Would it be a particularly bad idea to buy a used stator? It costs considerably less than a new one, but there is always the question of how long it will last. I'm guessing it's probably the type of thing that's worth the extra money to get a new one. Would any of you consider a used stator for your own bike?
How bad is this idea?
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It really depends what it looks like. But a lot of the stators on ebay have been pulled out of scraped engines and that means that they're 30 years old. Yeah it sucks knowing a new one is $213 but may be worth it in the log run.
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The only way I'd have one used would be for a spare, and I'd have to know it was functional first. I'm thinking the tests can be done with the stator out of the engine. I'll stand corrected if I"m wrong. I agree, it's worth the extra to get new for such a crucial part.
Joel in the Couve
Joel in the Couve
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798 Posts
People have done it, but its not ideal. There was a guy on here recently who posted that he had replaced his third used stator in three years.
If you make the gasket for the rear cover yourself, and you consider your time worthless, it may be an ok, but if the idea of having to do it again makes you cringe... do it once, the right way.
If you make the gasket for the rear cover yourself, and you consider your time worthless, it may be an ok, but if the idea of having to do it again makes you cringe... do it once, the right way.
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3,999 Posts
When I bought my first CX it was not running,,it had an "ignition problem",,I had no idea if the engine was any good. After troubleshooting the stator I found out it was the problem.
I did not want to spend a lot of money on a stator and then find out the engine was no good. I bought a used stator from ebay for 35.00 and installed it after doing resistance checks. That was 4 years ago and it is still in the bike,,although I did not have it licensed for the road last year and this year.
If I ever have a stator failure in one of my bikes now,,I will not put a CDI stator in. I will not take the chance of putting in a new $200.00+ stator and then having the CDI fail. I will buy a G8 stator and an Ignitech.
As said above if you don't mind working on the bike and are not planning on any long trips,,you may get away with installing a used one,,but if you only want to do the job once,,then you should think about a new one.
New ones have also been known to fail but it is rare.
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I did not want to spend a lot of money on a stator and then find out the engine was no good. I bought a used stator from ebay for 35.00 and installed it after doing resistance checks. That was 4 years ago and it is still in the bike,,although I did not have it licensed for the road last year and this year.
If I ever have a stator failure in one of my bikes now,,I will not put a CDI stator in. I will not take the chance of putting in a new $200.00+ stator and then having the CDI fail. I will buy a G8 stator and an Ignitech.
As said above if you don't mind working on the bike and are not planning on any long trips,,you may get away with installing a used one,,but if you only want to do the job once,,then you should think about a new one.
New ones have also been known to fail but it is rare.
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967 Posts
Do you have any pics you could post of the rewinding process Nate? I think its really cool you did that & thought it would be a neat thing to document via digi pics.
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1,384 Posts
This will get you going. Was my motivation. I will postmore latter, I'm dead tired right now.
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As above.I have two CX500s with 2nd hand stators in them.I was lucky inasmuch as they came out of crapped out engines.I still have a couple spare as well.I got one off Ebay dead cheap as no one bid so got it for a Tenner.
If you see one really cheap it's worth a gamble but I'd never pay top-dollar for one.Better to spend on a new one if you can't get one really really cheap 2nd hand.
I also make my own gaskets
http://globalcxglvtwins.hostingdelivered.com/viewtopic.php?f=10&t=256
and don't care about the labour time
My 2 cents.
If you see one really cheap it's worth a gamble but I'd never pay top-dollar for one.Better to spend on a new one if you can't get one really really cheap 2nd hand.
I also make my own gaskets
http://globalcxglvtwins.hostingdelivered.com/viewtopic.php?f=10&t=256
and don't care about the labour time
My 2 cents.
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802 Posts
I just bought a 1983 CX 650C two weeks ago, I am replacing the stator with a new one as its half the price of the one I had to install in my 1980 CX500 two years ago.
The CX650 has 24,000 miles on it, though its a different ignition system from the CX500 its still a component made in the 1980's when epoxy resin was in short supply, its inside a hot oil bath and modern day fuels and oils have additives that are breaking down this old epoxy.
The CX650 has 24,000 miles on it, though its a different ignition system from the CX500 its still a component made in the 1980's when epoxy resin was in short supply, its inside a hot oil bath and modern day fuels and oils have additives that are breaking down this old epoxy.
