Alternator?? Not again!!!

[offcenter]

Two years ago I replaced the alternator in my '99 Wing with a high output unit from Lactrical.
On my vacation trip this week, with less than 20,000 miles on it, the damned alternator
went dead. There is oil around and in the alternator suggesting that the oil made it's way
past the shaft bearing seal.
Damn! That alternator should have lasted longer than than that...a LOT longer?
Can anyone suggest a different manufacturer for my next one?
Any other thoughts on the subject?

[CrystalPistol]

Take it to a generator/motor repair shop & let them clean it good & put brushes & new shaft seal in. Likely OK.

I had a Comp-U-Fire suffer a leaking seal there, but oil never got to the brushes so it never hickupped, I just "found it".

If you replace it, I like the Comp-U-Fire, even had a spare sourced out of a wreck on Ebay that I slid into place, was gonna put a seal in my first one, bought seals, but sold the trike and just last week or two, sold the spare.

[XJSRider]

Trying to get access to another part, I removed my alternator... the main fat wire and the three bolts holding it in... pulled it away, noticed a large O ring around the circumference. When I pulled it out there was some juice in there, appeared to be motor oil. Do I have a problem?

[AZgl1800]

Trying to get access to another part, I removed my alternator... the main fat wire and the three bolts holding it in... pulled it away, noticed a large O ring around the circumference. When I pulled it out there was some juice in there, appeared to be motor oil. Do I have a problem?

no,
there is nearly always a bit of oil seepage behind the alternator.
don't worry about it.

[offcenter]

Take it to a generator/motor repair shop & let them clean it good & put brushes & new shaft seal in. Likely OK.
I had a Comp-U-Fire suffer a leaking seal there, but oil never got to the brushes so it never hickupped, I just "found it".
If you replace it, I like the Comp-U-Fire, even had a spare sourced out of a wreck on Ebay that I slid into place, was gonna put a seal in my first one, bought seals, but sold the trike and just last week or two, sold the spare.

I have a good alternator repair place near here. I guess that will be my next stop.
But this is the third alternator in that bike.
The original owner installed a Compufire when he had it. I replaced the Compufire
with the Lactrical two years ago. That's three alternators in 100,000 miles.
I had several Toyota pickups where the original alternator was still in the truck when
I sold it with 200,000 miles on it.
Something ain't right here.

[CrystalPistol]

I have a good alternator repair place near here. I guess that will be my next stop.
But this is the third alternator in that bike.
The original owner installed a Compufire when he had it. I replaced the Compufire
with the Lactrical two years ago. That's three alternators in 100,000 miles.
I had several Toyota pickups where the original alternator was still in the truck when
I sold it with 200,000 miles on it.
Something ain't right here.

Well, them Toyota Pickup truck don't have a front seal because they don't bolt up to a oil bath cavity, they hang by mounts with cooling air only to contend with. That GL1500 has the alternator in a closed in space hooked directly to a running 1500cc engine and a cavity with drive connection vanes with oil swirling around.

I'm thinking the seal on the shaft, not the big O-ring, has let some oil seep into the alternator and it's migrated back to the commutator & brushes is all, but there could be a component failure.

My Trike came to me with a Comp-U-Fire, it too died on a ride in 2005, took it to a shop, was a failed solder joint in the rotor windings
, likely after I hit a water puddle that day that splashed really big on that ride, (I figure water "shocked" the solder joint on the then hot rotor). An "off the shelf" new rotor from Delphi was in stock, I just had him put that in. Have you still got the Comp-U-Fire, if so, I'd have it checked & see where that lead me, it is a better unit IMHO. Parts (brushes, bearings, internal regulator, rotor, etc) are same as Delphi CS121 … & even CS130 … alternators. It is just a CS121 with a different end frame, the seal, and drive vane adapter. You can get one at a parts store and swap just those parts even, fit a '99 Saturn among others. Front shaft seal is a Chicago Rawhide # 9878 … crosses to National # 47122. The o'ring would be the same as a stock Honda alternator. Good luck.

[offcenter]

Excellent info, Crystal!
Thanks!!

[waynedudes]

I replaced my stock alternator with a Lactric alternator. I did this before my stock alternator went bad. I had already replaced the stock alternator once. I keep my good stock alternator as a spare. It stays with the bike. Don't want to be broke down again!

[cycledoc2016]

my 89 gl1500 had 43k on it when purchased 5yr ago now it has 192k on it and compu-fire alternator still working great guess mine was made on wed...

[samwing1500]

Posts seem favorable toward CompuFire. I had a Compufire on my other 2000 SE and put
80,000 miles on it and still working perfect. The place where I bought that alternator is now
closed. I now have a 2000 Trike and would like to put one on it. Anyone want to suggest a
good place to get a new one and a good price, warranty.
Thanks

[DenverWinger]

Here's another alternator option, funny I never hear of them mentioned on the GW sites....

When I bought my '93 in 2017, it came with a CD changer, 400 watt amp, 7 speakers including subwoofer. To power that PO also added a 90Amp alternator. Documentation that came with the bike shows the stereo installed in 1995, presumably the alternator was installed at the same time. I haven't had a lick of trouble with it.

It is a Hitachi 90 amp model, same manufacturer as OEM. You can "google" the part number LR140-708C and find several sellers, they even come up in Walmart.com, new, listing for $127.

[MikeB]

Pertronix Performance Brands
Irwindale, California
909-599-5955

Compu-Fire 58500 - 90 Amp Alternator for 89 and Up Honda GL1500

https://pertronixbrands.com/products/co ... 7063516196

[marks146]

Here's another alternator option, funny I never hear of them mentioned on the GW sites....

