Generator?

D

drbill

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Well, tomorrow I head for Gatlinburg, TN for the United. Due to not having enough time to sort everything out, I'm going to take my Tiger on a trailer. I hope to drive it around locally. I had the shift linkage mechanism out as suggested on my previous thread. None of the parts looked worn, so a good cleaning and reassembly seems to have solved the shifting problem.

Now a new issue. The ignition light stays on with the car running. Belt for the generator in good nick, all connections seem tight. Battery has about 11.6 volts with no change when running. I suspect the generator has gone bad. What's the best way to trouble- shoot this problem?

Thanks,
Bill
 
11.6 volts seems a bit low. Is there a voltage regulator you can check (it's been awhile, both my last 2 Tigers had alternators). With the car running disconnect the battery and see if the cars stays running--this will tell you if the charging system is working.
 
If you determine it is the generator (and not a faulty regulator) it is most likely just worn out brushes. I have gone through quite a few sets over the last 45 years. Being just pieces of carbon material that physically ride on the commutator part of the spinning armature, they gradually wear down. Eventually they get so short that the spring that keeps them pressed on the commutator hangs up on the brush housing. Then the brush no longer makes good contact with the commutator. They are simple enough to change and I carry an extra set with me on road trips. Unfortunately, there are several different sizes both physically and as to the size of the mounting screw ring terminal. It depends on what generator you now have in your car. I would try to take a sample to the parts store to match up.

If you do decide to replace the brushes, be sure to gently clean out and square up the grooves in the commutator. A hack saw blade works wonders.

If you wanted to just buy a rebuilt generator, one place you can check is your local New Holland equipment dealer. That is where I got my last one. It seems that Ford tractors used the same generator as in our cars up into the 1970's. Of course New Holland has since bought Ford's tractor business. If you do that, just remember that you are buying a rebuilt generator without a pulley, so be sure your old one gets swapped over and does not get lost in the core exchange. My local New Holland dealer swapped the pulley over for me. No charge. The rebuilt generator was somewhere around $100, but that was several years ago.

A more obvious place would be some of the classic Mustang parts houses, but you might get lucky and get it faster if there is a New Holland dealer nearby.

Gene
 
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Gens are getting very hard to find and they are all rebuilt. I have a spare rebuilt unit in my basement if you are interested.

It cost ~$125 to be rebuilt, so how about $175.

I have gone to alt and will never look back. I can actually drive in the rain at night, with all lights to include high beams on, with the heater running, fuel pump still pumping and honk the horn.
 
I agree

With Cobrakidz, that is the way to see on the side of the road if the generator is working. Used many times on the old VW. I shudder to think how much a Bosch original unit would sell for today for my 64 conv't. I wish I still had the trash canned old part.

I would add that if you choose not to replace the brushes yourself you tell the shop it is on your old POS Falcon so you do not have to pay the Tiger price.

It is also a good idea to stamp it in some way to make sure you get the same unit back and ask for the unit to be rebuilt and not exchanged lots of old school Latino run starter rebuild electrical shops in the greater LA area. The units are much like the old motors in the slot cars most of us used to play with as kids, but now only hard to rebuild cause of eyesight and fumbling seasoned citizen fingers.

I wouldn't go out at night in the rain you might get car jacked or T boned, rear ended by a soccer mom on the phone.

But it never rains in So. Cal.... well almost
 
Duke Mk1a said:
Gens are getting very hard to find and they are all rebuilt. I have a spare rebuilt unit in my basement if you are interested.

It cost ~$125 to be rebuilt, so how about $175.

I have gone to alt and will never look back. I can actually drive in the rain at night, with all lights to include high beams on, with the heater running, fuel pump still pumping and honk the horn.
Click to expand...

Duke,
I will let you know as soon as I'm 100% sure it's a generator issue. I've been so crazy getting ready to take the car that I haven't quite got my head around the problem yet. That sounds like a fair price.
Bill
 
It's raining generators!

Well, I get to the United and there are 4 generators there in the parts room. I bought one, put it on the car and it works like a charm. There was another NOS one for $50, so I got it for a spare. Right place at the right time, I guess. :D
 
drbill said:
Well, I get to the United and there are 4 generators there in the parts room. I bought one, put it on the car and it works like a charm. There was another NOS one for $50, so I got it for a spare. Right place at the right time, I guess. :D
Click to expand...

WOW! Great price.
 
Geno needs

drbill said:
Well, I get to the United and there are 4 generators there in the parts room. I bought one, put it on the car and it works like a charm. There was another NOS one for $50, so I got it for a spare. Right place at the right time, I guess. :D
Click to expand...

Could use one here, if you find another. thx
 
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