that dang generator

[Swank]

Getting close, but this car keeps moving the goal on me.   
GEN light was on before I took this thing completely apart a year or so back.   Finally got the stock 292 and fordomatic back in.  Went back together with a new regulator and a mostly rebuilt generator (everything new but the field coils).  GEN light still on.  Only 12.65volts across the battery regardless of rpm.  Tested all the gen to reg wires for opens and shorts, they tested good.  Took GEN back out, did all the tests i could find on it  - open, short, resistance across field, voltage to case.  Book said resistance across fields should be 1.5 to 1.6, mine read 1.47.  Book said zero voltage to case, mine read .003.   Had a hard time making more than 7-9 amps even after running fields to ground, and GEN light still on.  So i figured it was something in the fields and broke down and got new generator.  30amp, AC delco, no frills.  Put it in, GEN light still on, still only 12.6 something volts across battery regardless of rpm.  Exactly same situation as before.
Looking for ideas on where and how to start chasing this no charging thing down, and suggestions on anything that I might be overlooking.

[hiball3985]

Did you polarize the generator?

[Swank]

Yes, at the regulator.  Took field wire off its post and tapped a couple times to the battery post on the regulator.  Got the spark.   Did that on both the old and new GEN.

[wv 57s forever]

  sorry but time for an alternator !

[hiball3985]

Yes, at the regulator.  Took field wire off its post and tapped a couple times to the battery post on the regulator.  Got the spark.   Did that on both the old and new GEN.

OK, good. Maybe a bad regulator, new only means new not good, some of the new stuff is made off shore and not so good. Light wire connected to A terminal at regulator? Could also be a bad ground at regulator, try a jumper wire from a good ground to regulator body mount?

[Swank]

  sorry but time for an alternator !

haaa, probably right.  Feel like im in deep on the generator,  i have to run it for spite now.


Hiball,   yeah GEN dummy light wire is on the A post.  I tested the ground with a test light,  but will try running a ground from the reg case straight to the neg battery post maybe. 
Didnt know if the gen light circuit is capable of knocking the whole charging out if wired incorrectly.   Not sure if theres some creative wiring under the dash.  I put everything back where i found it., but of course, the gen light was on before too.

How can i plug in my cheapo multimeter that will narrow things down?  It seems like theres not enough juice at the reg A term, or its not running the field coil circuit to boost the current, or if it is, its still not enough to kick in the battery relay.
And it could be a junk new regulator, ...but hoping.

[hiball3985]

Not enough juice at the A terminal may be either not enough output from the generator or possible a stuck points cut out relay in the regulator? Did you test it at an RPM above idle? I'm sorry my old memory of these issues is bad. Is there a local auto parts store that you can take the generator to to test the output? Eliminate that and if its good it maybe the regulator.

[terry_208]

Couldn't one check generator out put by starting the vehicle, disconnecting the battery and placing a multimeter into the system, charging wire to ground?  IDK just asking.

[hiball3985]

Couldn't one check generator out put by starting the vehicle, disconnecting the battery and placing a multimeter into the system, charging wire to ground?  IDK just asking.

You can turn the RPM up and disconnect the battery, if it continues to run the system is charging. If the engine dies it isn't charging but you won't know if the problem is the generator or regulator.

[Swank]

That dang generator update.

Found some voltage drop tests to run on this thing.   Eliminated the generator, the regulator to battery wires, the gen to reg wires, and the generator to ground. Only thing left was the little magic box.   So threw in another brand new, fresh off the shelf regulator,   ...and goodbye generator light.  Hiball, your first instincs were right.  And I was reluctant to think the new stuff was bad.   Now i have 14.6v across the battery and im ready to get beat down by the next issue,  ....whatever that may be. 

[hiball3985]

That dang generator update.

Found some voltage drop tests to run on this thing.   Eliminated the generator, the regulator to battery wires, the gen to reg wires, and the generator to ground. Only thing left was the little magic box.   So threw in another brand new, fresh off the shelf regulator,   ...and goodbye generator light.  Hiball, your first instincs were right.  And I was reluctant to think the new stuff was bad.   Now i have 14.6v across the battery and im ready to get beat down by the next issue,  ....whatever that may be.

Good news, glad you found the problem. It's a shame we have to use so much off shore crap these days. I just had a FE fuel pump fail after two months and less then 500 miles, thats scary as I have the same pump on my Y block..

[djfordmanjack]

How come we are just not surprised by this happening ? It is a sad world today.
Anyways, it's great that Swank has found and solved the problem and that his engine is running and back in the car !!! We want to see this beauty out and about and hopefully  get to see some cruising and road trip pics on here ! fingers crossed !

[Swank]

Im in a mad dash to make the BayouRoundUp.  Oct 18-19, Lafayette LA.    Trying to get it street legal by then.  Some days the 57 acts like it wants to be there,  others not so much.  Hopefully i'll have some shots of it somewhere besides the driveway soon.