[scharfg]

Hi there I have a '09 Wee with about 13 000 mile on it.

This May I went to leave BC Canada on a 2 week trip to New Mexico and I found out that my wiring harness was cooked. Well had to change bikes to continue on the ride while the Wee was fixed (always good to have a back up bike!).

Well $1200 bucks later I have a new wiring harness installed and I thought all was good (ie: the bike shop sent me on my way without any concerns).

I rode the bike to Spokane from Kamloops and back to have some tires installed and all was good. I went on three more day trips and everything was good.

I was doing my last multi day ride of the season just this weekend (we get snow in a month) and all was good until the second day of my 4 day ride. I was in a remote area and I turned my bike off to take a photo, then it would not start (barely got a click click). So I bummed started the bike and rode it about an hour to a small town. I left it running while I called some friends to get some mechanical advice. After I made my 5th phone call (no one was home given the long weekend), the bike stalled and as it was in a flat parking lot I could not bum start it, when I turned the key not even the neutral light would come on, the battery was exhausted.

So am I right to think that the alternator is pooched (ie: my battery won't charge)?

Could this be related to my wiring harness cooking event....?

What should I expect the bill to be if it is my alternator?

Would my stator or any other part of the bike be negatively effected as a result of this....? (ie: is there anything else I should be worried about?)

Should the bike shop who repaired the harness have tested the electrical system/said something about future problems....?

Thanks for helping this newb out!

 

[SittingDuck]

Your stator is part of your alternator.

I'd worry about something being incorrectly plugged in on the new harness and having wiggled itself loose.

It seems like your bike was running on battery only for the last little bit.
I'd first suspect the connections at the rectifier, and then do a check on the stator... Bad rectifiers have been known to fry stators and vice-versa, but you don't need to look that far into it at this point...

Yes, the shop that reeplaced your harness tested the electrical system, so did you since you rode the bike for many miles since...

Something has wiggled loose and while it might be the magnets on your rotor, I'd look at the connectors on your wiring harness.

There's also a specific way to run the wiring harness to the tail of the bike; I think Suzuki had a recall about that. Someone else might be better able to elaborate, but it seems like the old way of routing them would cause them to short out on the frame or something. Maybe your shop routed your new harness the old way...

 

[scharfg]

Thank you Sitting Duck for the advice I will pass it along to my "certified" Suzuki shop.....

 

[AppGap]

What caused the initial wiring harness to be "cooked" would be where I would begin looking but more than anything else.....but for the current problem how about as simple as a bad battery?

 

[kick]

What caused the initial wiring harness to be "cooked" would be where I would begin looking but more than anything else.....but for the current problem how about as simple as a bad battery?

Agreed. Start with the simple stuff. Getting a battery tested should be easy. Testing charging output is easy as well with a $10 multi-meter.

 

[kenneth_moore]

What caused the initial wiring harness to be "cooked" ...

I'm wondering that too. Did the shop tell you why such a new bike blew up it's harness? Or was it one of those "oh shit" moments like when my friend plugged her electric scooter into 110vac instead of it's 12vdc charger?

 

[scharfg]

No idea why the dang wiring harness went.

I spoke to the service manager and I told him what the other service dude said (ie: the shop may have sent it away to Suzuki for diagnosis) he said he was not aware that happened (yeup that's a Stealer for ya).

Anyhoos they diagnosed the problem as a dysfunctional stator, which will cost $325 CND plus 1-2hrs labour (really.....?). They have to order it from Ontario (I'm on the opposite coast) so its going to take a week plus installation! So no ride for me this weekend and its the best weather we've had all summer (seriously!).

Service dude said he's never seen this before in a newish Wee. When asked if it could be related to the wiring harness issue he said there is no way to tell, just back luck.

Here's hopin that's the last of my issues for many many years!

Thanks again for all you advice.

 

[SittingDuck]

Any shop that rebuilds electric motors or alternators can re-wind yours for 50$ or less...
Ask your dealer to send your magneto cover/stator out to one of those shops and have it done locally rather than spending the big bux on the zooki item.
I don't know about installing these in a Strom, but two hours seems a bit long; I've owned many 80's Suzuki GS bikes (and even rewound my stator myself one time). With proper training and experience, my wife could install one in about 25 minutes.

 

[Scott E. Bonds]

When I was wrenching for money we would have a minimum charge of 1 hour. Period.

Remember, they have to write up service order. They have to get it from storage and put it on a lift. They may need some thinking time to diagnose. They order parts. They wait for parts. It may well go back into storage and be put on lift again.

It is just not the actual time to turn the screws.

MAKE SENSE? I am cheap also, but fully expect 1 hour to do most anything.

 

[Yak]

Guy, give Thompson Valley Rewind a call and see if they can do what Duck is suggesting. some don't like doing bike stuff. They are in Valleyview, near the Suk dealer (on Valleyview Drive).

 

[scharfg]

Yeah the up to 2hr labour quote included the labour to diagnose the problem as well.

Hey Yak (Doug) and Duck thanks for the suggestion abuot rewinding the stator I had no idea they could be "salvaged" that way.

I'll give them a call, although Zuk has already ordered the Stator so I don't think they'd be too happy and I'm afraid I may have to use them in the future :0(

Won't hurt to try eh even if they have to charge me a re-stocking fee $50 versus $325 is a big difference!

Thanks folks.

 

[novascotia]

stator and rectifier from canada

Hey I just had a stator and rectifier installed . You can get a stator for a vee for 130 and 2-3 day ups shipping for 35.....much better than from the stealership....

 

[scharfg]

Hey novascotia, that's good to hear. Where was your low priced source from...?

I left a message for Thompson Valley Rewind, they don't open till Monday.

 

[parts_guy]

I know it's too late to help you at this point but I was just checking one of my distributors for aftermarket stators and they do have a listing for the Wee. I get this brand at our shop and and have always been happy with them. The Motovan catalogue shows them fitting 02-07 but when you go to the manufacturers site it says 02 to present. They also are supposed to put out more power then the stock unit.

Here's a link to the site. Buy New Stator Suzuki DL650 V-Strom 2002-UP

Motovan's suggested retail for them is $142.99 I believe. Your local shop may be able to knock a little off that as well.

If there is ever a next time at least you have an option.

 

[scharfg]

Update:

Spoke to the dealer today and the mechanic installing the new stator said he spoke to the mechanic who replaced my wiring harness and I had a problem in the grounding circuit which caused the harness meltdown and most likely accellerated the death of my stator.

The rewind place never called me back so I guess they don't do motorcycle stators, so $325 to the Stealer.....

Thanks again folks.