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7,223 Posts
From all I have learned here, I think any time you can swap the older stators for the G8 ones would be a good idea. I am myself going to rewind my bad stator as a spare (got a new one) as the G8 ones are pretty easy with no fine wire coils on them. I have wound a few coils in my time, and I can tell you 20 turns doesnt seem like much, but after doing it (especially on something shaped like the stator with limited area to wind and obstructions from the adjacent posts) you will know just how much of a pain 4000 turns of fine is.
While I would (and will) attemp a G8 rewind, I would'nt try the old kind just because of the amount of effort to wind the fine coils (chances of errors and problems go up with each winding count).
As for used stators, its a crap shoot as you really dont know the state of an Ebay one (could be dead and worse than the one you have, could last another 20 years), but at least with a G8 you can rewind one yourself.
While I would (and will) attemp a G8 rewind, I would'nt try the old kind just because of the amount of effort to wind the fine coils (chances of errors and problems go up with each winding count).
As for used stators, its a crap shoot as you really dont know the state of an Ebay one (could be dead and worse than the one you have, could last another 20 years), but at least with a G8 you can rewind one yourself.
Thanks for the advice. Since my main priority is just getting back on the road, I think I'll skip the Ignitech, as it doesn't seem to be available right now. I'll have to make that another project for another time. Although there seem to be some success stories out there with used stators, I think you've convinced me to go with a new one. Considering the luck I've had with this bike so far, rolling the dice on something as important as the stator probably won't turn out well.
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7,223 Posts
Well, that does seem to be my luck, although others have faired much better. Even though I feel comfortable rewinding my old stator, considering the new ones only cost about $60.00 I figured I would put a new in and use the old as a spare. I tend to drift to "new" items if I can for "inside engine" work, as it does take a bit of time to drop the engine, disassemble, replace, new gaskets and put back on bike.
I do know the older stator cost a LOT more new, which does make a used on a lot more attractive
I do know the older stator cost a LOT more new, which does make a used on a lot more attractive
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967 Posts
Nate levels-up yet again. That link is FANTASTIC!! Thanks for posting! That should be pinned somewhere...maybe it already is and I missed it.
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4,102 Posts
fitting a used stator
well.....
It depends, Like Shep and others, I have but as said previously
there are pros an cons.
To some of us 'dropping the lump' and 'whipping the back off' is no big deal but
again it depends.
If your not prepared or able to do this for any reason and want to maximise the uptime
then it mey be better to play safe and fit new.
A used one needs to be examined and tested and if doesnt inspire confidence
dont use it.
I have a used G8 type in my motor that looked good and tested well
and its stil going strong 3 years later.
I have another used one in my spares box that while its tests out OK it doesnt look
that good and I'd be a bit wary of fitting it.
well.....
It depends, Like Shep and others, I have but as said previously
there are pros an cons.
To some of us 'dropping the lump' and 'whipping the back off' is no big deal but
again it depends.
If your not prepared or able to do this for any reason and want to maximise the uptime
then it mey be better to play safe and fit new.
A used one needs to be examined and tested and if doesnt inspire confidence
dont use it.
I have a used G8 type in my motor that looked good and tested well
and its stil going strong 3 years later.
I have another used one in my spares box that while its tests out OK it doesnt look
that good and I'd be a bit wary of fitting it.
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1,384 Posts
I was glad so glad when my stator failed that I was able to bump start it and it got me home. I had no lights, but the bike got me home. Had to run with it in the parking lot and dump the clutch, but that is besides the point
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That is the nice thing about the old style stator. I'm feeling pretty good about my rewind and triple bypass. I've been on a few 100 mile + rides and the bike hasn't skipped a beat, even with a noisy clutch. Rewinding the older style stators would be some work, requiring 2 different size wires and such. All said, the G-8 style stator and the new Ignitech installed is a very nice upgrade to this bike. A stator failure is never a good thing, but it was nice when the charge windings quit and the ignition windings got me home on a dead battery.
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1,384 Posts
I was glad so glad when my stator failed that I was able to bump start it and it got me home. I had no lights, but the bike got me home. Had to run with it in the parking lot and dump the clutch, but that is besides the point
![]()
That is the nice thing about the old style stator. I'm feeling pretty good about my rewind and triple bypass. I've been on a few 100 mile + rides and the bike hasn't skipped a beat, even with a noisy clutch. Rewinding the older style stators would be some work, requiring 2 different size wires and such. All said, the G-8 style stator and the new Ignitech installed is a very nice upgrade to this bike. A stator failure is never a good thing, but it was nice when the charge windings quit and the ignition windings got me home on a dead battery.
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