[Ablationman]

86 Goldwing Aspencade. 86,000 miles

Bike seemed weak to start so I bought a new battery this spring. Running fine for a few weeks on new battery but leaving work yesterday seemed a little weak restarting at work (not too bad though). Drove 30 miles. Restarted after fifteen minutes but seemed a little weaker. Drove 3 miles to get gas, then could barely turn over at gas station. Got a jump and came home. Hooked up battery charger and started fine this morning (so I don't believe the new battery is an issue).

Revved engine to 3000 rpm with multi meter and the voltage went from 11.8 to 12.5 when revved.

So, am I looking at a stator problem or something else? I've read 13.0 should be my voltage when engine is revving.

Thoughts?
And if it is the stator, at this point, 26 years old, even though the bike looks like it is only five years old (I've maintained it well, repainted it, and all new decals) is it worth the time and money to rebuild?

I'm second owner but I bought at 5000 miles in 1990 and I doubt stator has ever been replaced.

 

[trashtruck]

if you put your voltmeter across the battery and rev to 3k you should be reading 14/14.8vdc. do you still have the 3 yellow wire connector or is it hard wired? only you can decide weather or not it's worth it to replace or poorboy it.

 

[Bike...and Dennis]

First, you have to decide whether it's the stator or the regulator, or both, or maybe it's just a melted plug at this point.
A bad plug today can turn into a bad stator tomorrow.

 

[JackfromCT]

I'd say it would be worth replacing, esp if you've kept good care of the bike. Mounting an external alternator to replace the bad stator is a quick fix and will keep your classic pride and joy on the road. Good luck.

 

[roscoepc]

Try this:

Stator Test
1- First, put the bike on the centerstand. Cut the wires on both sides of the stator connector plug. Strip the insulation aprox. 1/2"-1" back on all three yellow wires. Label each wire A, B, and C.
NOTE: When using an analog type meter to check for shorts or open circuit's have the meter set to R x 1 scale. A "short" circuit condition, (a continuos electrical path to ground), is indicated by the meter needle sweeping across the meter guage face to 0 ohms resistance. An "open" circuit condition, (no electrical path to ground) is indicated by no movement of the meter needle, infinite resistance. Using a digital meter the reading should be: for a short - 0 ohms, and for an open condition - infinite resistance which normaly there will be no change in the meter reading..
2- With a multimeter, digital or analog, set to read resistance, check each leg to ground for short's. If no short's are found, (o resistance), you're good to go so far.
3- With the meter set to read resistance, check across each leg. A to B, B to C, then C to A. The reading's should be about 3 ohm's. If you read infinite resistance across any of the legs you have an open winding and the stator is bad. If they read good, keep going.
4- A helper is good to have for this next step. With the battery fully charged and the three yellow wire's separated so they cannot make contact, crank the bike. Have your helper rev the bike to 3000rpm after the bike warm's up.
IMPORTANT!!!
You are checking for AC voltage NOT DC voltage!! Make sure the meter is set to read a minimum of 120vac!!
With the bike at 3000rpm, check leg A to B. Note the voltage.
Then check leg B to C. Note the voltage.
Finaly check leg C to A. Note the voltage.
Compare the three readings. They should be between 50-70vac plus or minus about 5vac per leg. If they read good, chances are you've got a bad regulator.

 

[dizzy]

Think you mean on step two the resistance should be infinite, or open circuit, not zero ohms. Any of the yellow's shorted to ground is prima facia bad stator. On the AC voltage test...I consider 70VAC minimum. Much under that and the stator is suspect.

 

[glhonda]

Think you mean on step two the resistance should be infinite, or open circuit, not zero ohms.

Knock it off, gl!!!:lash:

 

[roscoepc]

Think you mean on step two the resistance should be infinite, or open circuit, not zero ohms. Any of the yellow's shorted to ground is prima facia bad stator. On the AC voltage test...I consider 70VAC minimum. Much under that and the stator is suspect.

