Triumphrat

jamierenner · 06-04-2009, 12:01 AM

Hello! I recently purchased my first bike...2001 Triumph Adventurer with just shy of 17,000 miles on it.
I had the 18,000 mile service done at a dealer a few weeks ago. Afterwards I noticed a hesitation between 2,000 and 2,500 rpm. It started getting progressively worse until I was riding it home from work last Friday when a spark plug came completely out. I think it was loose from when they put the new plugs in...plus one didn't have the top cap on it...just the theaded stud so it couldn't have been making a good connection.

So...took the bike back to the dealer and they charged me to "fix the threads." I drove home from the dealer and made a stop at the store...went out to start the bike and it was DEAD. I got a jump. I made it about 5 miles through town and the bike died...battery totally dead. Had my wife come jump me and had to jump it three times to make it back up to the dealer.

The dealer tells me I have a bad battery and that it was a marine battery which was the wrong type for the bike. (The battery was supposed to have been checked out on the 18K mile service I had them do and they didn't mention it then.) AND, they said the charging system wasn't working. A couple days later they called me back and said the alternator was bad and they could replace it for $1,300! I told them I would pick the bike up...which is what I did tonight. I did keep the new battery they put in.

This is just too many coindcidences. I was fooling around with it after I got it home and noticed the instrument panel lights were out...checked the fuses, and a fuse was blown. Put a fuse in, blew again. I took the light bulbs out of the instruments because I did replace two blown bulbs with new ones that were slightly higher wattage a few weeks ago. Started the bike up and ran it for about half an hour just idling and the battery never hinted at going down...stopped it and it restarted fine. Was going to drive it around the plat a little, got on the bike, put on the brakes and the fuse blew again. This time I noticed right when the fuse blew the engine started to idle slightly faster. Another fuse in, got on the bike, brakes, blew the fuse again and again noticed the engine idle speed pick up a bit. It is a 10 amp fuse. I put a 15 in and it blew, then put a 30 in (yes I watched everything real close.). It didn't blow but it did make the main fuse blow which is also a 30 amp fuse.

SO....I'm thinking maybe the alternator isn't bad and that there is something else wrong with the wiring or another electrical component. Problem is, I don't trust my dealer to figure it out. I rode the bike with no issues for several weeks before having it "serviced."

Suggestions????

BRG-BIRD · 06-04-2009, 01:16 AM

If you put on the brakes and the fuse blows I would start with that circuit, possibly a shorted wire that is raising all kinds of heck..

I'm no tech but that is where I would start. Be carful putting higher amp fuses in as that can create more of a mess.

lovecuba · 06-04-2009, 01:35 AM

Needs doing over just like the song says. He makes a pusher look good!

Take your bike to a good Auto Electrician, bikes are generally no different from cars when it comes to fault finding and troubleshooting. They will have the necessary gear to check your charging system and various circuts.

Never, ever put a higher value fuse into a circut, especially one that is blowing fuses. You will pay big bucks at the end of the day through this practice.

DEcosse · 06-04-2009, 02:07 AM

The first thing I would do is check the voltage coming out of the alternator (just check the voltage across the battery terminals)

Check this voltage both at idle and higher rpm, say 4-5K rpm.

It is conceivable that the regulator in your alternator is damaged and it is putting out a LOT more than 14V.

That is speculative of course, but very odd that you have random bulbs and fuses blowing.
The running faster is also possibly explained by that - any lamps will give you some form of regulation, simply by loading the output - when those loads are no longer there, the voltage will rise even higher.

It IS possible to purchase a replacement rectifier &/or regulator for your alternator - OEM they are expensive! (still cheaper than a whole alternator)

Contact Ricks MotorSport Electrics and see if they have replacement components available for that alternator.*

ElectrexWorld in the UK does a replacement Regulator that fits most Triumphs of that type Alternator and I would imagine Rick's would also have that part.

But first just check out the voltage & see what it's doing - you can't assume that just because bike runs, all is well!

Quote:

Originally Posted by lovecuba

... Never, ever put a higher value fuse into a circut, especially one that is blowing fuses. ....

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* I think these may be the parts - CHECK WITH THEM HOWEVER

Rectifier

Regulator

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jamierenner · 06-04-2009, 06:43 AM

Many thanks for all the feedback and ideas! I will start checking these things tonight.

cafetbird · 06-04-2009, 07:19 AM

If you want to test the alternator function, just remove the positive lead from the battery while the bike is running, and see if it keeps going....

ssevy · 06-04-2009, 11:24 AM

When I replaced my instrument bulbs with LEDs a few weeks ago, I also blew some fuses. The design of the base of these bulbs make for a difficult installation without mucking up the rubber socket where they go, and if the wraparound wire on the base of the bulbs gets shifted, it can create a short which will blow the fuse. Any changes which you have done to any electrical component can create a problem, and some fuses are shared by other circuits, which means seemingly unrelated problems can occur. Any good mechanic with a wiring diagram and some time can sort this out for you. Needless to say, it won't be the peckerheads who did your 18,000 mile service.

DEcosse · 06-04-2009, 12:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cafetbird

If you want to test the alternator function, just remove the positive lead from the battery while the bike is running, and see if it keeps going....

Respectfully, that can give go/no-go but not going to tell much about whether the regulator is functioning properly - it does appear that the alternator is putting out 'something', my fear is that it may be putting out too high a voltage.

What is the battery voltage when bike is not running and will it blow the fuse when you apply the brake light with only ignition on (engine not running)?

If you can blow fuses with just battery power, then need to fix whatever fundamental electrical circuit issues that are causing that.
ONLY when you have all functions working normally under battery power, then turn your attention to the alternator to see what it is imparting on the system that changes things.

jamierenner · 06-04-2009, 09:30 PM

OK...here are my initial findings from doing some of what you all have suggested.
1. IF the 10 amp fuse (no 2 position for instrument panel, tail light) IS NOT blown and I take the positive cable off the battery while running the engine continues to run fine...at least at idle.

2. IF the 10 amp fuse IS blown and I remove the positive cable from the battery while the engine is running it immediately dies.

3. I can't seem to get the 10 amp fuse to blow with the engine NOT running.

4. With the engine running at idle I can't get the 10 amp fuse to blow...even with the repeated application of the brake.

5. When I rev the engine even briefly it blows the 10 amp fuse.

DEcosse · 06-04-2009, 10:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DEcosse

The first thing I would do is check the voltage coming out of the alternator (just check the volatge across the battery terminals)

Check this voltage both at idle and higher rpm, say 4-5K rpm.

It is conceivable that the regulator in your alternator is damaged and it is putting out a LOT more than 14V.

Quote:

Originally Posted by DEcosse

Respectfully, that can give go/no-go but not going to tell much about whether the regulator is functioning properly - it does appear that the alternator is putting out 'something', my fear is that it may be putting out too high a voltage......

Quote:

Originally Posted by jamierenner

....
5. When I rev the engine even briefly it blows the 10 amp fuse.

Pleeeeeaaaaase measure the voltage for me .................

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