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Okay, I think I'm starting to understand. I tried the tests across the three yellow leads from the stator (two at a time on the voltmeter set to AC Volts) and got still 0.1, 0.2 etc. Then I plugged the stator into the regulator/rectifier and tried the same thing and got readings this time. Maybe the circuit had to be complete. Anyhow, at idle I got nothing with one combo of two yellow lines, and 6 V on the other two...when revving, I got 2 on the one that was previously none, and about 12 on the others. So, that's still nowhere near where it should be, but explains why when revving, I do get some higher voltage across the battery than when it's just sitting (12.5 V).

So, I think this explains why it would charge during higher rpms, but not lower. It is getting some, but not enough at lower speeds.

Could you explain the ammeter test a little more? I'm thinking I could try that once I get the new stator hooked up to make sure I've really fixed it (and be sure that the rectifier is good too).

Alright, guys. I'm thoroughly confused. I got a new stator and installed it. I was doing the first test, which was voltage across the battery while revving the engine. At 2500 rpm, I was right above 13.5 V. At 5000 rpm, I was getting to 14 V. Back down to 2500 rpm and still at 13.5 V...back up to 5000 rpm and...11.5 V? What the "fudge"? Then suddenly all of my readings are at 11.5, no matter the rpm.

So then I do the AC Voltage tests across the three yellow leads. Basically 0.2 V on all three combos.

Did I get a bad stator? Did I hook it up wrong? I wasn't entirely sure about which of the white and black lines to connect to which brush, but I did the same as it was before. I've now tried both ways to the same effect. One way (the opposite of how the old stator was connected) passed the yellow leads to engine case test, while the original way didn't. How can I be sure which way it goes? My Clymer manual doesn't say and I had no documentation with the stator.

Any ideas? I'm getting frustrated, but I don't have the money to just drop it off at the shop and let them fix it.

Just wanted to follow up and say that I did some more tests today after charging the battery over night. When first going, things seem great and as I rev up past 2500 rpm, the voltage across the battery gets to 13.5 and keeps raising, but around 3000 rpm, it suddenly drops and starts going down. Then, regardless of the rpm, the battery just starts to lose it's charge fairly quickly...getting down to 6 V after a couple of minutes at idle.

This was a new battery, but now I'm wondering if the battery has been killed.

Again, testing the stator voltages, I get only a max of about 10 V on each combo of yellow wires, so I'm thinking something has to be wrong with the new stator.

I would truly appreciate any advice before I go back to the people I bought the stator from and tell them it's bad.

Thanks for any info!

Branton

Well, I think I figured it out. I was getting really frustrated and feeling helpless, but started going over the whole system one piece at a time. I didn't think there was a specific way that the stator had to go into the housing, but (assuming it's right now) that is apparently the case. I was looking at my old stator and thinking about which direction the cables were coming out of it and realized that I had reversed it with the new one. This, I guess, explains why the voltage would suddenly drop off at higher rpms.

Anyhow, I'm now getting 13.5 = 14 Volts between 2000 and 5000 rpms, so I think I'm good. I do, however, still only get about 10-15 V across the yellow leads from the stator, which makes me wonder if there's still something wrong.

So, I guess I'll ride it for a while and watch it closely, but it's at least kept a charge on a 20 mile ride to school...rpms around 3000 most of the way.

Thanks everyone for the help! I'll let you know if it's still going good in a few days.

So are you going to be able to go riding next weekend?

oops

Well, actually I got stranded again. I tried about 10 roll starts, pushing up a hill and running down it before giving up and walking my battery to the place I bought it a couple miles away. The guy there gave me a loaner battery and when I drove it back there, we weren't even getting 12 V across the battery leads while revving to 5000 rpm. He let me keep the loaner battery so I can get it to the shop I bought the stator from in the morning, as it seems that it is bad.

While sitting there, I had two offers to buy the bike. That's about the 9th and 10th offers in the past week and I've hardly been able to ride the thing. I must be stubborn as all hell, because I didn't even give them a second's consideration. I love this bike. I just wish I could get it working reliably.