Episode II - Revenge of the Wrong

In our last episode, our unskilled F1 owner was desperately trying to convince the wise souls of FTE that he might possibly have diagnosed the cause of the problem with his ride.

[cue the flash back music and fade to...]

You may recall the problem as...

Patient: '49 F1 Stock I6 226
Symptoms:
Year old battery doesn't hold a charge with use
Gauge shows no charge - with headlights on shows discharge
When charged, truck had fired right up - until the last few weeks.
Now had cranked but wouldn't fire - once started, would run rough.
When battery was low, could push start without issue - or use a portable booster battery pack. When started off the pack, engine would run great until the pack was disconnected when it again might drop to a rough idle or simply stall.
Today, on the ride home from my brother's place, it stalled out several times - wouldn't rev after starting without a fight and barely made it the 5 miles back home.

Got it in the garage and started to remove the cover on the voltage regulator. As I was disconnecting the ground screw - it sparked several times and before the cover was removed, the cutout relay on the battery terminal fried (the resistance coil glowed and broke).

Now, I'm sure that disconnecting the battery BEFORE I started on the regulator would have been smarter. I'm wondering if this didn't help clarify the situation.

My diagnosis: The voltage regulator has been in a death spiral and replacing it will solve my battery charge, starting, and idle issues.

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So, the shared wisdom was - 'ya, maybe' - except for Ross who never bought into the notion of the regulator as the problem. I replaced the fried regulator, which did nothing, of course. So I went back to troubleshooting mode:

Tried to motor the generator and got...Nothing, zip, nada, narry a thing from what now appears to be a working door stop.

I can still fire the truck with a booster pack and sort of keep it running. The truck bogs down after it gets warm and doesn't respond to the throttle. If the booster pack is left connected, the truck runs great - removing the connections immediately drops the revs and will stall within a minute or so.

So here's my question: Was the problem the generator all along? Is a generator rebuild / replacement in my future? Will our hero save the day?

[Cue the hero arriving music...anyone? anyone? Bueller? anyone?]

Commence round 2...

 

If memory serves me right, several of us suggested generator, seeing if it would motor, etc.
But that was a long time ago. Generator and regulator now. In addition, load test the battery as suggested before. A good battery will run an engine a long time. Unless of course you have other problems, like sticking regulator points or other drain.

Edit:
1. Load test and charge the battery.
2. Make sure all cables are heavy enough to carry the amperage required of six volts and that the ends of the cable are not compromised with corrosion. That is a pretty long stretch from the battery, around the rear of the engine to the starter and requires a big cable.
3. Check to see if the generator will "motor". If so, replace the voltage regulator and make sure the generator belt is not slipping.
4.End of problem.

 

Yeah what he said.
Cue cheezy tempo Dun Dun Duh.

 

A simple A.V.R. test may solve your problem.

 

. Load test and charge the battery. Done, check. Battery is good.

2. Make sure all cables are heavy enough to carry the amperage required of six volts and that the ends of the cable are not compromised with corrosion. That is a pretty long stretch from the battery, around the rear of the engine to the starter and requires a big cable.

Cables are original with clean connections and good insulation.

3. Check to see if the generator will "motor". If so, replace the voltage regulator and make sure the generator belt is not slipping.

Generator will not motor, replaced the regulator, belt is new and snug.

4.End of problem. - Well, actually, still not fixed.

 

Guess I would need to know what an AVR test. Off to Google...

 

all the parts houses around here will test a battery for free (and then as salesmen, no matter the result tell you that you need to buy a new battery) - advanced auto will actually let you see the printout slip....but now the question does any of the chain parts houses do 6v? .... I have a hunch that they all can, the tester can... does the counter guy know how to switch the machine from 12v to 6v though.

 

AVR is a simple test. It checks the battery, Alt/Gen and starter. Amps / Volts / Resistance. It will load test the battery, check your charging output and check your starter draw.

 

Does that mean OE cables or OE style replacements? Copper wire must give up an electron to flow power and eventually it gets real hard and not easy to bend. A "volt drop test " should tell. Personally if the wire is hard and not flexible I would change it.
There can also be internal corrosion under the cable insulation. This usually manifest itself with a part of the cable that looks swollen but not always, again a "volt drop test" can help. Switches also can do fail a volt drop test. I use to find bad grounds on voltage regulators.....I know your tired of hearing "Regulator" .

This was the reason I switch my 55 from 6v to 12v back in high school. It was not reliable in winter.

 

Thanks for the input fellas.

If the generator does not motor - doesn't respond in any way to power on the arm/field poles - wouldn't that be confirmation that it isn't functioning?

DW

 

I would look there too, I have seen old cable look great on the outside but corroded badly in the inside if you cut the insulation open.

 

Yes, it should turn when doing that test. Here's how to do it.

 

I've never seen a generator that would not "motor" that would actually generate power. Take said generator to a reputable shop and have them test, rebuild. I understand you've let the smoke out of the regulator, replace it at the same time you have the generator rebuilt. Best bet would have the generator shop test and "set" the regulator with the generator.
All this is assuming your wiring s decent.

 

Hey I was thinking about polarization on new generators and some alt. I found this, since nothing else worked think on it.
POLARIZING A 2 BRUSH FORD GENERATOR:
Disconnect the FIELD terminal wire at the regulator and momentarily touch this wire to the BAT terminal of the regulator. NEVER use a jumper wire to keep from disconnecting the fieldwire at the regulator it’ll ruin the regulator in a hurry.
The field wire MUST be disconnected from the regulator. MoPar and GM generators are not polarized in this manner due to their different design.
6 Volt Electrical
I don't know if it will help, here is the hole page and yes some guy had charge problems.

 

Throw an alternator on it, you'll never regret it.