Alternator

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U_h0rnet5
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Alternator

Post by U_h0rnet5 »

Sorry guys just a quick one, does anyone have any pics of a good and/or alternator? What should the winding inside look like?

just need to check to see if mine are alright as I think there is something wrong with the bike :smt010

Cheers

Ciaran
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Re: Alternator

Post by banner001 »

if you have a multimeter you can check the alternator pretty easily...and as it only does one job...

set it to AC, run bike to 4k rpm and test all the 3 wires coming from it between themselfs, voltage should be over 45V.
UK ZXR400 L3 (1993) - Fully restored and on the roads, my green beast!
JPN ZXR250 A2 (1990) - Revs to 19,200rpm... 'nuff said :smt003
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Re: Alternator

Post by U_h0rnet5 »

Sweet, borrowed my mates on and will be doing that on both bikes as they appear to have the same problems

Ciaran
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Re: Alternator

Post by U_h0rnet5 »

Is that the combined voltage from each connector? or should each one be 45?

Ciaran
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Re: Alternator

Post by U_h0rnet5 »

Right, I got 3 readings

20
21.4
10

What does that mean?

Ciaran
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Re: Alternator

Post by banner001 »

U_h0rnet5 wrote:Right, I got 3 readings

20
21.4
10

What does that mean?

Ciaran
sorry to clarify, you have 3 wires coming from the alternator, call them 1,2 and 3, teat AC voltage between 1-2, then 1-3, then 2-3...this is probably what you have done...if thats correct, and these are your readings then your alternator is fecked.

might be possible to repair it...but the usual thing is to replace it.

the AC voltage of all those AC readings should be ~45V each.
UK ZXR400 L3 (1993) - Fully restored and on the roads, my green beast!
JPN ZXR250 A2 (1990) - Revs to 19,200rpm... 'nuff said :smt003
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Re: Alternator

Post by U_h0rnet5 »

Yep that is right, :smt013 brilliant just my luck, that is probably what is also wrong with the other bike I would imagine!

How would you go about repairing it or is it just better to buy another one? Could I buy some new windings and just change them?

Ciaran
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Re: Alternator

Post by banner001 »

U_h0rnet5 wrote:Yep that is right, :smt013 brilliant just my luck, that is probably what is also wrong with the other bike I would imagine!

How would you go about repairing it or is it just better to buy another one? Could I buy some new windings and just change them?

Ciaran
sorry bud, not a clue about repair, there are a few alternators on ebay for reasonable money though...
UK ZXR400 L3 (1993) - Fully restored and on the roads, my green beast!
JPN ZXR250 A2 (1990) - Revs to 19,200rpm... 'nuff said :smt003
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Re: Alternator

Post by parby81 »

Ciaran, just buy new windings. They are not that expensive, bout £50 pattern part if memory serves> if you are phoning up make sure it is just the windings you are buying not the Magnet that is turns inside them. Easy peasy to change.
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Re: Alternator

Post by U_h0rnet5 »

Cheers parby, that is what I thought. Lucky enough I have 3 of the damn bike sitting in my garage lol

Ciaran

On anothe note and I know this is not the right place to ask but do you know how to get the bike back on the road if it is a Cat C?
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Re: Alternator

Post by banner001 »

U_h0rnet5 wrote:Cheers parby, that is what I thought. Lucky enough I have 3 of the damn bike sitting in my garage lol

Ciaran

On anothe note and I know this is not the right place to ask but do you know how to get the bike back on the road if it is a Cat C?
think it has to be inspected by the DVLA for roadworthyness?
UK ZXR400 L3 (1993) - Fully restored and on the roads, my green beast!
JPN ZXR250 A2 (1990) - Revs to 19,200rpm... 'nuff said :smt003
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Re: Alternator

Post by U_h0rnet5 »

Cool well I will get onto the phone to them.

Just going back to the bikes' alternator problem. My other bike has pretty much the same problems it cuts out while riding along and its as if the battery life has been sucked away. Testing the alternator on this one it came out wait for it ...

43
43
43

Now I am guessing that is completely gone???

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Re: Alternator

Post by banner001 »

U_h0rnet5 wrote:Cool well I will get onto the phone to them.

Just going back to the bikes' alternator problem. My other bike has pretty much the same problems it cuts out while riding along and its as if the battery life has been sucked away. Testing the alternator on this one it came out wait for it ...

43
43
43

Now I am guessing that is completely gone???

Ciaran
43V AC is what it should be if its OK, if your alternator is fine, but your battery/bike still dies, then its probably the reg/rec...a common electrical problem with these bikes. you can test the battery voltage in DC when the bike is doing 4k RPM, i think of the top of my head it should be around 14V? if your reg/rec is going it might either be ~12V or >17V...but it wont be ~14V
UK ZXR400 L3 (1993) - Fully restored and on the roads, my green beast!
JPN ZXR250 A2 (1990) - Revs to 19,200rpm... 'nuff said :smt003
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Re: Alternator

Post by U_h0rnet5 »

Would any of these cutting out signs point to a head gasket problem? As I have just noticed there is a cloudy substance in the oil view window. To my knowledge that means there is coolant/water getting mixed with the oil!

Also tested the battery running and it came out 11.2


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Re: Alternator

Post by banner001 »

thats very low...it should be 12.6V fully charged.

get it on a charger overnight, check the voltage in the morning, then put back in bike, rev to 4K and see if the voltage goes up towards the 14.6V mark...if not, and your alternator is fine, its definitely the reg/rec...about £60 on ebay.

you said you had another bike? consider swapping the two reg/rec's and see if you can make 1 working bike maybe?

as for the cloudy oil in the window, thats just due to small amounts of moisture inside the engine, if ALL your oil looks like cappucino foam, then you have a problem :D

go for a bit of a hard blast...that cloudyness will go if its bothering you :D
UK ZXR400 L3 (1993) - Fully restored and on the roads, my green beast!
JPN ZXR250 A2 (1990) - Revs to 19,200rpm... 'nuff said :smt003
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