'51 Special
Active Member
I recently installed a generator of a 1950 Buick on my '51. Other than installing a narrow-belt pully, I made no changes to the "new" generator. However, I did disassemble it to clean it up as it had been sitting in a hoodless engine compartment for many years. It had a very recently (in use, not in time) cleaned-up commutator and new brushes. After cleaning it up, I painted it, replaced the wide - with the narrow-belt pully, and "motorized" it to verify general function. All went well. I installed the generator on my battery-less and not running car.
About two weeks go by, I get everything assembled, and start up the newly overhauled engine. (Except for turning the key, all starting of the starting procedures took place under the hood.) When I looked at the instruments to chek oil pressure and water temp, I saw that the charge indicator was registering deep discharge. This is when I remembered that I had never polarized the generator. I shut the car off, polarized the generator, still deep discharge. I have not yet opened up the regulator, but it was previously working fine with the old generator.
My questions: Is this problem likely or typically caused by failure to polarize the generator, or is it more likely to be some malfunction I have not tested for? I it is likely due to failure to polarize, can it be fixed using the cleaning and adjustmnts described in the Buick Shop Manual, or is the regulator toast? Thanks for any suggestion on this.
'51
About two weeks go by, I get everything assembled, and start up the newly overhauled engine. (Except for turning the key, all starting of the starting procedures took place under the hood.) When I looked at the instruments to chek oil pressure and water temp, I saw that the charge indicator was registering deep discharge. This is when I remembered that I had never polarized the generator. I shut the car off, polarized the generator, still deep discharge. I have not yet opened up the regulator, but it was previously working fine with the old generator.
My questions: Is this problem likely or typically caused by failure to polarize the generator, or is it more likely to be some malfunction I have not tested for? I it is likely due to failure to polarize, can it be fixed using the cleaning and adjustmnts described in the Buick Shop Manual, or is the regulator toast? Thanks for any suggestion on this.
'51