And then there were CCTs...

[Grum]

31 minutes ago, ShipFixer said:

Loose stator is the final answer.  Like not a little loose or a bolt torque imbalance either.  Re-torque and try again...

 

If you're confident its coming from the alternator, and it sure sounds like it, what else could it be other than a Stator making contact with the Rotor? I recall those Stator screws as being very tight when trying to remove them,  perhaps a little threadlocker wouldn't go astray.

 

It sure initially sounded like a CCT, but with the issues I've had with CCT's, that clatter was very distinctly heard at the cylinder head covers, upper right side of the bike,  your noise most definetly wasn't coming from there, being lower left side.

 

Well, why not fit two nice new CCT's anyway, sort out the alternator issue and be done with it, you were probably not too far off having a cct fail anyway.

 

Good luch with it ShipFixer. I hope there's no damage to worry about with either Stator or Rotor. Keep us posted.

Cheers.

[ShipFixer]

I think I undertorqued them.  I was worried about small bolts, etc.  But by "loose" I mean all four bolts were backed out 👀 Which also correlated to "five miles later" and "electrical demand locks it in place."

 

Going to replace the rear one when it arrives, but fwiw the new one and the two existing ones feel exactly the same.  Not sticky, not weak, etc.  I am considering calculating spring force on a new one when it arrives.  Alloy difference in steel springs is almost trivial, so would be a physical difference if they are in fact different to counteract things like creep deformation, etc.

[Grum]

55 minutes ago, ShipFixer said:

I think I undertorqued them.  I was worried about small bolts, etc.  But by "loose" I mean all four bolts were backed out 👀 Which also correlated to "five miles later" and "electrical demand locks it in place."

 

Going to replace the rear one when it arrives, but fwiw the new one and the two existing ones feel exactly the same.  Not sticky, not weak, etc.  I am considering calculating spring force on a new one when it arrives.  Alloy difference in steel springs is almost trivial, so would be a physical difference if they are in fact different to counteract things like creep deformation, etc.

 

I can imagine if those screws wern't tight enough the extremely strong and lumpy magnetic forces between Rotor and Stator would rattle those screws lose. I wonder if there was NO physical contact of Rotor to the Stator and merely the Stator was rattling back and forth against lose screws?

 

I also did a close inspection/comparison between old and new CCT's and found nothing wrong with the old, it was bathed in oil, no binding, and spring tension seemed similar to the new one (but not accurately measured!) . However, fitting the new CCT certainly fixed the clatter issue on both my own bike and a mates 6gen with similar symptoms.

 

Good luck with the Alternator Fix, hopefully no damage done.

 

 

[ShipFixer]

They were backed out no more than 1/8 of an inch and the stator has a perch in the middle, so I don't think there was contact. Didnt see any signs of contact either.  Just rattling against the alternator cover as the magnets pulled it around.

 

I should have checked this first as it was the thing I last touched.  Same time, glad this is all it was as any other culprit past CCT is an ugly one..  Definitely more torque than I used before (I was concerned about small bolts in aluminum, and torquing with the case in the other hand is kinda awkward) with my small torque wrench, so not likely to happen again.

[Grum]

13 minutes ago, ShipFixer said:

They were backed out no more than 1/8 of an inch and the stator has a perch in the middle, so I don't think there was contact. Didnt see any signs of contact either.  Just rattling against the alternator cover as the magnets pulled it around.

 

I should have checked this first as it was the thing I last touched.  Same time, glad this is all it was as any other culprit past CCT is an ugly one..  Definitely more torque than I used before (I was concerned about small bolts in aluminum, and torquing with the case in the other hand is kinda awkward) with my small torque wrench, so not likely to happen again.

 

Good news ShipFixer, glad there was no contact Stator to Rotor - "You are GO for main engine throttle UP"!!

 

Still think a little Loctite 243 Thread locker on the screw threads would add to the assurance that it won't happen again - To be sure to be sure!

Enjoy your ride.

Cheers.