1952 Plymouth Cranbrook Generator

[Leo White]

Does anybody know where I can get a new generator for a 1952 Cranbrook or possibly someone that rebuild them, thank you.

[greg g]

 generator and starter motor rebuilding service now available. Please call 617-244-1118 for details! 

 

From the oldmoparts on line catalog aka Andy burnbaum auto parts.

 

[Leo White]

3 hours ago, greg g said:

 generator and starter motor rebuilding service now available. Please call 617-244-1118 for details! 

 

From the oldmoparts on line catalog aka Andy burnbaum auto parts.

 

Thank you so much, they do rebuilt Generators for $350.

[Loren]

$350 is a lot of money for a generator!

I am positive there are local shops which could rebuild one for less.

Then there is eBay. You can get a lot of used generators for $350! Most auto parts stores will test your generator for free.

I'd be pulling it first, then have it tested, then repaired if that is what is wrong.

Remember there's a regulator involved too.

If it were me, I'd get it tested, take a peek at the brushes. If they are worn, they are very cheap to replace.

You might even spoil it by taking some sand paper to the commutator. Then get it re-tested.

These cars are old basic technology, translation? Easy to fix.

Get a manual

[Leo White]

23 hours ago, Loren said:

$350 is a lot of money for a generator!

I am positive there are local shops which could rebuild one for less.

Then there is eBay. You can get a lot of used generators for $350! Most auto parts stores will test your generator for free.

I'd be pulling it first, then have it tested, then repaired if that is what is wrong.

Remember there's a regulator involved too.

If it were me, I'd get it tested, take a peek at the brushes. If they are worn, they are very cheap to replace.

You might even spoil it by taking some sand paper to the commutator. Then get it re-tested.

These cars are old basic technology, translation? Easy to fix.

Get a manual

I had my cranbrook at a shop that specializes in restoring and we charged the battery then as the car was running disconnected the battery and the car wanted to die so they said that was in indicator that the Generator was bad.

[Plymouthy Adams]

a professional shop disconnecting the battery instead of using a meter.......I would run run run......while it does prove no output...it does not give me a warm fuzzy they care enough to use proper test equipment.....?

[Los_Control]

This is one of those moments you want to spend time on.

What is your goal for your car?  Keeping it 6 volt is fine, are you sure you do not want to convert to 12 volt?

 

This is a choice you need to decide for your application.

 

[Loren]

Just a reminder, never ever remove the battery cable on a car with an alternator!

Generator okay, alternator NO.

The alternator generates A/C (hence the name) to convert the A/C to D/C that the car can use. It uses the battery as an active part of the system.

A bad battery or a loose cable or someone removing the cable puts an infinite load on the alternator and at the speed of light burns up the diodes.

A simple volt meter will tell you a lot about what is happening with your charging system.

Hook up the meter at the battery and observe the voltage. Then crank the starter. You should see a voltage drop while cranking.

Once the engine lights up rev it once and see what the voltage is. If it climbs over the battery voltage your generator is working.

The ammeter will tell you how hard.

A check of the manual will tell you what voltages to expect so write them down. Sorry I don't have the 6 volt readings committed to memory like I do the 12 volt.

 

[Plymouthy Adams]

I was not there to observe what was done at the shop and can only go by what the poster wrote.....to say I do not trust them based on what was written...calling out the generator as bad and needing overhaul and not ever take the field to ground and check output by bypassing the regulator.....no test of the harness to the regulator to verify if continuity and why the regulator may or may not be at fault....very shoddy troubleshooting....all I got to say.....folks with a 10.00 meter and the book you can blow the average shop away for thorough testing.......if the armature is not leaded due to overheated commutator.....95% of the time, brushes...or loose belt causing slipping under load and unable to reach output at idle, heck it could have lost residual magnetism......no time was it stated testing during a rev condition...

Edited July 15, 2021 by Plymouthy Adams

[MackTheFinger]

Pulling the battery cable as a first step could eliminate the battery as a problem but as others have pointed out there are other possibilities than the generator itself. I was taught that the generator motor test is fairly reliable. There's a YouTube video by Chris Fisher that demonstrates it on a positive ground generator. 

[Go Fleiter]

I had an alternator to replace my (working) generator because of periodical trouble with the Voltage regulator.

I am able to set its output very precisely when warm (letting the engine run on a empty, big parking lot),

but I hate to redo it every couple of years.

I choose a genrator with regulator included, needing no more the old electromechanical one.

It was 400 + $, but you can find cheaper, if it must not have an oldfashioned case.

No servicing since then, always giving exactly 7,4 V, cold or warm, speed or ideling., lights on or off.

If originality is more important than reliability, my new gererator from Bernbaums was high quality.

It was, as said, the regulator problem!

Greetings from Düsseldorf!

Go

[chrysler1941]

9 hours ago, Go Fleiter said:

I had an alternator to replace my (working) generator because of periodical trouble with the Voltage regulator.

I am able to set its output very precisely when warm (letting the engine run on a empty, big parking lot),

but I hate to redo it every couple of years.

I choose a genrator with regulator included, needing no more the old electromechanical one.

It was 400 + $, but you can find cheaper, if it must not have an oldfashioned case.

No servicing since then, always giving exactly 7,4 V, cold or warm, speed or ideling., lights on or off.

If originality is more important than reliability, my new gererator from Bernbaums was high quality.

It was, as said, the regulator problem!

Greetings from Düsseldorf!

Go

Electronic regulator will not only produce a stable voltage, but a pure ripple free DC and faster battery charging.

 

Now are these regulators available for 35 A ? I can only find 20A model.

[Go Fleiter]

sorry, I wasn´t online for a while.

Here (late) a link to my choice, 60 A / 6V:

 

https://www.summitracing.com/parts/pwm-82057

 

They have GM and other types.

I got the GM and had to adapt my fixing a bit.

Maybe they have MOPAR also.

 

The old- style case is very expensive, if budget orientation is needed, cheaper modern style are available too.

Greetings from Düsseldorf!

Go

[chrysler1941]

12 hours ago, Go Fleiter said:

sorry, I wasn´t online for a while.

Here (late) a link to my choice, 60 A / 6V:

 

https://www.summitracing.com/parts/pwm-82057

 

They have GM and other types.

I got the GM and had to adapt my fixing a bit.

Maybe they have MOPAR also.

 

The old- style case is very expensive, if budget orientation is needed, cheaper modern style are available too.

Greetings from Düsseldorf!

Go

Thanks but only wanted regulator for DC generators, not a complete alternator.

[Go Fleiter]

sorry, my fault!

My reason to take that expensive alternator was exactly the same problem You are facing now!

The biggest regulator I coul find was a Lucas 30 A one, but I still prefer not to use Lucas...

Don´t have the link, sorry again.

All the solid state replacments were far weaker.