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I was driving my 61 today, and noticed that after a while the ammeter would show a discharge at idle (which is normal on that car, especially if the brake lights are on) and then continue to show a discharge after the engine speed was up to normal. After a few seconds, the needle would jump to the charge side, and continue to show a + until the engine speed returned to idle. After a few cycles of this, it quit going to the positive altogether. Am I likely looking at a generator rebuild or a voltage regulator? I believe the ammeter to be fairly reliable, as it has always indicated the type of readings I would expect to get from this system.
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Re: 61 generator
Ed,
Based on my past experience I would check both items, voltage re. and gen. This way you will know if both or only one of the items is causing this problem.
Bill -
Re: 61 generator
Ed,
Based on my past experience I would check both items, voltage re. and gen. This way you will know if both or only one of the items is causing this problem.
BillComment
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Re: 61 generator
Don't wait on getting a professional eyeball on your situation. The term 'throwing lead' was well known in old timer generator circles. You have carbon brushes that contact the armature inside the generator and these wear with time/use. They're spring loaded and the end of the brushes (where electrical contact wires are affixed) are essentially steel.
If/when the brushes wear out, the contactor ends touch the armature shaft and begin to 'bite'. You can destroy the relatively hard to find rotating piece of your generator (because it had the external shaft for Corvette tach drive and/or passenger car P/S pump) if you run it too long in over-wear mode. You don't want to learn first hand what it means to 'throw lead' on a classic Corvette electrical part!Comment
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Re: 61 generator
Don't wait on getting a professional eyeball on your situation. The term 'throwing lead' was well known in old timer generator circles. You have carbon brushes that contact the armature inside the generator and these wear with time/use. They're spring loaded and the end of the brushes (where electrical contact wires are affixed) are essentially steel.
If/when the brushes wear out, the contactor ends touch the armature shaft and begin to 'bite'. You can destroy the relatively hard to find rotating piece of your generator (because it had the external shaft for Corvette tach drive and/or passenger car P/S pump) if you run it too long in over-wear mode. You don't want to learn first hand what it means to 'throw lead' on a classic Corvette electrical part!Comment
Comment