Electrical issues. Generator, Regulator

[Bmartin]

My amp meter went full negative while driving. I unhooked the batt and i had a short across the pos and neg leads. Tracked that down to a stuck cutout relay on the regulator. Pics of the reg below. The gen is bad and Im having it rebuilt. Rebuilt arm and new fields as well. Im concerned that something else is cuasing the short on the relay. Should I be looking at my starter or other places?

Wiring seems good. All lights work. No radio or heater. Any thing in the ignition? I replaced the pos batt cable and plan on doing the neg but no shorts with the meter.

All help is appreciated.

Edited October 10, 2013 by Bmartin

[Bmartin]

Does anyone know the proper routing of the negative lead from the battery to the starter?  Here is what mine looks like.

 

 

[Dan Hiebert]

From what I see, it looks like faulty construction of the regulator is the root of your problem.  The circuit grounded out (shorted) where it shouldn't have right there at the burn mark.  That metal lead was touching the cover, probably insulated initially for a little while by paint, but vibration from driving made it wear through until you had metal on metal.  That wouldn't have been a problem caused by the system, that caused the problem to the system, and that's what toasted your generator.  A new regulator with your rebuilt generator should solve things, but as far as looking eslewhere, I think that regulator is it.  

[Plymouthy Adams]

Have you followed the repair manual in your testing/alignment of the regulator along with the rest of the system?  Was perhaps the burnt spot a result of you taking the cover off the regulator with a tool of some sort to break the seal?

[Bmartin]

Dan - That is a good point, this is an Oreilly part.  I'll inspect the new one for the same issue.  I think the generator was already on the way out, but this surely didn't help.

 

Plymouthy - The regulator was new, so no tool needed.  But it had been recently replace by a mechanic and could have been arced when replacing the cover.  I polarized the generator after installing and went through the tests.  Seems to be operating well now.  First time I have ever seen a positive value on the amp meter since I bought it.  Voltage vaired between 4.5 and 7.5, current was between 10 and 26 amps to the battery. 

 

Let me know if anyone has an idea on the neagtive lead routing.  Seems too tight in there to be correct. 

 

Thanks.