The motorcycle stator is a component of the electrical system and because of that, it has a significant role.
In this article, we are going to show you that you don’t need to be a great expert to fix your stator, and we will explain to you as simply as possible how you can do it on your own. We will let you know what to expect if you need to buy a new one and the possible price that you will need to pay. It is very important to have a strong stator, and we will tell you the reasons why.
Is it possible to fix it or replace the stator on your own? How do you recognize if the stator is damaged and needs to be fixed or replaced? What are the signs of a bad stator?
So is it possible to repair a stator, and how do you fix the motorcycle stator? Take off the stator and replace it. A short circuit causes a burnt stator which needs to be replaced. Fix or replace three separate phase windings responsible for stator function. After fixing the windings, return the stator back to the motorcycle.
Later in this article, you will find more in-depth explanations on how to fix and replace your stator, and we will go further in detail on the symptoms of a bad motorcycle stator and what causes them to happen.
Once you finish reading this article, you will understand how to fix the stator, how to recognize a bad stator, and its purpose.
Table of Contents
Can You Fix a Stator and How to Do It On Your Own?
Replacing stators can be very expensive. The price of a new stator ranges between 350$-600$, and for some motorcycle models, the price can get up to 1600-1700$. This includes the price of the stator only, and added expenses are more when you calculate the job you need to pay to the mechanic. This is the cost you can save if you repair it yourself.
That is why we will show you how to do it on your own in this step-by-step guide.
Step 1- Remove the Stator
Take off the stator from your bike. Most of the time, the stator is located under the left side of the engine cover (although it can be found on both sides).
Step 2- Check the Stator
Check the condition of the removed stator. The short circuit leads to burnt three separate phase windings. This step can quickly determine the cause of the burnt stator.
Step 3- Clean the Epoxy
Clean the epoxy on the windings. By doing so, you will be able to reach the windings and take them off. You can take off all of the windings out of the stator after taking the epoxy off. This step can demand a little more effort because of the epoxy.
Step 4- Re-Wound the Stator
Prepare the stator for re-wounding. Smooth out the stator’s surface to eliminate anything sharp on the surface. Take a look at your motorcycle’s specifics to know the right wire size. Take your time to wind these three separate phases. If you need any help, take a motorcycle’s specifics to ensure that you are winding everything as it should.
Step 5- Use Insulative Paint to Protect the Stator
After wiring all three poles, paint the stator with insulative paint.
Step 6- “Baking the Stator”
Once you have painted the stator, place it in an oven at 280-320 degrees and leave it for approximately 45 minutes.
Step 7- Return the Stator Back to the Motorcycle
After completing all the previous steps, your stator is now ready to be returned back to your motorcycle.
What Leads to a Stator Malfunction?
There are many possibilities that can lead to stator malfunction. Taking good care of your stator and motorcycle, in general, will make your bike last much longer. Therefore, it will spare you to pay any unnecessary repairs that could occur if you don’t take care of your motorcycle.
A power overload is the main reason that can cause your stator malfunction. Having too many features on your motorcycle, such as GPS or stereo, along with headlights will most likely cause a power overload.
Cold is one of the elements that drains your motorcycle battery the most and significantly impacts the stator; rain and water can also lead to a short circuit if they come in touch with the stator. Too much heat is not very healthy as well. Vibrations (especially on a customed bike like mine that has stunt bars on, which increases the vibration) can also harm the stator, and the wind is also one of the elements that can affect the stator, and so on …
The stator is a piece of a rotary system in charge of running all the electrical pieces on your motorcycle. Suppose there are many electrical components on your motorcycle, such as GPS, stereo, and many other parts that use a lot of electricity. The stator will have to use more power to produce more electricity. If the accessories (electrical ones) are being used for a longer time, they will cause the stator to malfunction.
Note: Both the stator and rectifier can get burnt if too much electricity comes to them. If this scenario happens, there will be no other option than to fix or change them.
Signs of a Bad Motorcycle Stator
So how will you recognize symptoms of a bad motorcycle stator? No spark, poor spark, or misfiring are the most accurate signs that can signal you that you are dealing with a bad motorcycle stator. Other signs that can signal that your stator needs to be repaired or even replaced are difficult engine ignition.
The stator creates power that runs different motorcycles electronics, and it also sends power to the spark plug.
The motorcycle battery can not produce enough electricity that is required to make a spark and this is where the stator comes into the play. It provides sufficient electricity to create a spark which further leads to engine start.
Determining a stator malfunction can be hard to recognize. It can happen that a rider thinks that something else is responsible for electrical problems and because of that doesn’t look or think about the stator.
Note: Cold and freezing temperatures have a significant impact on the stator, and it doesn’t function the same as it does when the engine is hot and running.
The stator creates the spark plug’s spark, and a failing stator can have problems with igniting a spark.
As time goes by, the condition will only become worse until there is no spark. Because of that, it can lead to complicated diagnoses since many of the same symptoms happen when other electrical accessories face issues.
The first thing that most of the riders usually assume is a failure of some other components such as spark plug, starting system, or battery problems.
Here is a great article about How to Fix a Motorcycle Alternator, so click on this link if you want to learn more.
How to Increase Your Stators Lifespan?
There are cases where riders have had stators last them 250 000-300,000 miles. If you get higher amperage, it will cause a shorter life span of your stator. High amperage is one of the biggest causes for stators to malfunction. Taking good care is vital for the stator to last longer.
Lots of accessories cause the stator to operate with much more effort to supply all of these components with enough power. If you want your stator to last as long as possible, you need to keep the amperage low; it is the best way to keep its lifespan longer.
Preventing short circuits is a hard thing to do, and because of that, they are considered disastrous for the stator.
Your stator can get damaged from vibrations too ( especially on customed bikes like my Kawasaki Z750). This can lead to a short circuit from the winding to the stator’s case.
Here is a great video about stator repairment that you can see:
Conclusion
The stator is responsible for the electrical system’s functionality, and since its purpose is to generate power for your motorcycle electronics, we can say that it is vital for it to function correctly; otherwise, the whole motorcycle is out of use. That is why we need to maintain the stator and do everything we can to ensure it lasts as long as possible.
If the stator works correctly, the whole motorcycle will drive without any problems, and not only that, by taking care of your stator, you prevent any other issues from happening.
We hope you find this article helpful and that it has helped you with fixing your stator.