Joe Flanagan Posted June 18, 2010 Report Posted June 18, 2010 I just got my rebuilt generator back from the shop and my situation is unchanged. Less than one volt comes out of it, according to my meter. No movement on the amp gauge when I rev the engine (though I have not ruled out the VR being bad, either). When I take a test light and put the prod on the armature terminal to the generator, the light does not light. The light works, I tested it on other components. There seems to be nothing coming out of the generator. I did polarize it just to make sure, but that made no difference. Just to be sure, when I polarized it, I touched a wire from the battery terminal of the VR to the armature terminal of the generator. I have my voltmeter set for DC 20 volts. Holding the probe on the armature terminal and revving the engine (per the manual), I get .6 volts. What the heck? Quote
Ken Bartz Posted June 18, 2010 Report Posted June 18, 2010 Joe, Take the generator back along with the voltage regulator and have it tested "on the bench" to verify their operation together. I've done this with my local alt/gen repair guy. He should have a test setup that spins the generator and then puts a load on it to see if the pair works as suppose to. Once proper operation is verified take it back to your car. Check your wiring before applying power to it. Quote
old rat 49 Posted June 18, 2010 Report Posted June 18, 2010 From the manual : "When flashing the generator field to cause the generator to build up residual magnetism, first remove the lead from the generator field terminal. Then ground the generator field terminal and attach a jumper from the the battery negative post to the armature terminal on the generator. " Quote
Rodney Bullock Posted June 19, 2010 Report Posted June 19, 2010 Joe, is that a new VR or one you had on the car in the begining? Are the wires on the generator and VR matching? arm at the generator should be the arm at the vr and the field wire on the gen should go to the field wire on the VR. the Battery wire is hot. When you polarized the system did it spark? Quote
Captain Neon Posted June 19, 2010 Report Posted June 19, 2010 or just get a 6v alternator like the Model A guys use. Quote
Plymouthy Adams Posted June 19, 2010 Report Posted June 19, 2010 Joe..for them to work it and return it to you odds are it passed testing in their shop...test one for you is to remove the fan belt and turn on the key and energize the circuit..if it does not run like a motor it will never generate voltage..be sure you do have a good voltage supply to the unit from the battery..consult you manual for the motor test..no motor..check wiring..wiring good you may have a bad regulator..go back to the book and step through it again... Quote
1942cowdodge Posted June 19, 2010 Report Posted June 19, 2010 Joe what happen when you run the car and turn on the lights? It should if its working increase the candle power of the headlights. Kind of sounds to me like it may be your voltage regulator? Did you arc that properly? Anyway hope you solve your problem and you will given enough time. By the way since I change out my ground cable to that strap boy what a difference that made in my old clunk. Quote
Plymouthy Adams Posted June 19, 2010 Report Posted June 19, 2010 IF your wire harness is not completely hooked up and such could very well be the grounding of the regulator to the firewall..these are relays that have to energize to make it all work..so for giggles run you a good braided cable from the engine to the body somewhere..with the body haveing been removed and probability of POR 15 or equivalent paint, the ground between the body and frame could be subject..the rest of the body mounts are rubber isolated..check that ground..!!! Quote
Joe Flanagan Posted June 19, 2010 Author Report Posted June 19, 2010 Thanks for all the responses. The voltage regulator is the one that was in the car when I got it. I read on this forum that they seldom ever go bad but maybe in my case it has. The tests I've been performing come from the technical manual on the Imperial site that was linked here by a forum member. I will check grounding, etc. If my voltage regulator is bad, would it account for no power coming from the generator? One of the tests I performed--grounding the field armature--supposedly takes the regulator out of the equation. The manual says that if you do that, the regulator is cancelled out and the ammeter should spike when you accelerate the engine. That does not happen. The other test is simply attaching a test light to the armature terminal and grounding it to the block. It should light and it does not. The manual says that these results indicate a bad generator. The interesting thing is they told me over the phone that it needed new bushings, brushes, etc. and it also had a short in the field coil. When I picked it up, the ticket said new bushings and brushes but nothing about the field coil being repaired. Anyway, I'll take another swipe at it tomorrow. Quote
