It’s my turn for electrical issues. Over the last several weeks, I’ve noticed a problem with flickering lights (Headlight/driving lights and speedo/tacho) that has gotten worse. Researching various threads on that, my best guess is I’ve either got a problem with my regulator/rectifier or my stator.
Complicating matters, my sidestand switch has been acting up also. With the sidestand down and choke pulled for fast idle, the engine has been cutting out and recovering in a roughly 1 second cycle. With no choke/slow idle, I have no problem. If I put the side stand up, I have no problem. Cracking the throttle with no choke and the sidestand down will trigger the cutout. I have been ignoring this because if the sidestand is up, I have no problem.
Further complicating matters, I relocated my battery. I pushed things around and may have screwed something up then. Yesterday, when moving components around so I could get to the battery for some readings, I see that the diode appears to have melted at the tip. Maybe where I had pushed up against, vibrations or friction caused a ground? Not really sure, but the tip appears to have melted a bit.
The voltage readings I got at the battery (new in 2010) when the bike was running, seemed low.
Ignition off 12.3
Ignition/lights on 11.8
Started, Idle 12.4
Rev till lights flutter varies. 12.0-12.4
Turn off ignition slight spike to 12.7 then drop to 12.3
If I turn off my running lights, each of the voltage levels when running rise @ a half volt.
I tried the following for troubleshooting
1) Removed, checked all fuses for corrosion and reseated
2) Checked/tightened battery terminals.
3) Cleaned reattached main engine ground
4) Re seated all connections in headlight bucket
I ordered a sidestand switch and a R/R from pinwall. They will get here Tuesday. They did not have a diode for an 05 America, so I will try to get that from the dealer tomorrow. I am really hoping that one of these 3 is the problem and the issue is not the stator. I looked at the manual, and that really looks to be a pain to replace.
