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Amp Light Beacon 444-544

posted by  jmenacker on  Wed Sep 1 04:00 CST 2004
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last visit: Wed Jan 21 09:31 CST 2009
[RELATED]

Yesterday my amp light flickered for a while and then came on solid red. I pulled over and didn't see anything amiss. The belt was fine, the wires looked okay, and the fuses were okay. The radio, fan, turn signals and headlights worked okay.

I drove home the remaining 75 miles with only one strange occurance (besides the amp light being on and wondering where the power to spark the plugs was coming from for all those miles). After getting off one interstate and onto the next, there was a fan belt type squawk when the car got up to 75 mph. I backed down to 70 and the squawking stopped accompanied by the amp light going out. After exiting the interstate the amp light came back on with no attendant noises.

This morning I:

1. Connected a voltmeter across the battery terminals and read 12.6 at idle. Increasing engine speed did not increase voltage.

2. Marked and removed the Df D+ and ground from both generator and voltage regulator. Continuity was fine on all three wires.

3. Checked fuse #1. The existing fuse was intact but the fusable link was broken slightly. Installing a new fuse had no effect on the amp light.

4. Jumpered Df to chassis. Connected voltmeter between D+ and ground. Started engine. Voltmeter read 1.7 at idle and ran up to 2.5 with engine racing.

5. Took off voltmeter. Removed fan belt. Connected D+ to battery positive. Generator obliged to spin evenly and quietly but started to slow down considerably after 15 seconds or so.

6. Rechecked voltage between D+ and ground. Read zero volts. Thought I had burned out something. Noticed fan belt still off. Replaced fan belt and got same readings as in #4 above.

I replaced the brushes about 18 months (15K miles) ago.

Do the results above indicate that the generator is a goner?

Thanks,

Joe M in WV








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    Amp Light Beacon 444-544

    posted by  walrus3 on  Wed Sep 1 05:31 CST 2004
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    last visit: Mon Dec 2 14:20 CST 2013
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    With no power applied, you might remove the cover on the voltage regulator
    and make sure the points are making contact. Also there is a fusible link
    and a resistor on the bottom of the regulator. The fusible link usually has
    a piece of "spaghetti" around it that will appear burned if the link has
    wiped out. I have replaced the fusible link with a piece of fairly fine
    wire and gotten by for a long time. If the resistor is broken you're probably
    stuck.

    If the regulator is OK (it usually is) it may be the generator which is easy
    to fix if you catch it soon enough, before the windings get in contact with
    the armature, etc. They are really pretty simple. I've got some glass tape
    I use to replace the rotten stuff on the field windings - it works pretty
    good. E-mail me if you get in a scrape for this commodity.
    --
    George Downs, Bartlesville, Oklahoma, Central US








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      Amp Light Beacon 444-544

      posted by  jmenacker on  Wed Sep 1 10:14 CST 2004
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      last visit: Wed Jan 21 09:31 CST 2009
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      George:

      Thanks for the regulator check suggestions. I am not going to have much time for tinkering for a bit and need the car on the road quickly. For now, I have decided to buy a spare genny and regulator. The current set up will be taken apart and restored when time allows. You will probably find me writing for help when that happens.

      How do you open the charging control anyway? On the exposed back side of mine I did see a bar with a fine winding around it and a resistor. The winding looked intact and there was no visible evidence of overheating on the back plate.

      Best regards,

      Joe M








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        Amp Light Beacon 444-544

        posted by  walrus3 on  Wed Sep 1 10:21 CST 2004
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        last visit: Mon Dec 2 14:20 CST 2013
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        The regulator has a screw in the center of the top, Phillips head. Probably
        covered with thick white paint. Removal of the paint (probably also
        installation of the regulator) voids the warranty (if any).
        Be sure you have it disconnected when you take the cover off. There are parts
        inside that do not take kindly to being shorted out.

        A spare to work on is good.
        --
        George Downs, Bartlesville, Oklahoma, Central US








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    Amp Light Beacon 444-544 1953

    uid 9973's pic
    posted by  CVOLVO on  Wed Sep 1 05:22 CST 2004
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    last visit: Fri Jul 13 18:40 CST 2012
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    My fault tracing procedure is to install known good spares individually and see what happens and the generator light goes out. This would include the voltage regulator, a new fan belt (unlikely), a spare battery (less likely) and a reliable spare generator (maybe you have a good friend with spares?). I guess an electrical component might cause a permanent discharge, but I'm really stretching it. Are any of the fuses warm to the touch? BTW, how did you resolve the "rabbit hop" problem you reported earlier in August?
    --
    Cam a.k.a. CVOLVO.COM








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      Amp Light Beacon & Rabbits 444-544 1953

      posted by  jmenacker on  Wed Sep 1 10:27 CST 2004
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      last visit: Wed Jan 21 09:31 CST 2009
      [RELATED]

      Cam:

      A refurbished generator and regulator will be available Sunday.

      The bunny hop was diminished after lubricating the pedal arm shaft and clutch linkage intermedate shaft. Perhaps it was driver error that caused the bucking. It only occured when starting on a steep slope. I usually tend to rev the engine too much starting on hills for fear of stalling and rolling back into someone else.

      As long as I drive normally, even under hard accelleration, the car does not buck. On some occaisions the bucking comes when in reverse.

      I heard from another gentleman who is having a similar problem following a clutch rebuild with new pilot and throwout bearings. I don't recall the pilot bearing being a difficult install. Is it easy to put it in off center?

      Best regards,

      Joe M








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        Amp Light Beacon & Rabbits 444-544 1953

        uid 10468's pic
        posted by  yogui on  Wed Sep 1 13:03 CST 2004
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        last visit: Tue Apr 30 15:41 CST 2013
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        If your car use 12 volts, could be time to use a alternator on place of generator...

        Joaquin
        Rojo 121 Amazon
        Lima Peru







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          Generator or Alternator 444-544 1953

          posted by  jmenacker on  Wed Sep 1 13:49 CST 2004
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          last visit: Wed Jan 21 09:31 CST 2009
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          Joaquin:

          I was torn between the alternator swap or just fixing the generator. We have a '66 122 that is supposed to arrive in the next couple of days. I was thinking that if I get a new generator and fix the existing one, then the backup generator is good for either car. For some silly reason I kind of like keeping the car fairly stock -- although I did put in a CD stereo, speakers and an IPD sway bar.

          I guess the alternative would be to change both the 544 and the 122 to alternators.

          Thanks for the suggestion. It is a good one.

          Joe M








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    Amp Light Beacon 444-544

    posted by  someone claiming to be mjamgb on  Wed Sep 1 05:07 CST 2004 [RELATED]

    Check to make certain the brushes are actually making contact. Otherwise, it sounds like time for a new one. Although if the bearings are good you may be able to "freshen" it. Pulling it apart to check the windings and armature is the only way to tell fer sure.

    Mike!








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      Amp Light Beacon 444-544

      posted by  jmenacker on  Wed Sep 1 10:17 CST 2004
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      last visit: Wed Jan 21 09:31 CST 2009
      [RELATED]

      Mike:

      Yes, you are right that the brushes need to be checked before assuming anything. I decided to get a known good genny and regulator for now so as to get the car back on the road as quickly as possible. Time is a bit tight right now for a proper tear down without rushing.

      Thanks much for your quick response.

      Joe M







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