help guys sanity is vanishing

[79specialdude]

So here we go about a month ago I started up my bike no headlight... within a couple of days I noticed my left flashers were staying solid... then I started getting weak cranks having to actually run and jump on the bike to get it going. So I decided time for a battery... got the new battery and a week later noticed weak cranks and delay on the headlight. Sometimes it will come on after a couple of seconds sometimes took megog down the road awhile to kick on. Ordered another regulator red on rectifier put it on hooked up a jump box got it started as soon as I closed choke bike quit. Please help don't know where to go next. Please help as this is my mode of daily transportation.

[bikerphil]

Sounds like the alternator isn't fully charging your battery. Try cleaning the connector from the alternator that is located behind the fuse panel. It should have 3 white wires and a yellow wire. A bad connection here can also cause the headlight relay not to latch sometimes, as it is triggered by the alternator signal. This connector is a common problem area, it can corrode and even melt.

[TopCatGr58]

Hey there "Dude",

Okay, the headlight turns ON when the relay gets a power signal from the ALT that it's charging, and if it's NOT charging, or charging weakly, then it may not have enough power to latch the RELAY and turn on the light.

You replaced the Reg/RECT, but sounds like you may not have done some of the necessary diagnostics first?

We don't know what you've done to this bike? Does it have the OEM glass fuse block or the replacement solid ATCO style fuses? Secondly, pull the fuse block PLATE, look behind it, you'll find a few large white plugs that come from the ALT, they often CORRODE and can then even MELT due to resistance! Inspect, clean, and even replace the plug if you have to, you don't HAVE to use OEM plugs, you can get and use almost any automotive style plug/socket combo as long as it's rated for 20 amps or more.

There are 2 main ground connections, the one on the battery to the frame, take it off the frame, clean, derust, reapply and then cover with dielectric grease. Second is below/behind carbs..the starter motor case to frame strap, same for that one.

Get a multi-meter if you don't have one, Harbor Freight sells one for a few bucks!! Then check your charging voltage at the battery at idle, will probably be close to 12 volts or even a little less, but then should go up to ~14.5 volts at 2500+ rpms. IF it stays at 12, then further diagnostics are needed.

Hopefully you also have a proper car trickle charger....set on 2 amps and charge your battery every night until you find out why your bike isn't charging.

T.C.

[BA80]

Is the Tachometer working? If the alternator isn't charging the tach won't work.

[79specialdude]

ok soooo

Unsure of the fuses do not have trickle charger will get voltage meter and check alt wires tomorrow. Any more advice or suggestions would be great!

[DGXSER]

Best advice I can give you is follow the advice oyu have been given. Seriously, that connector behind the fuse box is a known suspect of such shinanigans. Of course, the fuse box itself is pretty suspect if it is the original stock.

So, yeah, what they said!

[MPittma100]

Wiring

In the multi-conductor connector for the regulator/rectifier located under the seat, there is a larger red wire. Disconnect the two halves of the connector and check the spade/pin terminals for corrosion, etc. Especially those for the larger red wire. The pin connectors for this wire have a tendency to fail as they are carrying a lot of amperage.

If toasted, the simply fix is to go around the connector and use a crimp/butt connector to tie the red wires back together outside of the OE connector.

MP

[Yard Dogg]

Whenever I find the electrical system going hay wire on anything old, I start cleaning and checking everything. Even if you fix the issue at hand, more will pop up. I would start cleaning switches, connectors etc... Just saying.

It's good to know what you've got.

[James England]

Buy an aerosol spray tin of De-Oxit and treat every single block connector on the bike, especially the altearnator ones already mentioned. It's not cheap stuff but it's fantastic. I did my XS1100 harness and the GL1000 one too. It removes all the crud and oxidised metal from the brass terminals, leaving them clean and shiny.

There are blocks in the headlight, under the laft and right frame tubes under the tank (from the switches), all the obvious ones and the ones lurking behind the battery cover.

Spend the money, buy a tin and do everything, including the insides of the handlebar switches......