Battery going dead--alternator problem?

Hi folks,
Happy Holidays... Let me start by saying that I don't know much about electrical but I'm confident that some of you will help me resolve this issue.
The bike is a 83 KZ750 L3 (four cylinder)
Here's the deal. the battery goes dead within a week of being charged. I checked the battery voltage with a multi meter, it showed 12+ volts with no load, 11.68 volts when bike is running and headlight on. When revving the engine, the voltage at the battery is approx 12.3 to 12.4 volts. From what I've learned on this site, the volts should be in the 14 volts range when checked at the battery, is this correct?
History.
Battery slowly loses charge over a one week period. (bike ridden daily)
Engine was swapped out in August, runs good. Bike can be push started and ridden when battery is dead.
Battery was replaced in August.
Chain broke in October, this broke the shift mechanism cover and beat the lower casing pretty bad.
My son replaced the stock turn signals with aftermarket signals (these require a relay) but one was not used.
I have disconnected the new turn signals to try to remove them as a source of drain on the battery.
At this point, I'm not sure if the battery is damaged to the point it won't hold a charge or if the alternator just isn't charging enough to charge the battery. Any advice you can offer would be appreciated.
Grant.

Here's a guide I made up for the Z1's,Kz900's,Kz1000 and Kz1100's that might be of help for your problem:

Alternator Testing For the Older 4’s(Z1’s,Kz 900’s, Kz1000’s,Kz1100’s and GPz1100’s).

To check to see if the alternator is working you need to follow these simple steps:

1. Fully charge the battery as this will be the power source during this test.

2. Disconnect the Regulator/Rectifier at the plug that has the six wires in it.

3. Start the engine and let it warm to operating temperature.

4. If you're worried about overheating, position a large fan for cooling the engine.

5. After the engine has reached operating temperature, have a helper assist you, and using a multi-meter, read the output at the three yellow wires (or the alternator output wires)at the disconnected connector.

6. Raise the engine speed to 4000 rpm, and see what the three YELLOW wire combinations(or any alternator output wires) are(1-3,2-3 & 1-2). The output will be around 50 Volts A.C.(Alternating Current). BE CAREFUL, AS THERE IS A SHOCK HAZARD HERE!!

7. If any of the combinations are low or non-existent, the stator(wire windings) are bad and must be replaced.
Some of the older Z1’s and KZ900’s were phase sensitive, so check the wire colors carefully.

8. Before ordering a new stator, check the connections from the stator as there are electrical "Bullet" connectors that may be damaged or dirty.
Inspect the wiring for signs of shorting or overheating too. www.z1enterprises.com sells replacement rubber grommets for the alternator output wiring, they get hard and could leak oil after a while.

9. Check the wiring coming out of the grommet as there have been situations where the wires were damaged causing a short.

10. The sprocket cover may have to be removed to access the electrical connectors coming from the alternator and possibly the left foot peg, and shifting lever will have to come off.

Alternator Stator Replacement On the Older 4’s
Source for replacement Stators
A. www.electrosport.com (They have a trouble shooting page)
B. www.customrewind.com
C. www.rmstator.com
D. www.ricksmotorsportselectrics.com
E. www.regulatorrectifier.com

1. If by testing either by checking the output voltage from the stator or by using and ohmmeter for resistance and the stator is determined to be bad, replacing the stator is not a difficult job.

2. The motorcycle owner should have on hand a replacement alternator gasket as it will tear on removal and leak if reused.

3. Put the bike on the center stand if possible and lean it to the right to minimize the oil volume that could come out when the alternator cover is removed.

4. Have selection of Metric wrenches and sockets along with Metric Allen keys to be able to accomplish this repair. ¼” and 3/8” ratchets and extensions may be needed along with Allen bits.

5. Remove the gear shift lever, the sprocket cover and possibly the left foot peg assembly.

6. A catch pan for what little oil will be lost should be positioned under the alternator on the left side. Newspapers will soak up any oil lost or some kitty litter will do as an absorbent.

7. Remove the alternator cover fasteners, some bikes use a socket head cap screw(Allen type) and others use the Phillips head type, the #3 screwdriver bit fits best for those. Use a small dish or can to collect the removed fasteners from the parts to prevent loss/damage.

8. The alternator stator is secured to the inside of the cover usually with three Allen headed bolts, Some bikes may have Torx style fasteners, Remove them and disconnect the three yellow wires that have bullet connectors on them from the bundled wires inside the sprocket cover.


9. If your bike has some color other than yellow for the alternator output wires, make note of what goes where as the older Kawasaki’s were phase sensitive in regard to the regulator/rectifiers.

