GPZ problem - Help required

Started the bike up this morning and started the daily ride to work. Ten
miles in and the acceleration begins to get a little jumpy. Thinking I could
be running out of petrol I switched to reserve. Came to the bottom of the
A465 and gave it some beans and after 500 yards lose everything. Engine
cuts, lights go out. Pull to the side and all electrics lost. Managed to get
the bike to work and stick the battery on charge. End of day, put battery
back in (Reading 12V) turn ignition key, neutral and oil light come on,
battery reading drops to 7V. Can't even get enough power out of the battery
to turn the engine.

Apart from selling it and getting a GXSR, any other suggestions as to what
the problem is.


Thanks.

 

GPZ wrote

With only 7 volts it is either:

2 cells gone together, unlikely but I have heard of it more than once.

A mechanically bad connection halfway along inside the battery. Don't
fancy it.

Something external to the battery drawing shedloads of juice and
obviously not fused. Probably you would smell burning as well.

Battery prolly.

As solutions to all of the above possible causes will involve a certain
amount of dismantling around the battery you may as well get it out and
test it on load on the bench as your first move.

 

Tested on the bench and it reas 12V. It's only when I turn the ignition on
it drops to 7V

 

GPZ wrote

Turning on the ignition puts a (I haven't got a clue) 3-4amp load on it?

Got a handy car headlamp or two?

 

May still read 12v unloaded, but be low on charge. If you jump start the
bike and measure voltage with the engine running you should get arount
13.8V. If it's not lifting the battery voltage with the engine running
your bike isn't charging.

 

Would that point to an alternator problem as well or am I being a TC.

 

In uk.rec.motorcycles, GPZ amazed us all with this pearl of wisdom:

Battery. Get a new one.

 

Well if it's not charging then either the battery is buggered or there is
a fault in the charging system. Try putting a known good battery in
circuit and checking to see if it charges. If not, check all the
connections in the charging circuit before you start crying about the cost
of spare alternator stators.

Hope it turns out to b e the cheapest to fix possibility.

 

Measure both coils. Looks like one of them has some shorted turns.
Either that, or the IC igniter has possibly croaked.

I would start by disconnecting these things, one by one, but not with
the ignition live and see which one it is pulling the +12V down.
Siwtch on, measure, switch off, disconnect one thing, back to start of
this sequence.

Also be sure all running lights are off. Any alarmy type bollocks
fitted?

Later.

 

Fitted new battery today and all seemed well. Pull up to 5000 rpm and the
power delivery becomes jerky. Managed to get home and booked it into the
local garage.
Have come to the conclusion it is a piece of shit and I really need to get a
new bike.
Lost all confidence in the unfaithful bitch.

 

GPZ emerged from their own little world to say

Have you checked the earth straps? Especially where they join the
engine/frame. Probably corroded or loose and as you increase the revs the
buzziness makes the poor connection worse.

get a new bike.

It was a piece of shit when it left the factory

 

Good point.