Half-Caf: my '80 cb750f SS cafe project

[TOOLS1]

I would look in places where a wire could have been pinched. Also check the rear turn signals where the wires come out.
TOOLS

[shinyribs]

Half-Caf wrote

Just got it started and rode it around the block. Stopped it to chat with a friend and when I turned it back on the main fuse blew.

Sounds to me that you a have a jealous buddy that is sabotaging your ride.Bring it to me instead and i will  store it for you.No charge...just leave some gas money,please

[Half-Caf]

So, it looks like things turned out to much worse than I was thinking.
It looks like a mini armageddon occurred underneath my stator cover!
The pics are crappy cell phone shots from in a parking garage, but you get the idea. basically everything is charred and black:





There were little flakes of black stuff everywhere...



One of the brushes was way shorter than the other!



The bottom of the cover is charred and has a huge crack in it.



I even noticed a small crack on the engine side as well...


So what are your thoughts? I'm guessing that maybe gasoline got inside when the bike was on its side?
Or could I have fried it by jumping from a car?

Rotor is shot, too... I technically had had a one warranty on it, but who knows if they'll honor that.

Please help!

[Half-Caf]

I'm really bummed about all the issues I've been having with this bike. Staring to consider getting a different one -or at least putting in a new engine.

Found an old yamaha 750 turbo engine on CL for $150





Who knows, maybe I'm just being too hasty..

[TOOLS1]

Don't be hasty. Especially wanting to cobble in a Yamaha engine. I would be in contact with the company that sold, you that rebuilt crap, or I mean high quality rotor, and stator. Droping a bike would not do that kind of damage. You should make them pay, for the damage. How bad is that crack in the case? If they won't get an attorney.
TOOLS

[Half-Caf]

The crack in the engine didn't look too bad.
I will get some more pictures this afternoon with a proper camera.

You don't think that it could have been due to gas leaking when it was tipped?

[TOOLS1]

No! No way! That thing was frying while it was running!
TOOLS

[shinyribs]

The black crud,is that parts off of the magnet,or the windings off of the rotor.Does that area run in oil like a SOHC?If so,theres no way gas coulda got in there and caused that.Looks like the rotor just came apart.Its all fixable.It would be much easier to fix what you have than to start from scratch.Who knows,the Yamahaha motor could have the same issues.Then where would you be?It'll be alright.My condolences,none the less.

[Half-Caf]

shinyribs wrote

Does that area run in oil like a SOHC?

No, in the Dohc's it runs dry.

Took some more pics tonight:

[TOOLS1]

Damn! You had an arc welder in there. Even burnt/melted the case where the screws that hold the cover on went through. What company did, you get that crap from? I want to make sure I do not ever have them do anything, for me.
TOOLS

[shinyribs]

Well,at least its a dry cavity.So the crack is just superficial,not like its gonna leak like mine would.Its scary to think about something like that happening to my SOHC,cause that would send a ton of dirt thru the engine.Well,at least you found the culprit to all your problems.AND you already know how to do the job.Sorry man,better luck in the future

[Half-Caf]

Anyone have any ideas why it would blow the fuse though?
I have had a bad rotor in it before and it never had this issue.

Could it be a fried stator or r/r?

[Ceruzziracing]

Looks like it was arcing all through that case, I'm amazed you got it to run at all. I'm betting something got pranged when it took a hit on that side of the case.

[TOOLS1]

The thing melted it's self together, and, you wonder why it blew a fuse? Millions of bikes are dumped every year. If dumping a bike would cause the alternator to melt, and weld it's self together, you would hear of it every day. That was faulty components/workmanship.
TOOLS

[Half-Caf]

Thanks, Tools. And good to know that this bothers you as much as it does me
I found an auction for a stator, cover, AND rotor at a decent price. Going to try to pick it up and get my money back from the other guy...

lHopefully my new r/r is not fried along with everything else.

[TOOLS1]

I hope, so to. Put some JB Weld on that crack.
TOOLS

[shinyribs]

I agree with Tools.Im not a motorcycle expert,but i dont see dropping at(especially at such a low speed)would do that.Looks like it ate thru its own insulation at some point and then just went ape $#!T crazy from there.All of that charging stuff feeds electricity back to the + side of the battery.I imagine that there is a no doubt a path to ground somewhere amidst all that carnage.Probably the cause of the blowing fuse,like Tools said.                       Dont doubt Tools!!!

[Half-Caf]

Received a reply from the ebay seller tonight:

"I would like to see pictures and even pay the shipping on getting the parts so i could inspect . I have rebuild over 10,000 rotors and never have one to fail as you state . not that it can't happen it just would have been the first in over 25 years."

Perhaps it was a fluke as he says, but I would still like my money back... Hopefully it will not be big deal to get it.

I already purchased a new rotor, stator, and entire stator cover assembly off ebay for $100.

[Half-Caf]

TOOLS1 wrote

Put some JB Weld on that crack.
TOOLS

Good idea, Tools. I always keep some JB handy in the toolbox, too

[shinyribs]

If the guy has rebuilt as many as he says,you may be in luck.We had installed literally thousands of furnaces and air conditioners over the years.We RARELY ever have a failure.When we do it isn't workmanship,but parts that fail us.When we have a part that fails we remind our suppliers that if it makes us look bad we won't buy parts here anymore.Things always get handled in a timely manner.Sounds like MAYBE a similar situation.He might want to preserve his reputation and is going to work with you.Good luck and remember...you can catch more flies with honey than you can vinegar.