[mikegibson]

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85 gw interstate.
The bike starts up great, will run for 5 minutes. During that time the regulator / rectifier gets so hot you cannot touch it. Then it dies and will not start again for an hour or so.
I have done the measurements on the R / R I read 2 Meg Ohms and Infinate when reversed on each of the measurements. I have read of others with these same measurements on known good R / R
I immediatly assumed that the R / R was needing replaced but since then I have read of others with similiar problems replacing starter and or stator. The 3 pin plug on the stator to battery is browning.
Any troubleshooting tips you can give me will be very much appreciated! I'd hate to purchase all of these parts trying to figure out which is the faulty one!

Thanks a million!
Mike Gibson
[email protected]

 

[AZWinger]

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Welcome to the forum mikegibson!

I think the reference to the starter you saw was probably that it would turn over very slowly or not at all when hot. That is a different problem. That is usually caused by worn brushes in the starter. Nothing that a couple of hours time, some good electronic cleaner (aerosol), compressed air and new brushes wont cure!

Your problem does sound like the R/R breaking downwhen it gets hotto me. You should take care of that browning connector ASAP! If it melts and the pins inside get together you will be replacing the stator. Most people cut out the connector and solder the wires together. Then slide the heat shrink (you hopefully remembered to put on earlier :shock down over the soldered connection and seal them.

You should also check the output of the stator. Do a search of the forum on "testing the stator". There is really good info about how to do this. Much better than I could give you from my memory :gunhead:!

Bob :11grey:

 

[twisty]

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mikegibson wrote:

85 gw interstate.
The bike starts up great, will run for 5 minutes. During that time the regulator / rectifier gets so hot you cannot touch it. Then it dies and will not start again for an hour or so.
I have done the measurements on the R / R I read 2 Meg Ohms and Infinate when reversed on each of the measurements. I have read of others with these same measurements on known good R / R
I immediatly assumed that the R / R was needing replaced but since then I have read of others with similar problems replacing starter and or stator. The 3 pin plug on the stator to battery is browning.
Any troubleshooting tips you can give me will be very much appreciated! I'd hate to purchase all of these parts trying to figure out which is the faulty one!

[email protected]

Mike, you first need to determine WHY the engine dies after 5 minutes. The Honda R/R running hot is normal as it sinks the excess generator output to ground at the R/R. This would be especially true if the battery is badly sulfated & won't take proper charge or you have an open in the wiring not allowing the charge to reach the battery. Do the other lights & gauges stay working when it stalls?

Probably start by monitoring the actual battery voltage through the entire run cycle.. Thendisconnect the connector at the R/R & see if it still stalls after 5 minutes. If it does your problem in NOT R/R related.

Once started, try removing the (+) battery cable from the battery then hooking your ammeter between the removed cable & battery's (+) post. If the R/R is operating correctly & you have a decent battery you should see around 3-5 amps into the battery at 14-15 volts DCat 3000-4000 engine RPM's.

You might also want to verify the stator & generator's condition by pulling that 3 yellow wire connector loose (just in front of battery) then labeling the yellow wires coming from the rear of the engine A,B,C,, then measuring between A & B,, B & C,, A & C-- you need to see 50-60 volts AC between the 3 wires & about the same from each leg, again at 3000-4000 engine RPM's. Use your meter's AC scale the voltage is AC at that point.

While there, cut the connector from the yellow wires & solder the wires directly to each other as those connestors & terminals are a major place of charging system failure.

Twisty

 

[mikegibson]

imported post

Yes, all other electronic stuff works fine but the battery doesn't last too long trying to start it afterwards.
After it dies, trying to start it does turn the motor over but it never starts and the battery goes dead trying.

I will definatly be removing the stator plug and hardwiring the connection,
Is there any other things I should be testing other than r/r and stator?

 

[twisty]

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mikegibson wrote:

Yes, all other electronic stuff works fine but the battery doesn't last too long trying to start it afterwards.
After it dies, trying to start it does turn the motor over but it never starts and the battery goes dead trying.

I will definatly be removing the stator plug and hardwiring the connection,
Is there any other things I should be testing other than r/r and stator?

mikegibson, not really-- Test the stator's AC output (50+AC volts @3000-4000 RPM's.. Then check the amps into the battery at 3000-4000 RPM's. If the amps are 3-5+ & the system charging voltage is 14-15 volts DC then your R/R is working OK.

Any Chance you are running lots of lights or other accessories? Those stock charging systems just won't allow much extra to be used & still keep the battery charged.

You should probably also have the battery load tested (most bike shops have a small battery load tester & will do it for free or not very much money).

