]

Every time I take on a new task and am forced to challenge myself by entering the "unknown" and keep plugging away until I succeed I'm upping my game. Things get frustrating without a doubt but now I have the confidence to go anywhere I want in the country on a 45 year old motorcycle with nothing more than my wits and a minimal amount of tools to get things done with.

NOTHING will give you more confidence in life than overcoming self doubt, keep at it and you WILL succeed as long as you keep asking questions and stay away from making self deprecating statements.

[motoman]

JonnyO, however long submersed will not damage any part, so no worries.

[cajun31]

Why are you giving up? You are making steady progress. Probably doesn't seem that way but you are. I was going to suggest the impact wrench too; it's just a bit bigger then those Deebs suggested and the bits that acoompany it are still American standard. If it did the job though great. I acutally own one. It is just a bit bigger then the JIS ones and sometimes it's bulk can hamper things. Evapo rust works slow but sure. I would just leave it in there for a day. Don't forget to check the welds. The left control is the one that has more welds in it that need to be checked/verified and resoldered if necessary. Don't give up. Spend the time going through all the electrical connections and grounds on the entire bike. I mean all of them. One product that I have always liked to use to spritz all my connections is CAIG Deoxit D5 (I know I keep telling you to buy something) but this stuff is really good at cleaning the oxidation you can't see off of contacts. It also maintains them for longer then the contact cleaner you can pick up at Walmart etc...
I can't really see the screws condition from you pictures but if they are not stripped reuse them. I have never put any Loctite on mine. They shouldn't come loose by just torquing them. The reason they are so hard to remove to begin with is because they are mounted in aluminum. Dissimilar metals will seize over time with the oxidation that builds up on them. I actually use anti seize on some things like the middle and final drive drain and fill bolts. I don't on the control screws and cover screws.

[JonnyO]

Ok. I give up.
Thanks for all the suggestions, nonetheless.

[JonnyO]

So I was in the checkout line at HF and thought, " Hey, maybe they have an impact driver!". lol $10 bucks. Did the job. :-)
As you can see, the heads on the screws weren't really too badly "stretched" from me trying to get 'em loose before using the impact wrench so I'll just use a little blue Loctite on 'em when I put 'em back. I presume dunking the whole unit in the Evapo without unscrewing it all apart was ok? I just left it attached ( though unplugged, as I sprayed the separated plugs with contact spray last night ) and put a glass on my compressor and dropped the whole switch in the glass and filled it up with Evapo. Moto said leave it for a couple hours...Is 3 good enough/too long?

[JonnyO]

[QUOTE=DEEBS11;n882642]

When you check the white wire to ground with the engine running your meter should be on AC and not DC. It's an analog signal not a direct current signal. It only works when the engine is running and generating AC voltage (before it is rectified in the regulator). I am going to guess that this signal is OK. My point was more pointed in the direction of checking to make sure the connections were clean. Especially the two ground connections on one of the screws holding down the regulator under the gas tank.

Thanks. That's what I had done. My mechanic buddy had instructed me to do the same as I'd no idea, honestly, but will try to find out how to use the tool properly.

[JonnyO]

If you are going to continue to own any Japanese bike you would be well served to invest in a good set of JIS (Japanese Industrial Standard) screwdrivers and an impact wrench with JIS bits. If you round out the heads on those screws you will be drilling and tapping them. You can still get the screws from most hardware stores. They are all metric of course. Once you get in them you can decide how you want to clean them. Evaporust is available at Harbor Freight Tools. Shows you have one in Surprise if not in Sun City West.

Thank you for the excellent advice. I'll hit HF later as there's one real close to me in SCW.

[JonnyO]

Well, I'll get this later today. chinee made ( and surely pure junk ) and not a quality Jap product but if it can get the job done today or tomorrow it'll be worth it as it will let me "git 'er done" as opposed to waiting for 4 weeks for shipping from Japan. And of course Cajun's right about getting a quality made tool but I'll obsess OCD over the wait time.

[DEEBS11]

[cajun31]

I can feel the metal giving way as I try to turn them.

If you are going to continue to own any Japanese bike you would be well served to invest in a good set of JIS (Japanese Industrial Standard) screwdrivers and an impact wrench with JIS bits. If you round out the heads on those screws you will be drilling and tapping them. You can still get the screws from most hardware stores. They are all metric of course. Once you get in them you can decide how you want to clean them. Evaporust is available at Harbor Freight Tools. Shows you have one in Surprise if not in Sun City West.

[JonnyO]

I was wrong. I can't get it off. The philips heads on the switch-I used a good screwdriver head but they won't budge. I've used a tool in the past, some type of impact driver but don't have it now. So there's the idea to clean out the switch out the window.

I can feel the metal giving way as I try to turn them.

[JonnyO]

Is there anything else I can use to clean it or another method? I can get it off but don't have the Evapo stuff.

I was wrong. I can't get it off. The philips heads on the switch-I used a good screwdriver head but they won't budge. I've used a tool in the past, some type of impact driver but don't have it now. So there's the idea to clean out the switch out the window.