Read the second sentence on Step 2: " If no short's are found, (o resistance), you're good to go so far."

You are correct in that each leg should be infinite resistance but, I'm trying to get across what to look for if the stator is bad and if there are no shorts, he's good to go so far...

70vac minimum...... Since I've been on-line researching GL1200 stuff 50-70vac is about what most have tested at and I've only seen 1 bike that tested higher than 70vac and that was Scooby56's Ltd Ed that tested at about 90vac @ 3000rpm.....

 

[dizzy]

I'm not confused about what you intended to mean, and I definitely think you know what you mean. I think using zero ohms might be confusing to those of us who are occasionally electrically challenged. Open or infinity might help clarify it.

Every new stator I've replaced oe (lost count on how many) has tested at well over 70VAC and usually more like 85VAC. I wouldn't necessarily flunk a stator at 50VAC if the owner isn't having an issue (although I might think to myself it's pretty weak), but if the issue is barely charging, chronic low voltage, lots of around town and short trips, and frequent need to charge the battery...and the reg/rect is known good, I'd say the stator is definitely suspect. Your step two test will spot nearly every failed stator.

 

[Bike...and Dennis]

Prima Facia? Is that a new combo meal at Taco Smell? :stumped:

 

[roscoepc]

I'm not confused about what you intended to mean, and I definitely think you know what you mean. But the way you wrote the sentence isn't clear whether you're associating zero ohms with a short (which of course it is) or 'good to go'. Zero ohms may not even be possible considering there's always SOME resistance in the probes on your meter...which a good digital meter will actually read. For someone who is electrically challenged and isn't used to working with this stuff, I thought it might be confusing and I was just trying to clarify.

That's why I put this note before Step 2:

"NOTE: When using an analog type meter to check for shorts or open circuit's have the meter set to R x 1 scale. A "short" circuit condition, (a continuos electrical path to ground), is indicated by the meter needle sweeping across the meter guage face to 0 ohms resistance. An "open" circuit condition, (no electrical path to ground) is indicated by no movement of the meter needle, infinite resistance. Using a digital meter the reading should be: for a short - 0 ohms, and for an open condition - infinite resistance which normaly there will be no change in the meter reading.."

I've only been posting this for about 5 years now and for any member that's done this test and had problems understanding how to perform it, I've allway's been available for a land line call if needed because some just don't understand just the what, how and, most importantly, why of how to troubleshoot.....

 

[glhonda]

Sometimes posts are too long.

 

[glhonda]

Too much information.

 

[glhonda]

Things get lost in the translation

 

[glhonda]

A word to the wise

 

[glhonda]

Or three words to me.

 

[dizzy]

Legal term meaning you're busted...caught red handed.

 

[Ken Bergen]

Or three words to me.

Best make those three words three letters or less or you'll confuse gl.:raspberry:

 

[glhonda]

Since I'm busted......
I replaced a stator a couple years ago. I've replaced a lot of stators, but to the point.
It was an RMStator. I bought it to save ten bucks. It worked 35 seconds.
Having just replaced the stator, I began diagnosing the rest of the charging system, because I just replaced the stator.......
I use to put a lot of emphasis on the 70VAC rule, until then.
I had 80VAC output on all three leg combinations, with ZERO loaded stator output. The ohm check in the manual showed all three legs to ground and when I pulled the NEW stator out, the insulating material was destroyed and flaking off.
There isn't a VAC value issued by Honda that I can find.
I use to think that was because these books were "old school" and new diagnostic methods would rule the day.
I was wrong.

 

[Ablationman]

I have the original wire harness connector. I didn't cut and strip yet but disconnected and found about 6 ohms between legs and infinite to ground on digital meter. Ran engine about 3300 rpm and got about 42 to 46 VAC between each leg. Thanks for all the advice everyone. I'll drive it to work this week (with jumper cables just in case) and see how it goes.