Joe Flanagan Posted June 19, 2010 Author Report Posted June 19, 2010 I notice that there is a small screw on the generator that looks like it might be for a ground wire. This is in addition to the two larger terminals that are connected to the voltage regulator. Is this small screw for a ground wire? It sure looks like it. I notice all the wiring diagrams of the generating circuit show the generator going to ground but I always assumed it was grounded via the bracket, its connection to the block, etc. And yes, I will be installing a braided strap from the block to the body. Quote
Plymouthy Adams Posted June 19, 2010 Report Posted June 19, 2010 small screw may very well be for the noise supressor to mount.. Quote
Jim Yergin Posted June 19, 2010 Report Posted June 19, 2010 I notice that there is a small screw on the generator that looks like it might be for a ground wire. This is in addition to the two larger terminals that are connected to the voltage regulator. Is this small screw for a ground wire? It sure looks like it. I notice all the wiring diagrams of the generating circuit show the generator going to ground but I always assumed it was grounded via the bracket, its connection to the block, etc. And yes, I will be installing a braided strap from the block to the body. Joe, My wiring harnes has a ground lead that fastens to a screw on the generator case. The screw is near the Field and Am posts on the generator. Jim Yergin Quote
JerseyHarold Posted June 19, 2010 Report Posted June 19, 2010 Are you sure you have the wiring right from the regulator to the generator? When I re-did my '52, I made a new 2-wire harness to connect both components. The car didn't charge at all. When I traced it out, I had the field on the regulator connected to the armature on the generator. Swapped them around and everything was fine. Quote
Joe Flanagan Posted June 19, 2010 Author Report Posted June 19, 2010 Well, the problem is solved. It was the voltage regulator. I followed advice given by Rodney B. and Ken Bartz and took the generator back to the shop. There was no one there since it's Saturday, so the guy let me come into the back with him and watch while he tested it. They have a really neat setup. It's one of the biggest (if not THE biggest starter/generator shops in the DC area). I could have spent all day just checking out the tools and equipment, plus they had a very nice collection of girlie calendars. Anyway, he hooked the generator up and it checked out fine. Then he hooked the regulator up to the generator. Not fine. No voltage at all. They happened to have a 6-volt positive ground regulator off a Chrysler from that era. Looks brand new. He hooked that up to the generator and everything was good. Charges nicely. I got home, installed everything, and now my ammeter needle registers a charge. It was really kicking over to the right quite a bit at first but it eventually settled down. I was glad to see that the tests I performed jibed with what he discovered. The only thing I hadn't done post-rebuild was check the generator without the regulator connected. Thanks for all your suggestions. On to the next adventure. Quote
Niel Hoback Posted June 19, 2010 Report Posted June 19, 2010 Thats the beauty of it, ain't it, Joe. There's always a next adventure. Quote
Joe Flanagan Posted June 19, 2010 Author Report Posted June 19, 2010 Yes, Niel, that's what keeps me coming back. Quote
Niel Hoback Posted June 19, 2010 Report Posted June 19, 2010 I just got this brand new Buick and I am almost afraid to open the hood. What fun is that? I need the old Ply for recreation and adventures. Quote
Don Coatney Posted June 19, 2010 Report Posted June 19, 2010 Has no headlights on the vehicle yet.Hard to follow progress. It is in 3-4 different threads:) Shel makes a very good point! Post responces to the original thread for closure. Quote
P-12 Tommy Posted June 20, 2010 Report Posted June 20, 2010 Hey Joe, When I got the '41 it wasn't charging either. I just happen to find somebody that was selling a rebuilt genny and an NOS voltage regulator. Been fine since. Glad to see you got 'er goin' Tom Quote
Joe Flanagan Posted June 20, 2010 Author Report Posted June 20, 2010 Shel makes a very good point! Post responces to the original thread for closure. Right. I don't usually spread an issue over four threads but this time I must have had a brain fart. Quote
P-12 Tommy Posted June 20, 2010 Report Posted June 20, 2010 I catch myself doing that once in a while thinking nobody noticed the first time. Tom Quote
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