Less charge at higher RPMs?

["Captain D"]

Hmmm, I wonder IF...
1) the stater button is intermittant (needs to be cleaned via rattlebars link)
2) the starter may have a loose disconnection that was cured when you "tapped it"...
3) another loose starter connection somewhere else
IF all else fails, bring over to the "operating table at Capt`n Ds...
Good Luck,
"D"

["Captain D"]

Originally Posted by markus1

Ok. So I've gone through the flowchart again. Properly this time I believe. The only thing that confuses me about it is that it keeps mentioning, for example, that you connect a lead to the Red output of RR (or red/white = kawasaki). Mine is an 88 honda shadow and has red/white. It also keeps saying connect to red output WIRE or in another part the negative output WIRE where mine has two red/white WIRES and two green negative WIRES. These of course match up with the wiring on the bike that they plug into.

Now for the results:
As far as I can tell, I believe all tests were good, which says it must be my battery. HOWEVER, on the stator test where it says the readings between all three wires should be equal at 5000 RPMs. All three readings went over 50 volts, but since my bike has no tach I have no idea where 5000 RPMs is, OR whether I am revving it to the same RPMs for each test.
Here's another thing. I let it warm up for a bit with choke and then idling before the test. Then I shut the bike off, tested the battery voltage and it was over 12.9 volts. However when i went to start it, a couple of presses of the start button it acted like the battery was very low (starter failed to turn over engine), but then started up. It did this to me at a gas station the other day. Bike had been running fine, I stop for beer at a station, go outside and the bike didnt want to turn over. hitting the start button a couple times got it to start up and I drove home.
I'm starting to wonder if the problem might be my starter? All the flowchart testing was good, aside from the one stator test that im not sure about. But, doesn't the fact that my battery seems to have good voltage after the bike runs for a bit sound like the battery is good?
Keep in mind that after it didn't want to start, but then did after a few tries at the gas station, I drove it home and its just been sitting for a week. Today the 1st press of button it turned over fine, then on second or third presses it didn't turn over, and then a couple more tries and it started up.
I'm wondering now how to test the starter, and if its going to be accurate if its so far an intermittent problem.

Use your ear!!!
I don`t have a tachometer either, but I can listen to the revs...
As long as you`re CLOSe to the same RPMs you should be fine...

[markus1]

Originally Posted by "Captain D"

Hmmm, I wonder IF...
1) the stater button is intermittant (needs to be cleaned via rattlebars link)
2) the starter may have a loose disconnection that was cured when you "tapped it"...
3) another loose starter connection somewhere else
IF all else fails, bring over to the "operating table at Capt`n Ds...
Good Luck,
"D"

Hi Captain D,
I'm not sure what rattlebars link is? I looked over the posts and didn't see that username, what am I missing there?
Next, I think tapping the starter was indeed coincedental. Another try resulted in several taps to the starter before it started. Then I tried without tapping and just holding the start button down gives the same result. If I just hold it, after 2 to 5 seconds it will turn over.
Last but not lease, what is the operating table?

[ncsabrekingz]

maybe you can check into that starter switch,clean contacts or something
wouldn't be crazy expensive if it needs to be replaced.

[markus1]

Sorry so long without an update, but I just had a chance to mess with this last week. I tried to look into cleaning the start switch contacts, but it appeared that the switch assembly is sealed and not meant to be taken apart. On top of that, it looks like the only
way to get the switch out of the control housing is to disconnect the throttle cables at the carburator so you can drop it enough to get the switch out.

Instead I tried spraying WD-40 around the shaft of the switch button, while pushing and releasing the switch. This "appears" to have worked somewhat. I still have the problem occasionally, but not near as bad as it was before.

However, I think this could possibly be another coincedence because yesterday another wiring issue reared its ugly head. I was heading down the road and noticed that my lightbar lights were on while sitting behind a pick up truck so I switched on the high beam (in an effort to ensure better charging by turning off the extra lights).

