Ignition and or charging system problem

Do you have the Service Manual? If not stop by a dealer and order one, it has the diagram of the wires for that bike, what goes where, it will help you test these things and know where to test.

If you have a digital meter you can test charging rates at the battery, coming out of the stator, at the meter.

As was said, could be a bad meter, could be a bad connection at the meter, could be a bad wire coming into or out of the switch.

Best bet, get the manual ,and start testing connections, start at the battery, if it's an older battery (4 years+) maybe get the battery tested,

Then check all your grounds, battery, frame, make sure the cables are tight and clean..

Work your way back around the bike...

it will also show you how to test the circuit.........mechanical voltmeters can lie...

with those readings, you are not charging.......get the book and check the regulator, and alternator.....tests are very simple to do, but sorta lengthy to type out here........

I agree sounds like the charging system is not working.

there are some methods and steps to checking the voltage regulator
and the stator separately.

Step 1. First things first, load test the battery. Most places like Auto Zone will do it for free. Even if it measures over 12.5 vdc it can still be bad under a load. Battery is typically rated at 19 amp hours and 270 Cold Cranking Amps (CCA).

Start the engine and measure DC Volts across the battery terminals, the regulator should be putting out 14.3 - 14.7 vdc at 3600 rpm and 75 degrees F.


Step 2. To check the regulator unplug it from the stator. Take a test light and clip it to the negative terminal of the battery and then touch first one pin and then the other on the plug that goes to the regulator. If you get even the slightest amount of light from the test light the regulator is toast.

To do this with a meter which is more accurate: black lead to battery ground, red lead to each pin on the plug, start with the voltage scale higher than 12vdc and move voltage scale down in steps for each pin. Any voltage is a bad regulator.
You may get battery voltage on all three pins on the newer 3 phase regulators.
The no voltage is for older type regulators with diode indicating the diode is bad and the regulator needs replacing.


Step 3. On the other part of the disconnected regulator plug. Set the multimeter for Ohms x1 scale and measure for resistance across the pins of the stator. You should read something around 0.1 to 0.2 ohms for the TC88 32 amp system.

Step 4. Then check for continuity between each pin on the plug and frame/engine ground. The meter needle should not move (infinite resistance)(digitals will show infinite resistance) if the meter needle does move (indicating continuity)(digitals will show some resistance), recheck very carefully. If the meter still shows continuity to ground the stator is shorted (bad).


Step 5. Set the meter to read A/C volts higher than 30 volts (the scale setting for voltage should always be higher than the highest voltage you expect or you may fry the meter). Start the bike, and measure from one pin to the other on the plug (DO NOT cross the multimeter probes! - touch them to each other). You should read roughly 16-20 vac per 1,000 rpm.


Step 6. If the battery was good under load test, if the stator is NOT shorted to ground, and the stator is putting out A/C voltage, then the regulator is bad (most likely even if if passed step 2).


Generally the following is true:
Check your owners/service manual for the system amp output for your bike.
22 amp system produces about 19-26 vac per 1,000 rpm, stator resistance is about 0.2 to 0.4 ohms.
32 amp system produces about 16-20 vac per 1,000 rpm, stator resistance is about 0.1 to 0.2 ohms.
45 amp system produces about 19-26 vac per 1,000 rpm, stator resistance is about 0.1 to 0.2 ohms.

Open the inspection plate if it smells burnt the stator is toast.

On a bike with that age I would replace both the Stator/Rotor and the Voltage regulator to have a nice new system.

and you can upgrade the system to a higher output!!!!

wow hrk...........looks like you enjoy typing!!!!!!!
good post!!!

copy and paste is my friend LOL

Have you done the tests?

most common is a grounded stator, pull the plug apart that comes out of the inner primary behind the shifter, two wires, that runs from the stator to the regulator. test for continuity as described, a grounded (bad stator) is common.

Step 4. Then check for continuity between each pin on the plug and frame/engine ground. The meter needle should not move (infinite resistance)(digitals will show infinite resistance) if the meter needle does move (indicating continuity)(digitals will show some resistance), recheck very carefully. If the meter still shows continuity to ground the stator is shorted (bad).

If Step 4 shows the stator is NOT grounded go to step 5, if Step 4 shows ground, remove credit cards from wallet, go to dealer, drop trow, bend over counter, buy new stator, rotor and new regulator, go back and install, get gaskets while you are there...


Step 5. Set the meter to read A/C volts higher than 30 volts (the scale setting for voltage should always be higher than the highest voltage you expect or you may fry the meter). Start the bike, and measure from one pin to the other on the plug (DO NOT cross the multimeter probes! - touch them to each other). You should read roughly 16-20 vac per 1,000 rpm.


First thing Id do is open the primary inspection plate and smell the inside, if it smells burnt the stator is toast, proceed to dealer buy lots of parts...

Sense the bike is older have you checked the battery cables? They could have corrosion and if the corrosion is excessive you won't get a good reading at the battery, just a thought.

sounds like it is working..........what do they go up to???????

from your post, i would check out the ignition switch thoroughly......it sounds like ya have some loose/corrosion going on......