i need help to get my bike going or im going to scrap it!

[GTXS1100]

So i have an 80 xs11 and i cant get the bike to charge the battery. the battery was new last year and it holds a charge just fine. have tried different alternator and regulator off of another bike don't know if any of them are good. does someone have any pinpoint test to help me narrow down and rule out my problem parts.

[dezmitchell]

do what i did CHEAT!!!! load it up in the truck and ship her off to a good shop.

[natemoen]

Does the tach work?

[GTXS1100]

but what did they find wrong with it. and what did it cost you?

[dpotter58]

no shop time. As was asked, does the tach work? Start by telling the group that then someone will suggest the next step

[GTXS1100]

i dont know i took the whole cluster off. didnt like the way it looked

[dpotter58]

i dont know i took the whole cluster off. didnt like the way it looked

The charging system drives the tach and thats a common place to start when troubleshooting. can you plug it back in or did you booger the wiring harnes?

[GTXS1100]

it used to work without it. i still have it. if i plug it back in what kinda testing can i do to find out what the problem is?

[dezmitchell]

but what did they find wrong with it. and what did it cost you?

Dont know and dont care ....just droped bike off on friday when it comes down to paying or not riding i will pick paying everytime.

[dpotter58]

it used to work without it. i still have it. if i plug it back in what kinda testing can i do to find out what the problem is?

The tach gets the signal from the charging system. If the tac works you are charging. Some bikes (not sure which ones dont) have a diode in the harness that can go bad and cause you problems. Do a search for diode and look at the tech tips for charging system. Sometimes its as simple as a bad connection.
You can work your way through most issues with these bikes if you try. They are very user friendly as far as repairs go. Could be someone in your area with an 11 can help out

What year and style bike do you have?

[GTXS1100]

i know they are easy to work on im just running into a wall. i was wondering if there were some test it can go threw with a test light and my meeter of proper voltages and things to isolate the problem

[GTXS1100]

where are the diodes so i can check them out?

[cywelchjr]

For starters you can't test with parts that you don't know are good.

You can start with this tech tip from the tech tips section of the site: http://www.xs11.com/xs11-info/tech-t...eshooting.html

You will of course need some basic electrical tools, a digital multimeter and such. It would also be good to dowload the manuals from Catatonicbugs web site, the link is in any of his posts. You don't need the tach on the bike, it's just one of the indicators of system operation, and not even an accurate one all the time, mine worked fine and my alternator didn't work.

One of the other things to check, and you can do so as part of the tech tip, is to check the connector behind the fuse box, the one with the 3 white wires, it can get corroded and melt and that will make it not work, or just get corroded and make it not work. But start out with those checks, and go through the rest of the electrical stuff in the tech tips, it will guide you through a lot of the charging system stuff if you read through those.

[Rickrod3]

i know they are easy to work on im just running into a wall. i was wondering if there were some test it can go threw with a test light and my meeter of proper voltages and things to isolate the problem

Find the member Catatonic bug in his signature he has a link to a manual you can download. in the manual is an electrical section which has check out procedure. Most of of us start with the 3 white wire connector behind the fuse box.
This connector is the lines from the alternator.
Also if you have not replaced your fuse box consider it now and save yourself some grief.

Rick

[dpotter58]

I have an 81 special mine was under the gastank look in front of the regulator in the harness you will see a white wire under the tape, mine was looped in the bundle near the reserve lighting device. The diode is in a clear plastic protector kind a thing...

http://www.xs11.com/forum/showthread...ighlight=diode