Update.....................


Today at lunch my bike would not start. Just clicky. Pressed the back up starter button and the same thing. Trailered her home after work and checked the battery. It was at 12.0 volts. I put her on the charger for a few hours till the battery got to maybe 12.49 and she started. Held the meter on the battery while running and the voltage slowly drooped, even as I revved her up. Pulled the plug where the regulator plugs to the case and that read 0.00 while running. So I have to do a stator. I'm not going to do it myself and my Indy quoted me $275 installed for the job. I think thats good price for a stator and regulator installed, and it will be finished by next weekend. My question is this:

I recently switched to ATF in the primary. Is there any chance that could have contributed or caused the stator to crap out? My Indy thinks its possible and maybe likely. I don't think so, but I wanted opinions. I've been a big fan of ATF since I replaced the MOCO fluid, but will not continue to use it if the stuff is causing issues. Please advise.

 

I seem to have gallons of Harley primary fluid for some reason (I'm always a sucker for end of season sales!), so have never used ATF. I do have a later spec stator in my bike now, with higher output. Gives over 14 volts at 1,000rpm with no lights on (I can switch all mine off while the engine is running). I see enough references to ATF on the forums to suggest it is not a problem, otherwise there would be an outrage about it!

 

You had your meter on Volts AC when checking the stator output, right? And what's the resistance between the stator legs and the engine block? And between the legs?

I've had Mobil 1 ATF in my primary for a couple years now with the original (1986) stator. No problems (knock on wood). I have plans to eventually go with the big output stator, as I want that for my eventual EFI conversion, but everything is working fine now, so I leave it alone.

 

OK, I'll just assume the ATF is a non issue. I figured it was. The bike is 15 years old and stators do fail on Evos.

Yes, I had the volt meter on AC. I tested the battery on the positive lead and a frame ground. 12.0 volts. Once I got it running I pulled the plug at the block. I stuck the red lead in each hole and grounded the other and there was zero voltage. Don't know what you mean about resistance. My electrical knowledge is pretty poor. Turning on a volt meter and touching stuff with it pretty much exhausts my brain power.

 

You have to check the resistance on stator coils. Switch to Ohm scale and check stator pins against each other. There should be some resistance. Can`t remember the figures now. But the problem is common so keep searching this forum, You`ll find other topics with tech data for each type of stator.

If You find correct resistance the problem is not over yet.

Switch your meter to "diode" scale and check continuity between each stator pin against ground. There should be no continuity so the meter will show You infinity mark. If there is countinuity Your stator is shot.

Just replaced stator on my 1988 Electra Glide. Had 22Amp, pretty old. Used ATF on last oil change. Now I got 32Amp stator installed and a new Voltage Regulator.

 

You checked the stator wrong. You check on AC between the two pins, not between a pin and ground. Your stator may still be OK. Here's my How To:



Dr.Hess' How To Diagnose Your Charging System

Buy about a $10-20 digital multi meter. Fully charge the battery (overnight on a 1 Amp charger).


Scale on DC Volts, around 20V max voltage scale. Nominal readings are given in brackets. Check voltage across battery terminals (12.8). Turn bike on. Check voltage (less than previous, ~12.0+, depending on headlight, accessories). Start bike and let idle. Check voltage (could be 12.0 to 15). Rev to about 2500. Check voltage (should be more than observed with bike on but motor not running, and more than with bike off. Ideally between 13 and 15.) Turn high beam on. Should be about the same, give or take a little. If the voltage is over 15 or 15.5-ish with a headlight on, I'd consider replacing the regulator and/or checking all grounds (battery to frame, regulator to frame in particular). If the battery voltage with the headlight on, bike not running is less than around 11.5-ish, I’d replace the battery. If it’s 10, it’s past it’s prime.

If you pass the above tests, your system is most likely fine, including the regulator and stator. If you don't pass, then:

Bike off. Meter set on Ohms, medium-ish scale, like 20K or 200K Ohms max scale, depending on your meter. Pull stator plug. Ground the meter black lead to a good chassis ground, like a bolt or even the battery negative. With the red lead, touch a different part of the bike, like the engine case at an unpainted part or another bolt. Meter should read low ohms, like 0. If it doesn’t, you didn’t ground the black lead. With the red lead, touch each contact on the motor side (stator) of the plug (the part stuck in the case). Depending on if your case has a male or female plug, if you can't see the metal part/pin of the plug, you can put a paper clip in the hole and touch the paperclip with your meter red. Meter reading should be infinity on all pins. If it isn't, your stator is shorted to the case, replace.

The following is for single phase systems. I don't have a multi-phase and haven't had to diagnose anyone elses, so I haven't dug into those systems.

Set meter to lowest ohm scale, like 200 Ohms, typically. (Note: Not 200K ohms). Check resistance between the two stator plug pins. Should be fairly low. My Book says 0.2-0.4 ohms. The spec is in your shop manual. If it is infinity, stator is blown open. If it is 0, stator is shorted to itself.


Set meter to AC Volts, 100V scale. Attach each meter lead to a stator pin. You may need to rig up some type of temporary plug. It is important that nothing can short to ground or to each other accidentally, or you will blow the stator if it wasn't blown before. An old plug off of your last regulator is a good way to do it, but, get creative and be careful. I can do it holidng the leads on the pins once the bike is running, but I don't like to. Start bike. Voltage should vary with engine speed. Specs are in your shop manual, but 35V at a couple thousand RPM is probably about right. My book says 19-26 V / 1K RPM.

If you passed that stator test and failed the first test, your regulator is shot. If you failed any part of the stator test, replace both regulator and stator.

 

OK, here's what I did per you guys instructions. All pictures are with the bike running, choke out just a tad to keep the bike idling at over 1000 rpm. Please note my meter setting to confirm I have the leads where they should be and the meter on the right setting.

Where am I at? Is the stator putting out? Is the regulator whats shot? Nothing getting to the battery, thats for sure. Should I look for a broken wire first or is the reg the culprit?

Heres at the stator plug:


Heres at the battery:

 

Your stator is PROBABLY ok, but you didn't do the full diagnostics, or at least didn't report them, so I can't tell for sure. Maybe I need to modify my destructions to include blank boxes for people to fill in numbers. Anyway, if you just want to throw money at it, a new regulator is a good bet. I'd put the odds at 85%. If you want to know for sure, then follow my destructions exactly. Even if it takes time, even if it is inconvenient.

It's OK, I'm used to it. Everyone wants a magic pill. No one wants to be told to eat right and exercise more.

 

Did this. 0.2


Does not read infinity. Just reads crazy, inconsistent numbers and fluctuates.

 

Listen to the Doctor.


Bob
97 Heritage