Stator upper mileage and coating

[cWj]

I'm about to get a stator to replace my charcoal-colored one. As usual, eBay yields unreasonable people. I found a guy not far from me parting out a early model with 26k that was supposedly running 3-4 years ago. Asking $25, but I am sure I can ask less. Worth it to go over with the multi-meter or just too many years/miles to bother? It's hard pinning down how long a stator should last.

I'm seeing some stators come coated. Anybody know what that material is?

If its own heat is what kills the coils, how would it help to coat them?

*edited for stupid Swype and its horrible text correction.

[DoktoroKiu]

I don't know anything about GS generators in particular, but I used to work with electric motors.  I'm betting the coating is to protect the windings from damage/the elements and would increase thermal resistance, but most of the heat would be lost through the stator laminations (think heat-sink or radiator) unless there is a cooling fan somewhere down there.

Odds are your laminations are just fine, so I would see what it costs you to have a local shop re-wind the stator.  The results would be comparable to a brand-new stator, so compare costs accordingly.  You could also have it wound for more or less output.  But sub $25 would be hard to beat if that used stator is in good condition.  I would definitely go over the stator with a multimeter before buying it.  It should take very little time and will find open/shorted windings at least.

Or you could attempt to re-wind your own stator if you have the patience, consistency, and attention to detail to do it right (machines are generally a lot better at this kind of stuff).  Just found a cool site that talks about the GS charging system, and I recommend following their fault-finding chart http://www.thegsresources.com/garage/gs_statorfault.htm.  There are links to more pages at the bottom under "related reading", one of which describes how to re-wind the stator on your own.

I don't know how far you've examined, but as they mention on that site a shot stator could be a symptom and not the cause.