Re: Anyone built a '47-54 engine lately?

Posted by HH56 On 2013/12/8 15:05:17

I'd let the engine try a bit longer. Some have reported that it can take hours to get lifters completely quiet. If after an hour or two it is still not approaching satisfactory then investigate farther.

As to the regulator cut out, am assuming you mean it won't close so there is no charging. If so, I would polarize the generator again. With engine off but everything connected, briefly short the BAT and ARM terminals on the regulator together with a decent size jumper wire -- maybe a second or so. There will be a small spark but that is normal. Giving the generator field/arm steel a new magnetic base of the correct polarity might cure the problem. If still no charge, then you can move on to finding any high resistance or generator problem and the voltage leak. If you mean the cut out relay is closed all the time, that would be a big voltage leak and contacts could be welded shut. The generator would be fairly warm to the touch if not outright damaged if that has happened. Before suggesting other things and ways to check need to know the status of cut out.

On the high resistance question, you can disconnect the field terminal wire to check for resistance. The connection between regulator and generator field terminals is a straight wire so any resistance between the two terminals is bad. The generator field terminal eventually connects to ground thru the windings, armature and then grounded case. You should have essentially zero ohms between generator field terminal and chassis ground. The regulator has some resistors between its field terminal and ground but a pair of contacts should be closed shorting them out. You should read a zero resistance between terminal and ground there. If there is a resistance reading between field terminal and chassis ground, one of the contacts may not be making a good contact or the regulator may not be grounding well thru the mounting screws.

Also verify the generator has the ground wire connected to the screw on case and it has a solid connection to the connection at the headlight terminal block mounting screw to the fender and body. Model wiring between years is slightly different but the regulator must have a good solid ground reference point to the generator. That segment could be the high resistance the troubleshooting guide was referencing.