Re: repeditive generator failure

Posted by Tim Cole On 2011/10/31 17:05:45

Dear Steve:

New regulators are available (Standard VR-8, and others like Napa). However, supplies are dwindling due to the decline of USA economic health. Let's look at how the system works.

The generator harness has three wires - Field, Armature, Ground. You can make up a new harness with wire from Napa and black tape. The field and armature wires go directly to the regulator. The ground wire ends up at a junction block, but you might as well send that to the regulator as well. Lastly, on your car the battery post on the regulator goes directly to the starter. You should include that in the generator harness by creative taping. You can also buy a partial from one of the RI suppliers by asking for the generator harness only.

I once got a kick out of taking a pair of wire cutters and amputating a defective generator harness in front of a visitor and throwing it over my shoulder. Then I ripped out the distributor wires and did the same thing. They thought I was mad.

Anyway, next let's look at the Generator Light. It gets power from the ignition switch and grounds through the generator. If the generator is charging there is no ground path and it goes out. If the wire is shorted it will come on even when the generator is charging and the generator will be shorted as well. Not good.

You can run a new one of these from the armature post on the regulator to the light on the dash.

Also, I would invest in a disconnect switch because in reality the car is trying to catch on fire.

Hope this helps.