1985 gl1200 ltd charging problems.

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There are probably hundreds of posts here that cover these charging issues. But seeing as you have had all the main parts replaced, that really only leaves wiring as a possible cause. Many owners fit the EC charging harness or the Dave Cambell one.

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Where are you? We'll need to know that to recommend a wrench.

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My first guess is a faulty rec/reg. I know you say it's new but new can still be broken.

To rule out your brand new stator as the problem, a leg test should be done once the bike is hot & the voltage drops. If the stator is not the problem, you will see max voltage on each of the 3 yellow wires. Next after that is the rec/reg. It wouldnt hurt to bolt on an extra ground wire to ensure everything has sufficent ground. This is important because the charging system on a wing uses a shunt system which sends all unused power to ground & that is also a reason that we all cut the 3 yellow wire connector inside the battery cover right out & hard wire those wires together. The connector is a hot spot due to increased resistance in the plug. They melt & your charging system fails! Their only purpose is easy disconnection for engine removal.

If anyone on this forum knows the proceedure for testing a rec/reg, please chime in!



Wayne.

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The test procedure is on page 16-5 of the Honda manual.

I would think the shop that has his bike would have checked it by now. If not, then what are they doing?

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well...I have the bike back..and my wallet is $2000 lighter and the bike is still broken..lol..Almost ironic one could spend that much money and still have a bike shop give you back the bike unfixed and nothing short of saying.."sucks to be you"..lesson learned here and if I could say onething of advice to anyone..stay away from Victoria Moroecycle and Sales...But I did have a real mechanic look at it today...tested the stator and was working great...Seems to think its the 2 of 3 wires coming from the stator upto the geg/rectifier as 2 of the wires are getting hot as the bike warms..So replacing them this week with a better gauge wire and a proper wiring job,..So will keep everyone posted and hope this fixes it..If this is the fix I am almost afraid that I got duped for a new stator that was never needed..Sorry to be long winded but thanks to everyones help on this forum..
Ps...For those who asked its Victoria B.C. Canada I reside.

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Good luck and please keep us posted of the outcome....Steve

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as a mechanic i don't see how they justify charging you when problem is not fixed, even the parts would be questionable as it sounds like they threw parts at it hoping for cure. sorry for your problems, but your in good hands here. you stated the stator wires getting warm, surely they got rid of plug at battery and up at reg/rec. if not do that first. what kind of acc. do you have on bike? i'll be watching though not real informed w/ mc electrical, i have some exp. and will help where i can. good luck:action::waving:

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dingo wrote:

my wallet is $2000 lighter and the bike is still broken

Click to expand...

This kind of crap has become almost commonplace. How can we group together and fight it?

Obviously, we can start a list of places to avoid, but that unfortunately won't solve the problem any better than VMS solved Dingo's problem.

OK, so you smart guys canhelp us stupid guys and together, maybe we can come up with a plan. It beats bending over.

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Just a thought, where is your voltmemter connected?
I found if at the fuse box, you get a lower reading the higher the revs, connect a voltmeter straight across the battery and go for a test ride, see if the readings are differant compared to what you already have, or have both connected for a comparison.

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Ride that wing up island to Bowser some day 7 we will wrench on it here. Those wires will get a lil hot due to the shunt system but I think it could be fairly easy to figure out. Try to get your old parts back!!!

Wayne.

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good point hatchetman, i would insist on those parts and they have to produce them. very good call:action::waving:

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Your symptoms sound much like what I just dealt with on my LTD. Are you SURE they replaced the regulator/rectifier? That shop sounds a little (a lot) sketchy and it wouldn't be the first time a shop said they replaced a part and didn't. If you got your old parts back, it might give you some confidence that they really replaced everything. I replaced my regulator/rectifier 1000 miles ago and it cured the same voltage drop problem you described, only my voltage readings started out in the mid 13's and then dropped into the mid to low 11's. Replacing the regulator/rectifier immediately put the readings back in the mid 14's.

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well....hard wired the stator to the geg/rec this eve with a heavy duty guage wire...voltage went upto 14.3...and then as per usual in a few brief minutes it drops down to 11.3 and wham..back to square one...checked the new stator out that previous bike shop put in and lo and behold it seems by the readings 1 of the phases is producing nil for an output...so thus to say...another stator...I feel almostblessed by my good luck with this bike...if it was not such a awsome bike when it runs it would have made its way to the wreckers pronto...So I will keep everyone posted on the trials and tribulations of the 1985 ltd.
ps...you have to admit it is good reading for the forum and everyone who reads the posts can say.."wow..am I glad I don't have that guys luck or bike"..lol:crying::crying:

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you say u hardwired the stator wires to the regulator but did you hardwire around the connectors that the regulator has to the stock wiring harness

if one of your stator wires shows no output i would think that the shop DID NOT replace the stator and even if they did should should be able to warranty that stator replacement......at least refund u enough that u could cover a poorboy conversion
because i sure wouldn't foot for another stator replacement

my thinking is that its still the regulator connectors causing the problem,if the stator was out you wouldn't have 14.3 after your hardwire for a couple minutes

i had already hardwired all the stator wires to the regulator but is was the other wires in the stock wiring to reg connector that were causing the trouble

keep us in the loop

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Thanks for the advice neoracer...I wil pass that onto the mechanic,but,the way I am seeing it ,is if there is an electrical problem even with a poorboy install,would I still not face the problems on charging if the problem is yet to be pinpointed?...I don't know much about bikes so just throwing that out there?

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if you "poorboy" it you remove the regulator/stator problems from the bike,all u have to have done then is replace the dogbone fuses with ATC fuseholders and u should be trouble free for alot of miles

you and hatchetman ought to get together

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Sad to say the bike now has another stator..another new rectifier..All hardwired,and done by a honda tech and guess what?..It still won't charge when warm..So it seems even calls to Honda Canada etc everyone is stymied. So..its been 4 months and decided time to ride and bought a Venture royale 1983..Its not the wing...But it runs and is more then I had in past 4 months..So I will keep everyone posted if the wing ever gets fixed..Thanks to eveyone on this site for help.
Doug

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Well, good luck with the Yamahammer. They too were excellent machines. I can't believe nobody can find the problem on that LTD.

It seems like such a simple fix. The only other thing I can think of is the LTD had a different stator and regulator than the "lesser" models. Could it be possible the units these people recently installed were not the correct ones?

I hardly ever recommend diverting from OEM, but if you can find one and somebody to install it, the poorboy may be for you.