Electric stuff

i have a 2000 fxstb nighttrain. it don't charge. i disconnected the wires coming from the alt. to put an ohm meter from wire to wire i get a reading. from either wire to ground i get a reading. what's wrong?!!!!!!!

What is the reading you get? Is it a dead short or is there some resistance? The amount of resistance is important.

This link may help.

http://bike-talk.com/forum/faqs/new_faq_item/#faq_charging_system_ts

from pin to pin is .5 ohms. pin to ground is same on both pins

It takes a pretty good meter to measure .5 ohms but the key measurement is your reading to ground. Neither lead should read to ground and it appears to me that is your problem. If you go to the link I provided, this is what is outlined there. Hopefully someone else will chime in and confirm or correct this diagnosis. Good luck.

PS Are you connecting your meter into the engine block or back into the wires you removed from the block?

If you are getting .5 ohms from each of the wires to ground, the stator is shorted and needs to be replaced. When you take it apart, make sure that the compensator nut is tight. If it is pretty loose, the rotor could have wobbled enough to contact the stator. Most of the time the insulation on the windings break down and cause the wiring to short out. Either way the stator is gone.

You may have done this already so these might be dumb questions.

Have you had the voltage regulator check?

Also and easy way to tell if the stator is working good is to do the following: Check return voltage at the battery terminals when the bike is running.

Check the voltage output at the battery without the bike running. You should get 12-12.7 volts. With the bike running you should get 14-14.7 volts. If you are the stator is probably good. Had the same problem on my 02' Heritage. Turned out to be a dead cell in the battery.

got in to stator!!!!!! one winding was fried. thing now is, i found one on ebay. but they can't tell me if it's a 40 amp or not. the rotor says high output, and i was told that's what makes it a 40 amp, not the stator. the harley shop don't want to give out the part # for this piece to fit my bike. if they did, i could cross reference and be sure. thanks for the help. in the wind soon..... i hope

If its like the old shovelheads pull the plug from the regulator to the stator..hook a 110v light bulb to it and run the engine..if it lights up its the regulator and if not the stator..

geo

call them tell them you want to cross ref a stator that your bro has to see if it is the right one or if'n you need to buy one from them, also check some after market spots the price can even be less

If the shop doesn't want to give you the part number for the stator, find another shop to spend your money at. Along with owning the service manual for your bike, a parts manual not only gives you the proper numbers, there's a picture to show you how the dang thing goes together when the grey matter between your ears is just passing gas.:witsend:

stuff

vybr8er, your right. i don't go to that shop anymore and just found out a local dirt bike shop is starting to do hd repair. known'em for years, bett'n they'll let me look at the books. i just move slow. if you find yourself in need of help and in the area of sullivan, in. ask around for gabby hays. i ain't smart (type with 2 fingers) but i'll help where i can. in the wind: