1987-89 Kawasaki Bayou 300 Electrical Issues

[Kelby 746]

I have a 1987-89 (not sure on the year) Kawasaki bayou 300 that has electrical issues, I have replaced the entire harness with a proven good/used one, new CDI box, and two brand new coils, problem is that it tests no charge at the pickup coil, so I replaced and tested again with a so called good one that had been salvaged out of a blown up 220/250 (not sure which, the left side cover is smaller than my 300) in Missouri. It has a proven good OEM stator. I am trying to avoid buying a new start and pickup coil because it is so expensive so if anyone has a suggestion please let me know.

Edited June 7, 2019 by Kelby 746
Needed to add more info and a year.

[Frank Angerano]

I’m confused. You did all this work and your not getting a charge? That’s strange, what kind of testing on the charging system are you doing? Have you checked the rectifier/regulator ?  

First off I would locate the vin# and do a check this way you can find the exact year.  Tons of web sites to check for free.  

Honestly I would put a new stator/pick up coil in. I use a brand called Caltric on eBay or amazon. About $75 bucks. They have always fit and worked well. 

You should also check that everything is turning inside the engine in order to produce current at the coil.  When the cover is off spin the engine and make sure rotation is good.  

[Kelby 746]

I’m testing right at the pickup coil and I know everything moves freely because I had charge at the stator, I’ve been trying to deal with this for about 9 months now and up to about $500 in parts. I’ll try the new stator idea thanks.

[Frank Angerano]

Ok when you get the new stator and its installed let’s recap and go over it all again.  Did you find the year ? And if so a wire diagram ?

[Kelby 746]

Another thing, I cannot find a vin. It just has the KLF 300c Made in USA sticker.

[Kelby 746]

Okay I switched around connections on the pickup coil and now it’s reading .45 ohms all the time and .70 when I crank it with the hand because the staters bad. I also have a book with all the wiring diagrams for every year. I look at the 1987-89 klf 300 4x4 for mine and it matches up perfectly.

Edited June 7, 2019 by Kelby 746

[Frank Angerano]

Stator or starter is bad ? And the stator you tested phase to phase and. Then each leg to ground ? If so what did you get ?

[Kelby 746]

The starter is completely shot, the generator inside is completely flat. And I did all the connections with the stator and it read 8 ohms all the way through, a little low but by hand seems about right to me at least.

[Frank Angerano]

Forget by hand and rotating the motor.

Testing on the stator can be done without rotating the engine.   Ohms tests done on a standing stator phase to phase and then each phase to ground. 

First test 

Phase to phase (each wire from the stator)  should be equal when you test from one phase to another and do all of them.  They should be pretty close to each other on an ohms setting. The manual will tell you what the range should be. 

Second test:

Take one phase of the stator (one wire) on the tester and the  other tester probe to ground.  You should get no reading on the tester.   Do that for all three wires. If you do then there is a short within the coils on the stator. No need to test any more, it’s bad! 

Third test 

Pick up coil put the tester on ohms and on the two wires of the pick up coil. You should get a reading. Check the manual and it will show you what the acceptable range is. 

 

[Kelby 746]

so I did what you said and everything reads out as follows: two ohms with it set on 200 ohms but reading set at 2 ohms and none set at 20 ohms. There is no short within, it does not register a reading from probe in stator to probe on ground for any. 

[Frank Angerano]

The readings seem low.  Did you review the manual to see the acceptable range ? And the pick up coil readings ?

[Christi Enslin]

Hi I have a bayou 300 with no spark. Did you get to the bottom of your problems?

[Frank Angerano]

Hello  @Christi Enslin welcome to Quadcrazy.  

Go to the forums tab and start a new topic on the item and list the make, year and model. This will allow us to keep track of the topic and help you out better. If it gets thrown into an existing topic you wound up getting lost in the mix. 

As far as your bike goes you will find all the help you need here from the members at Quadcrazy  

 

[Christi Enslin]

Thanks Frank.

Does anyone have a service manual for the LF300AE Engine?

Ill check the vin etc tomorrow.

Cheers

[Kurtis Cosner]

So I too have no idea what year this bike I'm working on,  other than one sticker with "KLF300B".... No tag or punched VIN. that I can find.  

Does anyone know possible year ranges for the 300B's? Thanks. 

[Kelby 746]

Okay following up to my wheeler I found out the year, 1989 Kawasaki 300c 4x4 and turns out I bought a used 2000-2004 4x2, does anyone know if the extra wiring for the work light, difflock, and brake light sensors would cause a problem with spark? I got a new pickup coil and it shows good, new ecu, and proven good stator, proven good, key and shut off switch. Anyone have any conversion information? 

[Frank Angerano]

I’m confused, the bike you  have is an 89 and you bought a 2002- 04 what ?? Bike, harness ? If you can explain a little better so we can maybe help you out. 

[Kelby 746]

Okay so the original harness got surged when I was testing connections and it burned the wires up and you cannot no matter what you say, can not convince anyone to replicate a 1989 harness, so I started looking for a used one and found a so called exact same one on Craigslist, I bought it along with a brake caliper for a spare. Got the harness it fit and the lights turned on and the started clunked, it’s no good, which was a lot more than what it did originally, fast forward a few months I get a new ecu and get a used complete left side cover for a 2002 220cc not a 300cc, again curtesy of idiots not knowing what a vin number is on a bike. Switched of the pickup coil because the original was no good, now it has a good pickup coil, good ecu, same regulator that has backwards readings, and a harness that is for a 2000-2004 Kawasaki bayou 300 2x4. 

[Frank Angerano]

Ok so if I’m understanding this correctly you have a 1989 4x4 bayou 300 harness from your bike? You picked up a harness and it’s for a 4x2 bayou 300?

The years that you will find fit are from 89 to 92 I believe. There are a few on eBay and the 400 bayou 4x4 will fit for the 89 300 as well. You can compare yours to the ones on eBay as the pics of the harnesses are pretty clear. 

 What I would do is if possible take both harnesses and put them side by side. Open the tape up on both of them and see the differences.  It may be possible to add what you need by copying the original harness if nothing is too burnt up.     

 

[Kelby 746]

I’ve already opened the original one up and every single wire is burned up, twelve volt surges don’t do too good on those little bitty wires. A 92 is also compatible? I’ve looked literally everywhere for one and could not find a compatible one.

[Kelby 746]

But tell me does anyone know if it’s compatible? Does the circuit have to be a complete loop or can I have lighting connections missing and it’ll still run? 

[Frank Angerano]

Lighting connections will not stop it from running.  

This harness should work for your bike, take a look at the images and compare the plugs. 

https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ebay.com%2Fulk%2Fitm%2F303186573464

[Chris Alicia]

On 6/10/2019 at 2:39 PM, Frank Angerano said:

The readings seem low.  Did you review the manual to see the acceptable range ? And the pick up coil readings ?

No

[Kelby 746]

Yes I checked them, read out fine.