Twisty

 

[Eamonn1200]

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Mike, it sounds like you have another problem maybe a fuel one. Once the bike is running it should stay running even with a dodgy alternator. If the system isn't charging for the few minutes the engine is running, the headlight will gradually get dimmer and go out before the engine dies from lack of electrical power. If it stays nice and bright when the engine dies then I think you will have to look elsewhere.

 

[johnmac]

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Hi Mike, welcome to the forum! As you can see by the number of posts these guys have, they have all been around the block more than a few times!
When you find your problem, add it to the post to help others with this type of problem.

 

[mikegibson]

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O.K guys, I have removed the stator connector and hard wired / soldered it.
I have replaced the regulator / rectifier and the battery and the bike STILL runs
GREAT for 5 minutes then it dies abruptly, (not like it has run out of fuel, it
dies just like you hit the kill switch) all other electronic indicators are o.k.
(headlight, dummy lights etc) once it dies when I try to start it the starter works
fine it just never starts if I let it sit for awhile ( up to an hour sometimes) then try
it will start and sometimes it will run for another 5 minutes and sometimes I can
drive it the rest of the day without incident but this happens everytime !!

I don't know where else to look, I hate to pay a stealer to easter egg hunt around
on the bike until he stumbles across the problem but I am at a loss..

mike

 

[twisty]

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mikegibson wrote:

O.K guys, I have removed the stator connector and hard wired / soldered it.
I have replaced the regulator / rectifier and the battery and the bike STILL runs
GREAT for 5 minutes then it dies abruptly, (not like it has run out of fuel, it
dies just like you hit the kill switch) all other electronic indicators are o.k.
(headlight, dummy lights etc) once it dies when I try to start it the starter works
fine it just never starts if I let it sit for awhile ( up to an hour sometimes) then try
it will start and sometimes it will run for another 5 minutes and sometimes I can
drive it the rest of the day without incident but this happens everytime !!

I don't know where else to look, I hate to pay a stealer to easter egg hunt around
on the bike until he stumbles across the problem but I am at a loss..

mike

Mike, install a temporary test light or other light bulb to one of the coil's power terminals. Then take an old coat button & weave a couple of wires between the 4 holes. The idea here is to have the each wire run between 2 of the button's holesbut NOT touching each other,, that will leave an air gap between the wires.. Then wire that special button in between a plug wire & the spark plug.. You will then be able to see the spark to that plug as it happens.

Once the above is done start the bike & run it for 5 minutes.. That way you will be able to tell if you are losing power to the coils or if your coils are still powered & you are just losing spark do to other things like pulse generators or ?

If you have both power to the coils & a spark at engine quit then you know it is a fuel problem.

Twisty

 

[RedWinger]

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[SilverDave]

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...............for a five minute  time till it dies ...... It would be rather  unusual if  it was the  pulse generators... I would  suspect /forums/images/emoticons/cool.gif (from bitter  personal experience )  a hairline crack in  the dogbone fuse .. also known as the fusible link... one of Honda's worst inventions /forums/images/emoticons/mad.gif... these cracks are very hard to see.. unless its dusk.. and will cause exactly  your symptoms .. as the crack opens up a bit from heat .................  You might try replacing the fusible link .. they are "only " about $5./forums/images/emoticons/tongue.gif. or better  yet.. Just get rid of the D****d thing and replace it with a  high current .. lower gauge (10  or 12 ga.) waterproof  in line spade fuse holder , and a 40 amp (red)  spade fuse..                  I have heard of ... but never used ... a cooling spray you can get for things like pulse generators... Pssssst!!! onto the generators , and if it restarts upon cooling  ..then  it was the generators .. have to have the belt covers off to do this game,I think... SilverDave/forums/images/emoticons/emoticonsxtra/cooldj.gif

 

[wingwarrior]

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agree with SilverDave 100%

 

[AZWinger]

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To test the main fuse you can put a small wire in line with it temporarily, or remove the fuse and put the wire in as a jumper. If it still dies in 5 minutes you will know it's not the fuse. If it doesn't die, get aweather proofautomotive blade style fuse holder and a 30 Amp fuse and wire it in line where the dogbone fuse was.

I would replace the old fuse with the new type regardless of how the test works out.

Bob :11grey:

 

[twisty]

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After it dies, trying to start it does turn the motor over but it never starts and the battery goes dead trying.

He says is cranks but no start after stalling.. If that main fuse went open it wouldn't crank as all power goes dead. It it will re-crank & not start at that time the fuse is passing power to the ign switch or there would be a no crank.

Twisty

 

[Redwing]

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Hey mikegibson :waving:Welcome to the best Goldwing Forum on the net. :clapper:

:weightlifter::18red::weightlifter:

 

[77GL1]

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This could be a fuel starvation problem. There are vents that allow the fuel to flow freely thru the carbs. If any of them get clogged,what you described is the result.

If the bike is only being run a few minutes at time, the battery will not get charged.

