TOPIC:

Is there a method of determining which of the three components needs replacing?

(I rebuilt the Carbs, Rewired the entire bike, and now want it to charge.)
Now that the wiring is fresh, I want to fix all electrical malfunctioning components as soon as possible. Like tomorrow.

Is the financial aspect the only reason to not replace all three?
Can I get a stronger stator/powerplant?
Used vs New.
What should I look for, symptomwise, in determining which of the three to try replacing?
Is there a default order, i.e. cheapest first if considering the buy one at a time approach?
Can one malfunctioning component ruin new parts that I add?

I'm doing this tomorrow morning. Wish me success.

If you want to do this following flowchart tommorrow then make sure you charge to battery tonight and it is fresh. I'll paste a link to an "Electrical Fault finding flowchart" that can be found in this website's Filebase. Have you explored the Filebase yet? It's a great place to find stuff to help you out. It is under the KZ Information tab up top, but here is the link to get you going. The flowchart will find a problem in your charging system.

kzrider.com/component/option,com_docman/...d/gid,195/Itemid,49/

Oh my mistake. I'm sorry I did not notice you have a 77 650. I don't think the flowchart will help, it was designed for a combined regulator/rectifier and your bike has separate units. Does the shop manual outline any steps for your model? Again sorry.

I know your questions have been asked for your specific model, and it should be found in this electrical forum if you search around.

Post edited by: OKC_Kent, at: 2007/02/05 22:23

Yep, it does not work for my bike with the separate rectifier and regulator. But the chart is kool as hell!I'm just straight up jealous....

The most common cause is wiring errors or breakage.

The next main problem, on the 77, is the regulator. Next would probably be the rectifier. Next would be the stator, next would be the field-coil.

That 77 alternator is a very expensive design, and is pretty good, but the mechanical regulator usually has weather/environment related problems.

If you have money, and don't want to do in-depth troubleshooting, then you can try to get an aftermarket reg/rec unit. They exist, but are rare. They can't be substituted with one for a 78 or later because the alternators are completely different. Even some late 77 models might be different.

First step is to charge the battery and measure the battery voltage while it's idling and while it's revving around 3000 rpm.

loudhvx wrote:

The most common cause is wiring errors or breakage.

The next main problem, on the 77, is the regulator. Next would probably be the rectifier. Next would be the stator, next would be the field-coil.

I agree, except I would check the field coil first, if the field coil doesn´t get power or has an open/short the alternator won´t work.

The wire connected to the green lug on the regulator feeds/controls the field coil - check that it´s not broken and that all connections are good/not corroded. To check the field coil, disconnect the wire that connects to the green lug on the regulator and measure resistance between this wire and the frame (ground) - you should see like 2.7 - 3.4 ohms, any more and the field coil has an open in it, any less and it has a short, in both cases it should be replaced.

That 77 alternator is a very expensive design, and is pretty good, but the mechanical regulator usually has weather/environment related problems.

Good news is that the regulator can be opened and cleaned/adjusted - I´m not at home right now, so I don´t have access to my files, but the procedure is described in the manual. Basically the 77 regulator consists of a coil and a set of breaker points, the manual describes how to clean the points and adjust the gap.

Post edited by: OnkelB, at: 2007/02/06 15:29

... or better yet, you can make one from some cheap parts at Radio Shack. (Oops, that is if you even have a Radio Shack in your country.)

Post edited by: loudhvx, at: 2007/02/07 02:06

Dove into the manual as recommended (thanks Onkel). There are lots of tests listed for the electrical. I will go through them all tonight.

The bike just keeps getting sweeter and sweeter, sure runs nicely with the core rewire.

my 1976 kz900 with nearly identical setups wasnt charging, I looked closer at the rectifier to find that the connectors at the fitting on the yellow wires were all but one bad.
replaced it and Vroom into the sunset on high beams.

Ended up being dirty/corroded contacts to the regulator. Now it charges, except when you use lights. Last night I travelled the last 2.5 of 20 freeway miles with no lights. Using them killed the motor at that point. Lotsa f'ing fun. The 77 is pre-mandatory lighting and supposedly has a pre-strengthened charging system. I believe it. I am just venting here, but apparently my Kz is only good for short trips. That's what I have my scooter for already. But/And it carries more and uses less gas. There has gotta be another problem somewhere. Bad water proofing? (rained last night.) Wire insulation broken somewhere? Weak stator? God just really hates me? I'm considering getting a car here.... Ugh.

Have you done any other cleaning yet in the electrical system? Go through and clean the switch housings and light circuit next.
One thing most of us have HAD to do on these old bikes is take apart each and every connection, clean it with steel wool, sandpaper, scotchbrite, contact cleaner, whatever it takes to get a clean connection. Dab some di-electric grease on the connection after to hold off further corrosion. It may be a bad wire, sometimes the terminal on the end looks great, but beneath the insulation it is corroded. Battery cables do this a lot. Check there, check your battery ground, check them all. If it looks funky replace it.

I can say I probably have replaced 1 dozen wires in my harness, and cleaned ALL connections too. It just takes a little time.

I replaced the wire core with one off of a used bike. On this second hand core I replaced a few wires. Took me fifteen hours to put back in. Guess that I should continue on working each and every curcuit (sp?). I can see how a guy could get to the point that he knows the thing inside and out.

I am racing with time here. I was a city dweller who started dating a sub-urbanite, hence the purchase of a bike that suited my style. Eventually her argument that the older bike doesn't seem to be working well enough, to keep, will be irrefutable....

Sorry for my disdain, I'll get over it.

Don't you hate it when they're right?
You could just throw yourself down at her feet , admit she is right, and beg for mercy.