83 KZ550 quit charging

I am getting my 83 KZ550 running in preparation to putting it on the road and ridding this amazing bike. Just after I synced the carbs I decided to check lights, turn signals and charging health. Ok that didn't go well. Not charging so I started tracing wires and came to the 6 pin white stator/regulator connector. Didn't look bad from the outside but when trying to un-mate the connector the white/red wire popped off! That is the 12v regulated to the battery for charging. The male connector completed disintegrated. Well about $6 and 2 days late and a new connector from Vintage Connections showed up in the male.

Connector from the outside. It doesn't look that bad:

IMG_1534 by John Dvorchak , on Flickr

But look at this!:

IMG_1532 by John Dvorchak , on Flickr

I guess the moral of this story is don't just look at the outside. Every year or so take the electrical connectors apart and clean them with Electrical Contact cleaner and a little Dialectic grease won't hurt either.

Dielectric grease is not conductive. If it wicks into the metal contact area, it can cause overheating on the contacts. This is the type of problem a relay can bypass and mask for awhile. But the problem doesn't go away, it just gets worse slowly.

Nice job finding the problem. Hope it all goes together nicely.

That connector gets particularly dirty because of the rear wheel & chain.
When I replaced my voltage regulator, Same as you, I installed a new connector & also a large connector cover from cycleterminal.com. the old connector crumbled.

It went together nicely and I defy you to tell it from OEM. I really like the Vintage Connections stuff and Del's service. The Dielectric grease is only used on the outside of the connector to help protect where the wires go into the plug housing. I did not put dielectric grease on these connectors but when I mentioned it's use, I was thinking about the sliding parts of the connector for lubrication and some weather proofing, I have used it on the mating sides of the connectors to make them easier to separate and/or keep from freeze together. Thinking more about the next guy who have to take that apart.....20 years from now!

Charging and running is fine. Now I'm working on fuel delivery. Petcock, new fuel lines, fuel filter and new vacuum hoses, etc.