When I bought my '93 in 2017, it came with a CD changer, 400 watt amp, 7 speakers including subwoofer. To power that PO also added a 90Amp alternator. Documentation that came with the bike shows the stereo installed in 1995, presumably the alternator was installed at the same time. I haven't had a lick of trouble with it.

It is a Hitachi 90 amp model, same manufacturer as OEM. You can "google" the part number LR140-708C and find several sellers, they even come up in Walmart.com, new, listing for $127.

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Well, I'm taking your word on this one. I just ordered it and should be here next Monday. I have the bike torn apart so I figured it was a good time to do the swap. I'll keep the old 40 amp unit as a spare just in case. I hope I won't boil my battery out as it's a lead acid battery and fairly new. Not quite a year old. Do you need to change the fuses or anything to put in a 90 amp alternator?

[AZgl1800]

alternators will not boil your battery dry, they have internal Voltage regulators to prevent that.

it does not make any difference if the Alternator can supply 1 amp, or 1000 amps, the Voltage Regulator controls how much charging current is supplied to the system.

[DenverWinger]

I'm running standard fuses....

[marks146]

alternators will not boil your battery dry, they have internal Voltage regulators to prevent that.

it does not make any difference if the Alternator can supply 1 amp, or 1000 amps, the Voltage Regulator controls how much charging current is supplied to the system.

Many posts saying they boil out the acid if you ride for a long time I was concerned. 10-4 on the regulator. It should only put out as much as necessary.

[DenverWinger]

Mt digital voltmeter runs around 13.6-13.8 v going down the road. That won't boil anything.

[marks146]

Mt digital voltmeter runs around 13.6-13.8 v going down the road. That won't boil anything.

Thanks again. I'm good with that.

[AZgl1800]

I just recalled that the 1100 is a stator type bike, not one that uses an Alternator.

So, if the Regulator/Rectifier is good, the same holds as long as the voltage does not go above about 14.1 it will be fine.

[MikeB]

Here's another alternator option, funny I never hear of them mentioned on the GW sites....

When I bought my '93 in 2017, it came with a CD changer, 400 watt amp, 7 speakers including subwoofer. To power that PO also added a 90Amp alternator. Documentation that came with the bike shows the stereo installed in 1995, presumably the alternator was installed at the same time. I haven't had a lick of trouble with it.

It is a Hitachi 90 amp model, same manufacturer as OEM. You can "google" the part number LR140-708C and find several sellers, they even come up in Walmart.com, new, listing for $127.
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Well, I'm taking your word on this one. I just ordered it and should be here next Monday. I have the bike torn apart so I figured it was a good time to do the swap. I'll keep the old 40 amp unit as a spare just in case. I hope I won't boil my battery out as it's a lead acid battery and fairly new. Not quite a year old. Do you need to change the fuses or anything to put in a 90 amp alternator?

An AGM battery is recommended by the manufactureres of the Compu-Fire alternators. The reason for that is their alternators will consistently supply 14 volts or greater.

It is not the amperage that will cause your battery electrolyte to evaporate in a conventional lead acid battery, it is the voltage. If your high output alternator supplies 14 volts or more, you should have an AGM battery. Unlike an AGM battery, you will have to monitor the battery electrolyte level in your conventional lead acid battery.

As long as you maintain the level between the upper and lower marks on the battery it will be fine. Make sure you check it monthly but that is pretty standrd preventive maintenance if you use the conventional battery.

[WingAdmin]

The Compufire alternator on my GL1500 puts out a rock-solid 13.8V, never wavers.

[marks146]

The Compufire alternator on my GL1500 puts out a rock-solid 13.8V, never wavers.

I have a lead/acid battery in my bike presently. I ordered a gel battery to go along with the new alternator change. I should be good now either way.

[marks146]

I put in the Hitachi 90 amp alternator as we discussed. I find it a little noisier than the stock 40 amp. It makes a whirring sound that is present at any RPM. I hear that whine someone else mentioned, but it's not that loud. I don't think anyone else would notice the whine because I'm in critical mode. It puts out power at idle according to my amp meter so I got what I was looking for. I'm keeping the old unit close by just in case this one craps out.

It was a tight fit and I wish I put new shims in. The old ones are hard, so I'll likely put new ones in soon. The bike is 27 years old, so nothing comes as a surprise. The only things I haven't replaced so far are engine internals. I did do the timing belts and brakes the first week of ownership.

[DenverWinger]

My best guess is the PO put the Hitachi on my '93 shortly after he bought the bike, the stereo with the big amp was installed in '94 (have documents). 52K on the bike now, and the Hitachi is still happy. Same MFR as the stock alternator, no reason to believe it won't last every bit as long as the stock model.

My '93 has a distinct whine to it, alternator, but for that matter my 1100 has a noticeable whine, too. Can't say it is any louder or quieter than stock, as none of my riding buddies have a GL1500 to compare it to.....

[4given]

Here's another alternator option, funny I never hear of them mentioned on the GW sites....

When I bought my '93 in 2017, it came with a CD changer, 400 watt amp, 7 speakers including subwoofer. To power that PO also added a 90Amp alternator. Documentation that came with the bike shows the stereo installed in 1995, presumably the alternator was installed at the same time. I haven't had a lick of trouble with it.

It is a Hitachi 90 amp model, same manufacturer as OEM. You can "google" the part number LR140-708C and find several sellers, they even come up in Walmart.com, new, listing for $127.
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That is the same alternator that is in my 96 Aspencade. Works flawlessly. Hope I didn’t jinx it with this comment. Delivers 14.1v consistently if my volt meter is accurate. I was looking online and can’t seem to find one listed Denver. Sorry for being late to the conversation.