 

[mikegibson]

imported post

I originally thought of fuel problem but the fact that it just dies like you turned the key off tells me no..
If it was a fuel problem, wouldn't I expect more dying, coughing, carb fart sounds? Have any of you experienced carb problems that killed the motor like this?

My next thought was that some logic component is getting too hot and it's safety circuits are killing the motor
if that's the case, I don't know where to look:baffled:

Thanks again for everyones help!

 

[twisty]

imported post

mikegibson wrote:

I originally thought of fuel problem but the fact that it just dies like you turned the key off tells me no..
If it was a fuel problem, wouldn't I expect more dying, coughing, carb fart sounds? Have any of you experienced carb problems that killed the motor like this?

My next thought was that some logic component is getting too hot and it's safety circuits are killing the motor
if that's the case, I don't know where to look:baffled:

Thanks again for everyones help!

Mike, USUALLY when a multi-carb engine dies from fuel starvation it will start losing one cylinder at a time as all the carbs usually don't run dry at the same time. BUT!, you just never know. You really need to determine what is happening to your coil's power & spark at engine shut-down. Without knowing for sure we are just guessing in the wind. It only takes a few minutes to verify what is happening at engine quit.

Once the causeof engine quitis known for surewe can develop a plan of attack to isolate & repair the root cause.

Twisty

 

[jdf]

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I was going to post somethingalmost likeMikes today, but mine is just a little different.

I have a 85 GL1200 Aspy that I bought 6/20/05 from the local dealer. It has 56,000 miles and myengine will suddenly quit after I have ridden about 3 miles. It just quits like I have hit the kill switch, and no, I did not hit it. It is very constant about stopping at 3 miles.

The bike will cut off if I am going slow, accelerating, no matter what gear I am in, if it is 94 deg. or 66 deg(in the morning). It will cut off if I let it idle to warm up before I ride. If I give it some gas when it cuts off, you can hear the engine bog down and then back fires.

Sometimes it will start right up, and sometimes I have to let it sit for a few minutes(3 to 15min). When I try to start it before letting it sit,the bikes"pops, ka-pows and makes other noises out of the exhaust", (something like me after I eat a bean burrito at the 7-11).After I restart it, it will run flawlessly. I constantly get 37 mpg around town and 53 on the highway. I do not smell gas out the exhaust like it has flooded.

I never loose electrical power that I know of and the lcd display and clock always stays lit. I do not have any after market accessories either.

I have checked the 3 yellow wires and they look good. Plugs are clean. I am getting 14??volts (don't remember exact at this moment)at 3-4000rpm checked about 3 weeks ago. I have not had time to pull all the fuses and check them, I hope to do it today.

Also, it won't stop every time I ride. It started about 3 weeks ago and in intermittent. :baffled:

 

[twisty]

imported post

jdf wrote:

I was going to post somethingalmost likeMikes today, but mine is just a little different.

I have a 85 GL1200 Aspy that I bought 6/20/05 from the local dealer. It has 56,000 miles and myengine will suddenly quit after I have ridden about 3 miles. It just quits like I have hit the kill switch, and no, I did not hit it. It is very constant about stopping at 3 miles.

The bike will cut off if I am going slow, accelerating, no matter what gear I am in, if it is 94 deg. or 66 deg(in the morning). It will cut off if I let it idle to warm up before I ride. If I give it some gas when it cuts off, you can hear the engine bog down and then back fires.

Sometimes it will start right up, and sometimes I have to let it sit for a few minutes(3 to 15min). When I try to start it before letting it sit,the bikes"pops, ka-pows and makes other noises out of the exhaust", (something like me after I eat a bean burrito at the 7-11).After I restart it, it will run flawlessly. I constantly get 37 mpg around town and 53 on the highway. I do not smell gas out the exhaust like it has flooded.

I never loose electrical power that I know of and the lcd display and clock always stays lit. I do not have any after market accessories either.

I have checked the 3 yellow wires and they look good. Plugs are clean. I am getting 14??volts (don't remember exact at this moment)at 3-4000rpm checked about 3 weeks ago. I have not had time to pull all the fuses and check them, I hope to do it today.

Also, it won't stop every time I ride. It started about 3 weeks ago and in intermittent. :baffled:

Jim, the same advise for you.. Rig up a test light & spark monitor (see post above) to see what you are losing at time of engine quit.

You might also try replacing the fuse in the upper fuse box that powers the ign coils as I have seen those have poor connections or partial internal opens that can allow power to come & go but most times a poor connection or errant fuse will show up as a temperature related intermittent & not a time related function.

You really need to define what is actually quitting at time of engine stop- (fuel),, (power to coils),, (spark from coils),, (air to carbs).. Once that is known it is fairly easy to root cause the failure mode.

Twisty