My battery runs flat and there is oil in the alternator casing.

Originally Posted by Dirk Eisner

Have done some more testing and it looks like the ignition switch (Key) shows some 35 ohm resistance if I disconnect the switch at the nearest connector and measure between the red and the orange cable with the key turned to on.
Dose this switch really builds the connection back to the battery for charging. I tried to disassemble the steering arrangement to get the ignition switch out but with little success there are a couple of special torx screws with a pin in the centre and I don't have a fitting spanner which I will have to organize tomorrow.
Could this be the problem? if anyone could tell me that would be great.

You may well have problems with your ignition switch but the power from the regulator back to recharge the battery is directly back to that main fuse in the solenoid.

Try putting a temporary link wire between the + side of the battery and the red connector on the regulator, see if the volts come up then? If this works fit the wire permenantly with a fuse link. If I can I'll post a photo of my previous bodge.

Originally Posted by lookskyward1

You may well have problems with your ignition switch but the power from the regulator back to recharge the battery is directly back to that main fuse in the solenoid.

Try putting a temporary link wire between the + side of the battery and the red connector on the regulator, see if the volts come up then? If this works fit the wire permenantly with a fuse link. If I can I'll post a photo of my previous bodge.

The first part is true, but also if the ignition switch is playing up this could be putting a strange load on the R/R as the ignition feeds the lights and .. well everything else!! I'd sort out the ignition switch before moving on. Or at a minimum, I'd get some wire and essentially 'hot wire' across the back of the ignition switch connector to aid its conductivity ...

I am an advocate of the 'red lead R/R' bodge, as I am the 'Black lead R/R' bodge. (Do black first) but as you KNOW you have ignition switch problems, I think you need to sort the ignition switch first as this could be all it is ...

Originally Posted by Dirk Eisner

After some more thorough testing it turns out that I get different resistance reading from 0 to 150 ohm measuring across the ignition switch so there is defiantly a poor connection in the switch. I had in the past difficulty to turn the switch on occasion which may indicated that the look was in poor condition. Anyhow I will bridge the switch tomorrow lets see if this solves the problem.

Ah, yes, I recommended this as a first step (should have read all posts in their entirety first before making my one above, not just read bits and bobs to get the gist - then read properly after )

Looks like we got a winner I bridge the red cable from the regulator to the + terminal on the battery and the voltage increases by .4 volt and now measures 13.8 wonderful volts.
I will see if I can get a cable with a fuse casing and wire it up lets hope that this will fix the problem once and for all. I wished I had the diagnostic chart somewhat earlier it would have saved me buying a new battery and a secondhand regulator. Thanks again to all you folks helping me out I would never made it without your hep. THANK YOU

[flymo]

Originally Posted by Dirk Eisner

I wished I had the diagnostic chart somewhat earlier it would have saved me buying a new battery and a secondhand regulator. Thanks again to all you folks helping me out I would never made it without your hep. THANK YOU

Its always the way right, the guy in the shop always says "yeah mate you need a new regulator and battery" Its sheer guesswork on their part.

Here is the verdict, my battery is charging fine, but there where a few more surprises in store.

Here a bit of the history of this unfortunate event.

1. Its winter and my battery seems to be on its way out.
2. I purchase a new battery
3. My bike stops at a traffic light with a totally flat battery, after a push start I get it going but have to keep revving it to 5000 rpm to keep it going,
4. The store exchanges the battery on two occasion. Apparently a bad batch of batteries.
5. New brand of battery and you guessed it... runs flat.
6. Get a second hand Yamaha regulator and install it.
7. The problem persists
8. Thanks to this forum I get my hands on the universal trouble shooting guide for charging systems and start investigating.
9. The ignition switch looks suspicious but turns out not to be the problem
10. It looks like the cable between battery and the regulator is faulty.
11. Replaced the cable with a direct bridge cable fused with a 30 amp fuse.
12. All looks good and I decide to swap the Yamaha regulator with my original.
13. It may well be (13) the dam thing is failing again only getting 12 volt to the battery.
14. Put the Yamaha regulator back in and everything works fine.

The moral of the story... before you buy anything get a multi meter and start measuring. In my case it was a matter of 2 component failing the regulator and the cable. Maybe the regulator failed because of the cable or vise versa.

I hope that this helps someone else out there to avoid the trouble I went though.

I can't thank you guys enough I would never made it with out your help.

THANK YOU