I wouldn’t. We already found that there should be no phantom drain. In addition, your charging system is working.

Can you remind me what actually isn’t working at this point?

It sounds like you should be able to use the car normally with no electrical issues. Unless I’m forgetting something (probably am).

Thanks Kev
So rookie question. Where am I checking the voltage? On the ammeter?

Check your voltage. You should be getting over 7 volts with the car running.

If less, than you not charging and running off the battery only hence the discharge.

Thanks Kev.

So I took her out for a drive today. Ran well. I noticed though that the ammeter looks a bit different. I think I recall it always hanging at 0 previously. But now it is on the negative side.

First Pic is when I turn the key




Then when it is at a nice idle after start it moves toward 0 but still negative.





And then when I am moving around 30 it’s about the same as idle




Is this ok? Or should it be more around the 0?

Thoughts appreciated!

Maybe it's just dried up grease from when it was assembled, a little resistance here there and everywhere and now it's too stiff to turn. "Probably" once it moves it will be good.

But the safe bet would be to do a little checking, at least pull the head and pan, and then go further if you think you need to. If there is a bit of rust on the cylinders, stuck valves, etc. it would all be easily remedied with some time and the cost of a gasket set. If it was just an old engine not such a big deal, but you've got a "new" engine there.

Of course this is easy for me to say, I'm not the one that would have to do the work! LOL

It sat for years and years, but looking in the crankcase and valves looks like there’s build grease on things. Not an outside or wet engine that’s for sure but it also wasn’t hermetically sealed. I trust the build and overall storage, but the time is my main concerning variable.

Seems like the vibration damper screw torque spec is 130-150, so sounds like setting the torque wrench to that and giving it a post soak wiggle is in order. I think my initial effort was under that since I just poured the MMO in a minute before and I was trying to be cautious.

Set at volts so I guess I’m good with that….I guess I’ll try a new solenoid to starter?

To be sure, you can get it rebuilt. Jason from Advanced Electrical Rebuilders, jason@aerrebuild.com, did mine for my 53. Very happy with the service and workmanship.

I doubt if anything would help the diaphragm if it is dried and stiff. A VERY small amount of brake fluid on the atmospheric side might soften it a little. You don't want any brake fluid in your engine intake.

Quote:

Do you mean 0.29 AMPS? Or did you have it set to volts?

If it's set to volts, we can still use this result. Usually a digital voltmeter has 10k internal impedance at least, so since you're reading such a low voltage, the rest of the circuit is open. So this is a good result if it is set to volts like you said.

If you meant to say that it was set to amps, that's a very bad result and you have a lot of leakage.