Your Thoughts Please

Uncle Phil

Uncle Phil

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ST1100 50,000 Mile Badge ST1100 100,000 Mile Badge ST1100 150,000 Mile Badge ST1100 150,000 Mile Badge
Joined
Feb 26, 2007
Messages
2,238
Age
73
Location
In The Holler West Of Nashville, Tennessee
Bike
3 ST1100(s)
2026 Miles
010814
I think I already know the painful answer, but what would cause less than 12 volts (11.68) showing across the battery terminals when the bike is running?
Headlights are off nothing else much on.
Tried a different battery with the same results.
IIRC, it is usually 14+- a few.
This is an 97 ABSII ST1100.
 
It’s got to be either the alternator or the integral regulator. Can you get a reading directly off of the alternator main terminal? If that shows good voltage the problem may be downstream. Bad ground, dirty connection somewhere, etc..
 
If it's the alternator (which I am supposing), I'd just about as soon swap engines as replace the alternator ...:think1:
It all started when the ABS system threw a 7 code.
Bad sensors can cause that so after I did the sensor test I checked the voltage across the battery.
The aggravating part is I just did the water pump/timing belt/ water heads/hoses on the bike. :mad:
 
How many miles on the alternator, brushes do wear out on high mileage, and your probably right might be quicker to pull the engine rather than the swing arm . Check wiring connections if you can get at them. Only had problems with the stators on my GL500i and CX650E which are a engine removal and take the back case off the engine. Thankfully haven't had to pull engine out of Lady yet. Hopefully it is a easy fix for you,G
 
149,000+ miles and what's interesting is I went back out there, fired her up and the voltage across the battery terminals was fine.
And the ABS lights went out like they are supposed to.
I rode it up and down the driveway a few times, cut it off, cut it on, and all was well.
Brought it back in the garage, put on all the bodywork, took it for another ride down the driveway and the ABS lights flashed again (code 7).
I figured if an alternator was failing, it would fail and stay 'failing', not revive and then quit.
It seems I never have the 'simple' problems ... :think1:
BTW, it already has the 'red wire bypass' done.
 
kiltman said:
For giggles, check the condition of the red connector on the main relay.
Click to expand...
I've pulled it out of the shop and put it back in the garage.
I've got a ride coming up next week and September/October I'm on the road a lot.
Before I yank the engine, I will check all the wiring from the alternator to the battery for 'suspects'.
If that turns up nothing, I'll probably try to find a low mileage engine and just do a swap.
I have a good alternator on hand so it's a shame you can't swap them out without pulling the swingarm.
 
Uncle Phil said:
I think I already know the painful answer, but what would cause less than 12 volts (11.68) showing across the battery terminals when the bike is running?
Headlights are off nothing else much on.
Tried a different battery with the same results.
IIRC, it is usually 14+- a few.
This is an 97 ABSII ST1100.
Click to expand...
My thoughts.....?


Maybe time for one of these?


The NT1100 Thread | Honda

One of us had to do it so here it is. A thread just for NT1100 stuff..... and whatever else we get sidetracked into. For starters the NT1100 is the direct descendant of the ST series and the sport tourer/touring bike todays market seems to want. Lighter, more legroom, more upright and yes it...
www.st-owners.com www.st-owners.com
 
MidLife said:
My thoughts.....?


Maybe time for one of these?


The NT1100 Thread | Honda

One of us had to do it so here it is. A thread just for NT1100 stuff..... and whatever else we get sidetracked into. For starters the NT1100 is the direct descendant of the ST series and the sport tourer/touring bike todays market seems to want. Lighter, more legroom, more upright and yes it...
www.st-owners.com www.st-owners.com
Click to expand...
Not yet - I still have 2 runners left! ;)
 
John OoSTerhuis said:
Huh? A 40amp to 40amp alt R&R swap has got to be easier than an engine… JMHO I’d help if I could.

John
Click to expand...
I was thinking the same thing.

I've removed an engine, and I've removed a swingarm, but since I was parting the bike out I didn't have to re-install either of them. From what I could tell about the disassembly process, the engine would be a lot more work to remove, and especially to get everything re-aligned to re-install. I removed the alternator after the engine was out of the frame though, so I'm not sure about how easily that can be removed with the engine still in the frame. Seemed like once the swingarm was out of the way the alternator could be pulled straight back off the engine.
 
Uncle Phil said:
BTW, it already has the 'red wire bypass' done
Click to expand...
I missed that bit when I answered the first time, however, the bypass has been known to fail.
I swapped out the alternator on my 97, when you do get the swing arm off, it’s a 5 minute job to swap the alternator out, the swing arm portion takes about 4 hours. I understand your reluctance to doing it as it is a PITA …….It was a good thing I did remove the swing arm on that bike as it did have some moisture in it. I was able to clean it up and check the U-joint and with a new boot, there was some peace of mind. ;)
 
What makes removing/reinstalling the swing arm such a PITA?
I've swapped rear 'chunks' before so I've been that deep into it.
This engine also has a oil leak that I cannot find (valve covers replaced, etc.).
I've already done two engine swaps so I know what that involves. ;)

BTW, this ST1100 has given me more trouble than the other 3 combined.
I've already had to replace the oil pump and the water pump before it reached 140,000 miles.
And now I am looking at the alternator.
I think this must have been a "Friday" engine ... :biggrin:
 
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Uncle Phil said:
What makes removing/reinstalling the swing arm such a PITA?
Click to expand...
For me it was getting the rubber boot on and installing a new rubber boot, making sure I installed the drive shaft correctly and torquing the swing arm, I had the castle nut tool but I found it a challenge.
In the end it’s just removing nuts and bolts and putting them back in the right order…. ;)
 
Just a thought, and I don't know if a motorcycle is the same way. A car alternator requires a signal wire to activate the alternator. If I remember correctly it is variable based on what the battery and load are at, it is somewhere between 6-10 volts so the alternator can output the correct load.

We learned this the hard way changing out a friend's instrument cluster and deciding we would hook up the voltage gauge later (absolutely no alternator output without that "signal"). Of course, my friend didn't want to dig back into the dash cluster so he just wired it directly to 12 volts, he would burn up an alternator every other month since they were always at max output.

Hope you find the problem without an engine change. :roflmao:
Ryan
 
kiltman said:
For me it was getting the rubber boot on and installing a new rubber boot, making sure I installed the drive shaft correctly and torquing the swing arm, I had the castle nut tool but I found it a challenge.
In the end it’s just removing nuts and bolts and putting them back in the right order…. ;)
Click to expand...
I think my concern is after all I've already done to this engine, what is going south after I go to the trouble of replacing the alternator.
If I install a low mileage engine maybe my fortune with this bike will change! ;)
 
I have found if a vehicle gives me three problems in a year it's time to get rid of it, not counting regular maintenance.
 
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