When I arrived at my destination, I noticed that all of my lights where off. I also noticed that the highbeam indicator light was out as well. As soon as I got home I checked the fuse for the headlamp, which was good. I pulled the side cover and wiggled the wiring, wiggled the wiring going to the control housing for light switch, even took it apart to see if there was any evident issues on the wiring going to the hi/low switch. I tugged on all the wiring coming from the headlight housing and basically any wiring I could touch to see if the lights would come on... all with no luck.

Now here is the kicker. After dark I went out, just for shits n giggles and turned the key on... and I have all headlights, and highbeam indicator light was on. If I didn't know better I would have thought the damn thing had a daylight sensor or something installed. I obviously know this isnt the case, for one its an older bike, secondly I have always had lights during the day.

Today, I fired it up to run to the store, and again I have no lights. I went through all the same procedures as before and again no luck getting lights. I just might **** myself if I go out after dark and have lights again tonight.

Can anyone give me any pointers on where in the wiring I should start looking? I checked the haynes manual looking for headlamp relay and could find no mention of it. Plus... they started working again which makes me think its a loose connection somewhere.

*Edit*
I also wanted to throw in that the turn signals, tail light, and brake light are all still working fine, this seems to be solely with the circuit going to headlamps. I mentioned the highbeam indicator light also going out with the headlamps in an effort to norrow down how "early" in the wiring the problem might be occuring.

[tcanthonyii]

I'm 90% sure its the starter button. Wiggle it a little bit.

Yes the starter switch is "sealed" but it comes apart pretty easily and goes back together just as easy. Check out Starter Button Maintenance on Valkyries

[markus1]

Originally Posted by tcanthonyii

I'm 90% sure its the starter button. Wiggle it a little bit.

Yes the starter switch is "sealed" but it comes apart pretty easily and goes back together just as easy. Check out Starter Button Maintenance on Valkyries

I'm not sure if I understand your answer fully. Are you saying this could also be the cause of my headlight problem, or only the issue of it not turning over
every time?

*Edit* never mind. I see where it says the headlamp is routed through the start switch to kill it while starting. I suspected maybe I caused this by spraying hte WD 40 into
the switch.

[tcanthonyii]

I don't think you caused it. The switches are notorious for going bad. Open it up and clean it out. It worked wonders on mine.Instead of replacing the spring I just streched it a bit when I had mine open. I did however eventually replace the whole switch and cover but that wasn't because of this issue. The wiring on the whole loom was f'd up. My bike has been a project to say the least...

[markus1]

Originally Posted by tcanthonyii

I don't think you caused it. The switches are notorious for going bad. Open it up and clean it out. It worked wonders on mine.Instead of replacing the spring I just streched it a bit when I had mine open. I did however eventually replace the whole switch and cover but that wasn't because of this issue. The wiring on the whole loom was f'd up. My bike has been a project to say the least...

Thanks for everyone's help. It was in fact the switch. The contacts weren't dirty, but the contacts on top of the push button part of the switch were wedged in the slot at an angle, preventing the spring from pushing the contacts up against the contacts in the housing.

I couldn't see how to get that part apart without breaking it, and I couldnt get the copper contact assembly to "un-wedge" so I could straighten it out, allowing the spring to push it up, so I just bent the two sides of the contacts up a little for now. I'm just going to buy a new one now that I know that's the problem.

The headlights are working again, and no more problems with starting. Thanks again to everyone that offered suggestions.

*Edit*
BTW guys, finally updated my signature to show the bike I've actually been talking about. I have removed the chrome "decals" on the sides of the tank that were
put on to cover up the damage to the paint when removing the Shadow stickers by the original owner. I plan to paint the tank and fenders (and maybe the covers in front of the tank) black, with a design on the sides of the tank matching the original wineberry red.

I'll upload pics once I get it done, I'm just waiting on my phat risers to come in so I wont have to worry about the cables rubbing the new paint job.