10. When installing the replacement stator, clock or position the output wires and grommet so they fit into the small port under the alternator cover without being pinched or damaged.

11. Tighten the three Allen or Torx fasteners, securing the replacement stator to the cover. I like using the BLUE Loctite # 242 for hardware that can be removed with hand tools.

12. Remove the old gasket from the mating surfaces of the alternator cover and engine case by scraping with a piece of sharpened plastic like Lexan or Plexiglass as these will not gouge the soft Aluminum
Cases. Avoid using a metal gasket scraper for this.

13. Position the alternator cover, checking for pinched wiring and install the fasteners with a little silver anti-seize on the threads, tightening to the correct torque.

14. Connect up the output wires to the mating female bullet connectors and while you’re in there, check the routing of the wire bundle that runs through there.

15. Inspect for signs of heat damage to the wire insulation and vibration damage too.

16. The side stand switch, neutral switch, and oil pressure switch wiring are all bundled with the alternator output wiring running above and behind the engine output sprocket. This bundle runs in a channel as it goes up toward the various electrical connections.

17. The regulator/rectifier plug on the 80’s bikes usually has six wires in it:

A. One WHITE with RED stripe, this is the bikes main power wire usually 12 gauge in size.


B. One smaller Brown wire, probably 18 gauge or so, the voltage sense wire for the regulator/rectifier, helps keeping it from overcharging the battery.

C. One BLACK with YELLOW stripe wire, part of the ground circuits, maybe 16 gauge in size.

D. Three YELLOW wires, the alternator output wires going to the regulator/rectifier which converts the Alternating Current(A.C.) to Direct Current(D.C.) using rectification, producing the power to run the motorcycle and charge the battery.

18. Reinstall the sprocket cover, again checking for pinched wires before tightening. Install the shifter on it’s splined shaft checking for proper location, and the left side foot peg assembly.

19. Except for the minor oil spill and reluctant fasteners, it’s not a very difficult job to do.

Grantl wrote:

11.68 volts when bike is running and headlight on. When revving the engine, the voltage at the battery is approx 12.3 to 12.4 volts.

stator, recitifiers or regulator is not working.

When I disconnected the yellow wires at the time I was swapping out the engine, I puzzled over whether the wires had a significant hook up order. If these stators are phase sensitive, this might be why I'm not getting the proper charge voltage... Is this a possibility?
And, will changing the wires around until I can see proper voltage at the battery resolve the issue?
Thanks in advance.
Grant.

Geeze MFolks, I don't know if that was informative enough... :laugh: :laugh: :laugh:



Grant, your wires should operate exactly as MFolks has described. Also, make sure that there is no conductivity (infinite Ohms) between any of the stator outputs and ground. (BIKE OFF). Any Ohm reading (including 0) is bad stator.

Cheers, good luck!

Yes, Mfolks, you should be writing technical or instruction manuals. Great explanation.
thanks,
grant.

Glad I could be of help as I've always liked electrical mysteries in thses older bikes.

Some more that should be helpful:

Starter Solenoid Checkout

Some simple steps to determine what is working and what's not:

1.Fully charge and test the battery(most bike shops can load test the battery, and then use a floating ball hydrometer to check specific gravity in the charged cells).

2.Clean all battery terminals of corrosion.

3.Tighten all starting related connections(Positive RED(+) battery terminal, Negative BLACK(-)terminal) and from the terminal to the engine case. All connections must be clean and tight.

4.Clean the cable from the starter solenoid to the starter motor.

5.Clean and check the "bullet connectors" going to the coil side of the starter solenoid.

6.Try again to start the bike.

7.If no luck, go to step #8

8.Wearing eye protection, bridge with pliers or a screwdriver the two heavy duty(large)terminals on the solenoid. If the bike cranks, your solenoid may be bad.

9. If the starter won’t turn over, one of several things has happened; The starter motor has seized due to brushes binding up, lack of lubrication in the bushings of the motor, the battery is weak , the engine has seized or it could be a combination of any of the above. Some websites for starter motor rebuild kits are:

A. www.mawonline.com/newsite/rick_s_motorsp...-starter_brushes.htm
B. www.cyclewareables.com/pages/street_star...kits/startmtrkit.htm


10.The dealer may want $$$ for a new solenoid, but take your old one along and visit the nearest riding lawn mower shop. They have solenoids for about $15 that with a little work will fit.

11. I’d recommend upgrading from the existing battery cables to at least 6 gauge welding cables.
They are available in two colors(RED and BLACK) have more flexibility due to being constructed with finer conductors, and will fit in tighter areas.

