Is this the sign of a bad R/R?
05-18-2008, 09:14 AM
#1
Junior Member
Squid
Thread Starter
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Milwaukee, WI
Posts: 29
Is this the sign of a bad R/R?
Iv'e searched the threads and I think I am looking at a bad R/R. I have a 98 hawk and the thing won't hold a charge. I replaced the battery last year, but now it won't turn over. Lights work, but not enough juice to get it going unless I put it on the charger
I just had it in for an oil change and to fix a coolant leak ($$$) so I really don't want to take it in again.
Does this sound like a short somewhere or a bad R/R? Or do I have to do more investigation before I sound off on here?
I do have to admit my electrical knowledge is limited, but I am heading out this morning to buy a voltmeter...
thanks for all your help
I just had it in for an oil change and to fix a coolant leak ($$$) so I really don't want to take it in again.
Does this sound like a short somewhere or a bad R/R? Or do I have to do more investigation before I sound off on here?
I do have to admit my electrical knowledge is limited, but I am heading out this morning to buy a voltmeter...
thanks for all your help
05-18-2008, 10:57 AM
#2
Senior Member
SuperBike
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Buffalo, NY
Posts: 1,572
It could be but without more info its hard to tell - its possibly a bad battery...
Search on here for the normal specs and refer to the service manual link in the knowledgebase for the testing procedures. A good number of folks have it go bad and way overcharge which can blow bulbs and other electronics so if yours isn't charging that it the better failure to have. Use a finned one (better heat dissipation) from 2001 up or the modified R1 and you should be fine.
Search on here for the normal specs and refer to the service manual link in the knowledgebase for the testing procedures. A good number of folks have it go bad and way overcharge which can blow bulbs and other electronics so if yours isn't charging that it the better failure to have. Use a finned one (better heat dissipation) from 2001 up or the modified R1 and you should be fine.
05-18-2008, 12:40 PM
#3
OUCH... MY A$$ HURTS!!!
SuperSport
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Elba, Ny
Posts: 707
Well...
I guess the only thing I could think of to tell you is to use cables or charger to jump it... get it running, and then disconnect the battery cables to see if it still runs, or dies...
It does sound like a R/R, but at the same time... If you charge that 1yr old battery up good, it should be enough to run the bike a few hours before its low enough to give you trouble starting the thing. So with that being said, there is a possibility of bad wiring, or bad battery...
I had a old Suzuki once with a bad R/R, and I could plug it on trickle charge over night, ride to work, let is sit, start it after work and ride home on that charge... was only 10 miles to/from, but still, it would run fine on battery power, then only give problems as battery ran out of juice.
I guess the only thing I could think of to tell you is to use cables or charger to jump it... get it running, and then disconnect the battery cables to see if it still runs, or dies...
It does sound like a R/R, but at the same time... If you charge that 1yr old battery up good, it should be enough to run the bike a few hours before its low enough to give you trouble starting the thing. So with that being said, there is a possibility of bad wiring, or bad battery...
I had a old Suzuki once with a bad R/R, and I could plug it on trickle charge over night, ride to work, let is sit, start it after work and ride home on that charge... was only 10 miles to/from, but still, it would run fine on battery power, then only give problems as battery ran out of juice.
05-18-2008, 01:55 PM
#4
Senior Member
SuperBike
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: Williamsburg, VA
Posts: 2,455
Also the R/R isn't what charges the battery, just "regulates" the power coming from the stator. The problem here could be the R/R or it could be the stator or even the battery itself. Try charging the battery off the bike and see if it holds a charge at all, that will eliminate it. If the R/R is bad it might be visibly fried, check to see if it has melted at all. Also check the connectors coming and going, they are known to melt.
05-18-2008, 03:16 PM
#5
WERA #44
Superstock
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: About 57 miles south of VIR
Posts: 265
Hold the bus!
If the voltage checks rite when running, the RR is probably not the problem.
There are other posts here about static (engine off, switch off) battery drain,
eg; trip odometer holding circuit drain.
The cycle of dead/weak battery, charge or jump,dead/weak battery will kill the battery and it will act like a charge issue.
I am troubleshooting this problem now on mine and in the interim, I disconnect the negative lead from the battery if it is to sit overnight or longer.
I have installed a new battery, and i won't let it die down.
I will probably put a battery disconnect switch in and add a small battery for the instrument circuit.
If the voltage checks rite when running, the RR is probably not the problem.
There are other posts here about static (engine off, switch off) battery drain,
eg; trip odometer holding circuit drain.
The cycle of dead/weak battery, charge or jump,dead/weak battery will kill the battery and it will act like a charge issue.
I am troubleshooting this problem now on mine and in the interim, I disconnect the negative lead from the battery if it is to sit overnight or longer.
I have installed a new battery, and i won't let it die down.
I will probably put a battery disconnect switch in and add a small battery for the instrument circuit.
05-18-2008, 03:23 PM
#6
Senior Member
Superstock
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Brooklyn, CT
Posts: 287
Same problem here. Have been taking it for short rides and then charging the bat. Yesterday the bat died about 5 miles from home. Lost the instrument cluster. First the tach then the speedo and odometer. Glad I made it home. Time to fix it.
05-18-2008, 05:17 PM
#7
OUCH... MY A$$ HURTS!!!
SuperSport
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Elba, Ny
Posts: 707
As for the battery thing. You may be right on newer bikes, but I've left negative hooked up on many bikes and disconnected positive and had them stay running. In a case where the bike will run on charged battery, but not without charged battery would usually indicate the R/R being bad.
Although Once the bike is started, I am not 100% sure why the bike would die once battery cable is disconnected. I mean doesn't the stator produce the power to run the bike, and the R/R just selects to send portions of that power back to the battery to recharge it??? at least thats how i understand it. I guess I could see some electrical stuff being tied directly to the battery, but the engine should create its own power once running right?
So... Does this bike run on a charged battery?
05-19-2008, 07:25 AM
#8
Senior Member
Superstock
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Brooklyn, CT
Posts: 287
When my battery is stone dead my bike will not run. If I jump it, it runs for about 10 sec then dies. But that may just be the R/R not feeding enough juice to the system.
I ordered a new R/R, but haven't picked it up yet. Don't want to waste time and $$ replacing it if it is the stator instead.
I ordered a new R/R, but haven't picked it up yet. Don't want to waste time and $$ replacing it if it is the stator instead.
05-19-2008, 07:55 AM
#9
Out of my mind, back in 5
MotoGP
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Skurup, Sweden
Posts: 6,109
None of you good people ever considered using said voltmeter to troubleshoot???
With a voltmeter in hand it's usualy a couple of minutes work to turn all your guesses into confirmed knowledge and then replace the defective part...
With a voltmeter in hand it's usualy a couple of minutes work to turn all your guesses into confirmed knowledge and then replace the defective part...
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