1946 P15 6V generator dis-assembly question

[3046moparcoupe]

Wanting to learn, inspect, and clean up, the 6v generator that came with this 46 Plymouth P15..

 

I've never taken one apart and hit a road block.

 

My generator shows the following number on the id plate: GDZ-4801-A

 

Again my parts book seems to be of more help than my shop manual, my parts books shows a great exploded view diagram,....my shop manual shows quite a bit of diagnostic information, but in regards to dis-assembly, it just says " dis -assemble the generator"..

 

I was able to find some home made bubba videos of guys cleaning up on some 6v generators off of old John Deere tractors...

 

and I found the following web site for rebuilding a 1944 Jeep generator, and that Jeep generator looks almost completely identical to the generator off this Plymouth, ...it also has the brushes located at the rear, the housing is a very close match, and it has the metal band around the rear of the generator, etc..very very similar....

 

 http://www.1944gpw.com/c-93-G503_WWII_Jeep_6_volt

 

It's easy getting the rear plate off the housing, it is just held on by the 2ea long bolts that run the length of the housing internally, and there's your rear bushing and your brushes and springs, which again look almost identical to the parts shown on the jeep generator. However, at that point I could not see how to get the assembly out of the housing, and I didn't want to be rough with it, by experimenting...

 

The jeep generator video shows removing the front drive pulley assembly as the next step.  by: 1) removing the large nut and washers, and 2) using a 3 jaw puller to pull the pulley off the shaft to expose a woodruff key after the nut and washers are removed.....

 

I grabbed my impact and removed the 15/16 nut and large lockwasher, then took a 3 jaw puller and attached it to the backside of the belt drive pulley, (I attached it to the rear of the pulley - not in the belt groove area but to the area I'm gonna call " the cooling blade slots " ....it seemed to have a good bite,....so I started applying a little pressure with the puller, ( along with a few sprays of PB Blaster a few hours before ) but it didn't appear to be budging,....figured I better back off and try for some help before I tore something up....

 

I think I'm on the right track here, but unsure as you can tell, the front bearing doesn't have play and seems smooth, but from what I have been able to find (reference the video link above), it appears that I need to remove the pulley, to get to the retainer plate that rests behind the pulley, which can then be removed, then maybe a snap ring,  to then allow the armature assembly to be removed from the housing......I think

 

This generator appeared to be working well enough to keep the battery charged while the car was running before, but I never had an opportunity to test it with headlights on, etc..so again, I was wanting to go through it, learn, clean up the contact surfaces, maybe some new brushes if needed, and if possible get rid of as much rust as possible, to allow for some new paint.

 

Thank you all for your help..

 

Steve

[knuckleharley]

 

Wanting to learn, inspect, and clean up, the 6v generator that came with this 46 Plymouth P15..

 

I've never taken one apart and hit a road block.

 

Steve,probably the best money for you to spend at this point is for a Motors Manual that covers 1946 cars. It gives exploded photos that identified all the components commonly taken apart to be repaired,and tells you how to repair,install,and adjust them if they need adjusting. Here is a selection on ebay tonight.

 

http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_trksid=p2050601.m570.l1313.TR0.TRC0.H0.X1946+Motors+Manual.TRS0&_nkw=1946+Motors+Manual&_sacat=0

Edited May 10, 2016 by knuckleharley

[Dodgeb4ya]

Once the brushes are pulled back in their holders (note the orientation) and the winding wire/wires are disconnected the end plate  ... remove the two long bolts....tap the end plate back a 1/16" and it will come loose and off. Note the armature shaft end play washers and order they go....

Then remove the pulley nut and washer...this is where the difficulty can occur-good tools required for full dis-assembly...

 

Here are some pics of a Chrysler GGU generator dis-assembly I did last summer. Yours could be slightly different as to bearing design.

It helps to have the special pulley removal tool that fits in the pulley groove as the pulleys are on sometimes real tight. They will deform if not supported properly.

 

The front bearing is on tight too.   A quality strong puller is required to remove it ..

All this assuming you want to fully take it apart to check it out and replace parts as required.

Bob

Edited May 10, 2016 by Dodgeb4ya

[3046moparcoupe]

Thank you KH and DB4.

 

DB, when I was younger I have used the old Chilton's and have seen the even older Motors Manuals you speak of. A few months back I thought about our local library which has some of the old Motors manuals, but they had nothing close enough to help me...I just rode your link over to ebay and looked through the available Motor's Manuals,..some say 1946 Manual (that being the year they were published) but they all appear to cover a range of years and most automobile mfg's....I have looked at these in the past and had thought that since Plymouth might only show to be a total of 30 pages out of an 800 page manual - that I wouldn't be getting much bang for my buck, so I've not purchased one to date,...but you have given me nothing but solid information so far, so I went ahead a bought one of the manuals being auctioned, it shows to include Desoto, Dodge, Chrysler, and Plymouth yrs 35 - 50 of course along with other mfg's as well, but hopefully it will help me out...thanks for the recommendation and direction,...

 

Heck - I would way rather have a manual to get solid information from than have to send out hollars for help to the forum world. I wrote fiber optic installation instructions for 27 years with GTE/Verizon, it's sorta they way I think,..read the directions - follow the manual... 

 

KH/Bob, thank you - your reply is most helpful, glad I stopped pulling on my generator drive pulley with the 3 jaw puller I was using,...I've never seen a puller like the one you show in your pics,...but that's what I need to be looking for,...I'll try ebay as well....this really helps, thanks.

 

Steve

[Dodgeb4ya]

Sometimes you can use a 3 jaw stand alone puller to remove the GEN pulley.

Carefully tighten it up and use a light hammer and wack the puller screw end once or twice. The shock sometimes will cause the pulley to pop loose. 

[3046moparcoupe]

DB4, I'll give it a try - thanks.

 

S.

[knuckleharley]

I just rode your link over to ebay and looked through the available Motor's Manuals,..some say 1946 Manual (that being the year they were published) but they all appear to cover a range of years and most automobile mfg's....I have looked at these in the past and had thought that since Plymouth might only show to be a total of 30 pages out of an 800 page manual - that I wouldn't be getting much bang for my buck, so I've not purchased one to date,...but you have given me nothing but solid information so far, so I went ahead a bought one of the manuals being auctioned, it shows to include Desoto, Dodge, Chrysler, and Plymouth yrs 35 - 50 of course along with other mfg's as well, but hopefully it will help me out...thanks for the recommendation and direction,..... 

 

==========================================================================================

 

Most mechanical components on these old cars were bought from outside suppliers,and used in cars of all makes. Examples are rear ends,transmissions,carbs,starters,generators,voltage regulators,etc,etc,etc. For example,both my 31 Plymouth and my 39 IHC pu use Delco-Remy ignition parts.

 

Motors manuals have whole sections devoted to basic overhaul sections for these components,and the Plymouth section will have specific details for the parts used in your 46.

 

You will see and understand once you get it in.

 

Edited May 10, 2016 by knuckleharley