Stator / Regulator question
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6th Gear
Joined: Feb 2013
Posts: 10
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From: lexington
Stator / Regulator question
I am working on an issue with the charging system on my 97 Ultra Classic and have a coupleof questions. I tested the stator with an ohm meter and found no shorts, I got a reading of .9 across the two wires. While running I get from 2.5 to 4 volts so I assume the stator is bad. Yes or no? My other question is about the regulator. If I were to supply 24 volts AC to the input would I be able to test the output and know if the regulator was good or bad? Or is there another method for testing the regulator?
Bud
Bud
Dirt don't hurt
Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 21,066
Likes: 4,568
From: Haslet Texas
This is from DR Hess. (One of the smartest people here)
Scaleon DC Volts, around 20V max voltage scale. Nominal readings are givenin brackets. Check voltage across battery terminals (12.8). Turn bikeon. Check voltage (less than previous, ~12.0+, depending onheadlight, accessories). Start bike and let idle. Check voltage(could be 12.0 to 15). Rev to about 2500. Check voltage (should bemore than observed with bike on but motor not running, and more thanwith bike off. Ideally between 13 and 15.) Turn high beam on. Shouldbe about the same, give or take a little. If the voltage is over 15or 15.5-ish with a headlight on, I'd consider replacing the regulatorand/or checking all grounds (battery to frame, regulator to frame inparticular). If the battery voltage with the headlight on, bike notrunning is less than around 11.5-ish, I’d replace the battery. Ifit’s 10, it’s past it’s prime.
If you pass the abovetests, your system is most likely fine, including the regulator andstator. If you don't pass, then:
Bike off. Meter set on Ohms,medium-ish scale, like 20K or 200K Ohms max scale, depending on yourmeter. Pull stator plug. Ground the meter black lead to a goodchassis ground, like a bolt or even the battery negative. With thered lead, touch a different part of the bike, like the engine case atan unpainted part or another bolt. Meter should read low ohms, like0. If it doesn’t, you didn’t ground the black lead. With the redlead, touch each contact on the motor side (stator) of the plug (thepart stuck in the case). Depending on if your case has a male orfemale plug, if you can't see the metal part/pin of the plug, you canput a paper clip in the hole and touch the paperclip with your meterred. Meter reading should be infinity on all pins. If it isn't, yourstator is shorted to the case, replace.
The following is forsingle phase systems. I don't have a multi-phase and haven't had todiagnose anyone elses, so I haven't dug into those systems.
Setmeter to lowest ohm scale, like 200 Ohms, typically. (Note: Not 200Kohms). Check resistance between the two stator plug pins. Should befairly low. My Book says 0.2-0.4 ohms. The spec is in your shopmanual. If it is infinity, stator is blown open. If it is 0, statoris shorted to itself.
Set meter to AC Volts, 100V scale.Attach each meter lead to a stator pin. You may need to rig up sometype of temporary plug. It is important that nothing can short toground or to each other accidentally, or you will blow the stator ifit wasn't blown before. An old plug off of your last regulator is agood way to do it, but, get creative and be careful. I can do itholidng the leads on the pins once the bike is running, but I don'tlike to. Start bike. Voltage should vary with engine speed. Specs arein your shop manual, but 35V at a couple thousand RPM is probablyabout right. My book says 19-26 V / 1K RPM.
If you passed thatstator test and failed the first test, your regulator is shot. If youfailed any part of the stator test, replace both regulator andstator.
Scaleon DC Volts, around 20V max voltage scale. Nominal readings are givenin brackets. Check voltage across battery terminals (12.8). Turn bikeon. Check voltage (less than previous, ~12.0+, depending onheadlight, accessories). Start bike and let idle. Check voltage(could be 12.0 to 15). Rev to about 2500. Check voltage (should bemore than observed with bike on but motor not running, and more thanwith bike off. Ideally between 13 and 15.) Turn high beam on. Shouldbe about the same, give or take a little. If the voltage is over 15or 15.5-ish with a headlight on, I'd consider replacing the regulatorand/or checking all grounds (battery to frame, regulator to frame inparticular). If the battery voltage with the headlight on, bike notrunning is less than around 11.5-ish, I’d replace the battery. Ifit’s 10, it’s past it’s prime.
If you pass the abovetests, your system is most likely fine, including the regulator andstator. If you don't pass, then:
Bike off. Meter set on Ohms,medium-ish scale, like 20K or 200K Ohms max scale, depending on yourmeter. Pull stator plug. Ground the meter black lead to a goodchassis ground, like a bolt or even the battery negative. With thered lead, touch a different part of the bike, like the engine case atan unpainted part or another bolt. Meter should read low ohms, like0. If it doesn’t, you didn’t ground the black lead. With the redlead, touch each contact on the motor side (stator) of the plug (thepart stuck in the case). Depending on if your case has a male orfemale plug, if you can't see the metal part/pin of the plug, you canput a paper clip in the hole and touch the paperclip with your meterred. Meter reading should be infinity on all pins. If it isn't, yourstator is shorted to the case, replace.
The following is forsingle phase systems. I don't have a multi-phase and haven't had todiagnose anyone elses, so I haven't dug into those systems.
Setmeter to lowest ohm scale, like 200 Ohms, typically. (Note: Not 200Kohms). Check resistance between the two stator plug pins. Should befairly low. My Book says 0.2-0.4 ohms. The spec is in your shopmanual. If it is infinity, stator is blown open. If it is 0, statoris shorted to itself.
Set meter to AC Volts, 100V scale.Attach each meter lead to a stator pin. You may need to rig up sometype of temporary plug. It is important that nothing can short toground or to each other accidentally, or you will blow the stator ifit wasn't blown before. An old plug off of your last regulator is agood way to do it, but, get creative and be careful. I can do itholidng the leads on the pins once the bike is running, but I don'tlike to. Start bike. Voltage should vary with engine speed. Specs arein your shop manual, but 35V at a couple thousand RPM is probablyabout right. My book says 19-26 V / 1K RPM.
If you passed thatstator test and failed the first test, your regulator is shot. If youfailed any part of the stator test, replace both regulator andstator.
Thread Starter
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6th Gear
Joined: Feb 2013
Posts: 10
Likes: 1
From: lexington
Looks like my next step is to replace regulator and stator. Thanks Texashillcountry for the info. Does anyone know anything good or bad about the Thunderheart 3 phase system? Thats what I'm looking at for replacement. Or are there better choices out there. It is for a 97 ultra classic.
Road Master
Joined: Oct 2011
Posts: 957
Likes: 2
From: Carlsbad Springs Ontario
You can spend the big bucks on a aftermarket system or simply replace the parts with oem . I would replace with oem as they are as good as needed unless you are running a whole lot of extra draw on the system. Check EBay for used stuff.
As its a 16 year old bike , check for shorting at the wiring outlet at the case grommet.
This location is where wire abrasion will short to ground and fry the stator .
As its a 16 year old bike , check for shorting at the wiring outlet at the case grommet.
This location is where wire abrasion will short to ground and fry the stator .
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