12. The welding cable is sold by the foot,so take careful measurements or bring your old cables along. Most battery shops might be able to supply the cable too, so call to find out. The battery shop should be able to crimp/swage on the end of the welding cable the terminal ends or lugs using either a dedicated crimping machine or a tool that looks like a bolt cutter that has special dies to terminate the cable.
__________________________________________________________

Over Running Starter Clutch Repair On the Older, Bigger 4’S

1. When preparing to repair the starter over running clutch have a few items on hand:

A. New alternator cover gasket.
B. New springs (3).
C. New spring caps (3).
D. New rollers (3).

2. If possible, put the motorcycle on the center stand and tilt to the right to reduce the oil volume in the alternator cover.

3. Place an oil catch pan under the left side of the engine to collect what small amount of oil that will escape when the alternator cover is removed.

4. Remove the foot shifter lever, left foot peg assembly and the sprocket cover.

5. Some Kawasaki’s have socket head cap screws(Allen type) and others may have fasteners with a Phillips type. If the latter is there, a # 3 bit seems to work the best for removal.

6. Remove the alternator cover and take care with the three wires coming from the alternator stator. These are the voltage supply wires for the motorcycle. Rest the cover on some newspaper or rags to prevent damage.

7. The magnetic Rotor or flywheel will probably require a removal bolt or puller. NOTE, SOME ENGINES HAVE LEFT HAND THREADS ON THE ROTOR!!


8. The over running clutch is bolted to the back of the rotor with three Allen head fasteners.

9. Separate the rotor from the over running clutch and inspect for damage in the springs, rollers, and spring caps. Replace any worn parts.

10. Re-assemble in reverse order taking care when re-installing the Alternator cover not to pinch any wires. If the cover will not re-install without force, check before any damage occurs.

__________________________________________________________

Fuse And Fuse Holder Designations

1. The older Kawasaki’s use a glass tubed fuse with the designation of AGX 1” long. Most good auto parts stores can get them for you. They are ¼” in diameter.

2. The more common AGC is 1 ¼” long and may not fit the smaller fuse clips. Again, ¼” in diameter.

3. To clean and polish the fuse clips, I use a cotton swab(Q- Tip) and some Brasso metal cleaner or Turtle Wax Chrome Polish. I suppose any good metal polish would work.

4. These fuses can fail internally but look good, only by removing them from the clip and electrically continuity checking with either a self powered test light, or a multimeter set on OHMS can they be determined to be in good shape.

5. A physical inspection of the metal end caps for tightness will tell you if the fuse is serviceable.

6. Most modern motorcycles are now using the automobile “Blade” style fuse with the designation of ATC or ATO.

7. The reduced sized “Mini” Blade style fuse holder uses the ATM size of fuses.

8. If the fuse and fuse holder overheat, it could soften or anneal the grip of the clip, it might require squeezing the clip to restore the tightness.

9. A list of where to purchase “Blade” style fuses and holders:
www.waytekwire.com
www.rallylights.com
www.delcity.net

that is what is so great about this site all the different types of expertise if you hand me a work order telling me about a charging system problem i'll find it and fast but try explaining it to some else i may as well be speaking chinese (by the way i don't) describing electrical is one of the things up here that i have the biggest problems with, it is a subject that is very theoretical in nature and a lot of people have a problem with something they can't touch taste see or feel unless they have done something wrong, guy's like you have a real knack and you and loudvhx and OMR should be congradulated on how easy it comes and how well you decribe and allow even the most electricly challenged amongst us to be able to at least work on our own bikes with confidence and you never tire of explaining thank you very much and a job well done.

My experiances come from first being an enlisted man in the USAF troubleshooting aircraft weapons release systems (1966-1974)on the F-105 B,D,&F Thunderchief and the F-4 C,D,& E Phantom II.

Later I worked at an electronic company building large electrical power back up systems in San Diego Ca.(1974-1983).

I then got a job first building test equipment and cables for General Dynamics/Convair on the BGM-109 Tomahawk Ground Launched Cruise Missile(GLCM) and then more test equipment for the AGM-129 Advanced Cruise Missile (ACM)

I moved to the construction of the Transporter Erector Launcher(TEL) of the GLCM requiring drilling,riveting and the use of sealants and adhesives.

I can do Mil-Spec soldering,and electrical troubleshooting on most electrical items.

I didn't see any where that you checked the H20 level. For some reason these little motorcycle batteries boil off H20 quite rapidly. The level needs to be checked monthly if not weekly. If the H20 level is low, charge it all you want, it won't hold a charge.