Archived Posts

[Admin]

My '76 GT550 hasn't been charging the battery. I did some of the checks in the manual and I think the regulator is okay. There's infinite resistance between one slip ring and ground but only ~40 ohms between the other slip ring and ground. I think it's charging a bit at higher revs. Opinions welcome!

thanks

[Admin]

if you disconnect the regulator you should find power at the orange wire in the main harness (with the key on). if there is power at the orange wire then start the bike, take a jumper wire and bridge the orange and green wire (only long enough to check the voltage). this full fields the alternator and voltage should increase. let us know what you find.

[Admin]

Thanks - so green powers the field? I'll try this in the morning.

[Admin]

Hang on a second, im wondering if that pump is the same as the A100 pump or similiar to it.
Some of those style of pumps had issues in their older age with the slide piston sticking in the bore, sometimes it would be full off or full on when stuck causing the drive pin to get tight when turned it manually.
Its best you remove the pumps end cover(s) and see if the slide piston is moving freely in the pump bore.
If its not sliding freely carefully push it out and pass some 600 paper through the bore turning it with oil applied, then clean and retry the piston.
It must move freely with no shake so check this situation as well.
The check valves are another reason for concern and as you found out can make a start-up smoke screen if stuck open.

[Admin]

Paul theres this M/C photo you were going to send me,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

[Admin]

Thats interesting, the only bikes i know carrying drilled pistons from that period were motocross ones using two or three vertically drilled holes to cool the narrow central exhaust port web.
Even so the shop manual described a feature with this being a concave web face to stop intrusion into the bore diameter when it expanded.

[Admin]

if you disconnect the regulator you should find power at the orange wire in the main harness (with the key on). if there is power at the orange wire then start the bike, take a jumper wire and bridge the orange and green wire (only long enough to check the voltage). this full fields the alternator and voltage should increase. let us know what you find.

No difference - I think this means that the regulator is okay but the field may be open or partially open? (There was only about 10 V at the orange wire using the probe on my DVM but I'm assuming that this would normally cause voltage to be higher than optimal. Then again it could have been a poor contact.) I've cleaned the sliprings/brush area.

Anything else I could try?

thanks

[Admin]

What kind of shift mechanism does the bike have, is it the shifter drum with pins and a shift arm above it or is it the one with the spring loaded pawls in the shift drum end.
Suzuki started the design change on some bikes in the mid 70s

[Admin]

What kind of shift mechanism does the bike have, is it the shifter drum with pins and a shift arm above it or is it the one with the spring loaded pawls in the shift drum end.
Suzuki started the design change on some bikes in the mid 70s

[Admin]

What kind of shift mechanism does the bike have, is it the shifter drum with pins and a shift arm above it or is it the one with the spring loaded pawls in the shift drum end.
Suzuki started the design change on some bikes in the mid 70s

[Admin]

What kind of shift mechanism does the bike have, is it the shifter drum with pins and a shift arm above it or is it the one with the spring loaded pawls in the shift drum end.
Suzuki started the design change on some bikes in the mid 70s

[Admin]

What kind of shift mechanism does the bike have, is it the shifter drum with pins and a shift arm above it or is it the one with the spring loaded pawls in the shift drum end.
Suzuki started the design change on some bikes in the mid 70s

[Admin]

Allan,
I don't know what you have been drinking, but you need to share with the rest of us. :^)

Kevin

[Admin]

Allan,
I don't know what you have been drinking, but you need to share with the rest of us. :^)

Kevin

[Admin]

That was Allan stuttering or was that an echo..