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Alternator problem GL1800

1444 Views 6 Replies 4 Participants Last post by  DaveO430, 
ollka
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I took my bike out yesterday very early morning and arrived back home 20hrs and 1068miles later.

Alternator is causing constant whining through intercom which is annoying.

Whining turns to cracking while bending hard.
Few hundred miles before home I was running above 4000rpm on motorway and the cracking sound turned constant. Few miles later EFI-warning was lit in dash.
I believe cracking was caused by carbon brushes sparking agains collector and that caused charging failure which led to EFI-warning.
I stopped and turned off the engine. Started again - no cracking in headset, just that whine. EFI-warning stayed away. So I took off, back on motorway. First bend when I turned to the ramproad cracking returned, damned. WOT down the road, I´ll take it if it blows something because night was coming and home I wanted to get.
Just before the ramproad ended there was a hard bumb which I crashed over (and landed like a pool table) - obviously too fast because of WOT - and miracle happened, crackin and whining was gone!
I dont know yet what is loose or stuck or cracked in the alternator but I´ll find out.

What are common problems with these alternators?
Cracking compensator? Sticking carbon brushes? Else?
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DaveO430
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There have been very little problems with 1800 alternators but it is possible a brush was stuck or some connection was loose and the bump fixed it. Check the battery connections, there have been some found loose causing strange problems.
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ollka
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I went to a doctor today, problem was obvious - bad alternator bearing. Will get medications soon as I´ll stop riding -> winter is coming.
I´ll inform about autopsy results when we get there.

New alternator is priced nicely - 800euros!!!
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ollka
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So the autopsy report follows:
Rear bearing was loose, not gone but causing vibration which lead to sparking brush which burned the collector surface.

Cure: new alternator under warranty

Prology: Saving 0,02 in cheap bearing which didnt last its supposed life span lead to premature death. For me its bad economics which will reflect in attitude to tolerate the whole product quality.
Summarum: if you cant afford Koyo or SKF bearings and use instead tsin tsang tsou, forget the project..

GL 1800 -07, 28tmls!!!
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AZgl1800
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:cheeky1: :cheeky1: :cheeky1: :cheeky1:

Love your attitude :waving:
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BenMilner
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I blame those cheap made in China alternators, they don't make them so good as Honda.
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DaveO430
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BenMilner wrote:
I blame those cheap made in China alternators, they don't make them so good as Honda.
Click to expand...
Honda does not make alternators, they out source them but you are right about Chinese goods, they make nothing of good quality that I know of.
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