If my alternator rotor is touching the stator, will it diminish charging output?
 

I have a scrub mark on the inside of my rotor where it is touching the stator as it spins around it. Can that cause a decrease in AC voltage output, or should I keep looking? I took a blunt drift and gently tapped the spot where the scuff mark is, so it probably won't contact the stator any more. If anyone knows anything about the charging system, I could really use some input- I've spent a lot more time fixing than riding this summer...I would like to ride a fast horse rather than these buggies I've been plodding along in!

It could. The gap is important for the magnetic field and if the two touch, it could short to ground and cause your reduced output.

On a different topic, please post on the thread that you already have on this subject. Starting a new thread for each post is not the way.

OK, sorry about that! Thanks for answering my question, though. You may have just saved me from the old "throw parts at it till it's fixed" routine.

I put the new stator back in after gently tapping on the scraped spot on the rotor. I put fingernail polish on the inside of the rotor to show any rubbing. There's no rubbing, but I still only get 25VAC @ 5000rpm. I decided to try the original stator because it passes the static test- I didn't know how to test for AC voltage output then, I just had the melted connector/burnt wires problem. I had a bad rectifier for sure, but it could have failed because of the wires melting together, not sure which came first. So I'm going to try running it for AC output tomorrow. My rotor doesn't have the magnetism it used to have. I hope I don't have to buy a rotor, but if anyone has a good one for sale, I might need to buy it.

My original stator gives 27VAC @ 5000rpm, still not close to the 65 VAC that is required. I will buy another rotor, install it and post the results.

I bought a used rotor from ebay for a CBR954. The magnetism drew the cover into place the way my original used to. I get 69-70VAC@ 5000rpm. With it all put back together, I get 13.75 VDC to the battery, so I'm back in business!

Shazaa!