charge issue after valve adj

[b1pig]

so, i FINALLY had some time a couple of weeks ago to (properly) adjust the valves on the wife's GZ. in order to get the "special tool" onto the adjusters, i had to disconnect the wires that run along the backbone of the bike. after i got it all done, everything seemed fine.

i'm only guessing at this point because i have not had a chance to troubleshoot the issue... but NOW... while the engine runs fine, its NOT charging. however... when i turn the TURN SIGNALS on, the dang thing charges... with the flash of the turn signals! :shocked:

so, as the engine is idling, my multimeter registers a draw... voltage is around 8-9v. activate the turn signals, and the voltage shoots back and forth from 8-ish to 12-ish. something else i wish i had time to fool with.....

[Water Warrior 2]

The GZ likely does not charge at idle. Put the meter back on and try with the rpm increased.

[alantf]

Yes, test the charge at 3000 - 4000 rev/min. It won't charge at idle. However.......... The charge that occurs with the pulse of the indicators doesn't make sense. :??:

[b1pig]

the bike should still have ~12v at idle. always has in the past. PEAK charge at highway rpm, yes...
i've had my multimeter on the bike before and always had 12v (+/-) at idle, so its more than just the speed the engine is running at.

the bike won't MAKE peak rpm due to the miss from the electrical draw. confirm that with the turn signal thing issue. try to rev the engine up, and it hangs at about 2,000rpm and misses. hit the turn signals, and the voltage jumps to normal 12v(+) in synch with the flash with the turn signals. also in synch with the turn signal flash, the engine rpm surges and miss disappears. this might sound stupid, but... imagine the engine running like this....

BBBBBB (good ignition... turn sig flash-on) .... duhh duhh duhh duhh (missing, turn sig off)

BBBBBB duhh duhh duhh duh BBBBBB duhh duhh duhh duh BBBBBBB
headlight beam strength also increases to normal in synch with turn signal flash and in synch with "good" ingition.




something is drawing current and has since killed the battery. just irritates me because this wasn't an issue until i pulled it apart to adjust the valves. i'm fairly sure that it has to be something to do with me pulling the wiring harness plugs apart... maybe pushing a pin back (or bending it) is causing the problem. i just don't know for sure right now. i haven't had the time to dig into it. i have a car torn apart in my garage.... so that takes priority.

so, it registers to me as a ground fault... and likely a pin issue with one of the plugs. i know ground faults do funky things with electrical systems. this is just an oddball effect i've never seen.

[Water Warrior 2]

Stranger than fiction. Does sound like a ground fault as you have suggested. You just have to go over all the connections you had apart.

[alantf]

Originally Posted by Water Warrior

Stranger than fiction. Does sound like a ground fault as you have suggested. You just have to go over all the connections you had apart.

:plus1: