| No, they short together, not to earth. The insulation on my stator wires was so damaged from the copper in the wires getting too hot that I could scrape off the insulation with my fingernail. Same sub-12 voltage output that you describe.
The wires are held in contact with each other along almost their entire lenght by the sheath and the damaged insulation can't isolate the two wires at the alternator voltages produced at higher rpm. So no charging occurs and after 20 miles or so, the battery discharges completely and the erratic tach/stall problem develops. Take the sheath off and replace the wires with a heavier gauge.
This is a design deficiency that every Ducati pre-1999 superbike owner should correct before these problems develop. |