Not Holding Charge

[DenzComp]

I guess since my wreck the bike has been running off the battery alone.

I took it up to the store the other day and had to get jumped.

I chewed up the case to the stator pretty good, but it doesn't look damaged.

I'm gonna go out in a second and see if the battery got messed up somehow in the wreck...

Anything else on the bike that would be killing my battery other than the stator not working right?

[Geezer]

You will need to do some diagnostics to say for sure but it's always possible something was damaged.

A good place to start would be to check the resistance on the stator and field coil.

Search the forums for charging problems this subject has be hashed over many times before...

Geezer

[DenzComp]

I'm assuming its the stator based on the fact the cover was crushed and it was charging fine before the accident.

[Geezer]

It very well could be or something may have gotten unplugged in the process of getting the old girl back on the road... However unless you do the checks, you won't know what's really the problem.

You can get a good electrical meter for 20 bucks and there's no good reason not to have one in your toolbox.

Geezer

[DenzComp]

Will do...for sure.

Where does it(stator) plug in at?

I'm not home at the moment...I will be later this afternoon.

[Geezer]

Just follow the wires. BTW, you didn't say if your bike is an XS or XJ. It makes a difference as the charging system on the XJ is a bit different and a couple more things to check.

Geezer

[DenzComp]

'78 XS

[trbig]

There's not a lot of tolerance between the stator and the rotor. If the rotor rubbed the stator at all, it's probably junk.(The stator) Pull that cover off and see if you see any rub marks or metal shavings. It doesn't take much of a rub at all to ruin it.

Tod

[DenzComp]

There were pieces of the case down in there...they're aluminum or something so would they be able to ruin it?

[DenzComp]

I know a bit about cars...learning on bikes...

The stator is basically an alternator right?

On a car...an easy way to check an alternator is to start the vehicle...and unhook the positive terminal on the battery...if the car dies...you have a bad alternator..

Anyone know if this works the same on these bikes?

Thanks.

[trbig]

I would say there's a really strong possibility. If one of those pieces got between the rotor and the stator, it could have messed it up. Just do the electrical tests that Geezer was talking about. You can narrow it down pretty easily. If it comes down to the alternator, the rotor is basically bullet-proof and will be OK. The stators are pretty fragile.


While on this subject, Does anyone know if the stators from the XS will work for the XJ or vise versa? I know the plugs are different and would have to be re-done, but will the stator bolt up to the sidecover?

Tod

[prometheus578]

I strongly recommend NOT disconnecting the battery on a running bike.

[79XS11F]

I'm not sure if it true or not but was told many years ago that a good knock to the stator unit can render it inoperative. Why or how I would not venture to guess but if true it could be the issue. As was pointed out run some tests on the unit. Did any of the wiring get damaged in the drop? The casing bits in there could have shorted the unit out and damaged it as well.
Rob

[DenzComp]

Okay. Can I ask why?

The battery is only used to start it right?

It just sits there...the stator is what provides all the power after the bike is running right?

Like I Said...I know little about bikes..but I though that was how it worked.

[DenzComp]

No...no wires got ruined...just the forks and two side covers. The crash bars bent back and that's how the side covers(the engine side covers..metal ones...not the plastic ones...) got trashed...