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Technical Generator- burning smell

Discussion in 'The Hokey Ass Message Board' started by Fisher400, Apr 12, 2022.

  1. Fisher400
    Joined: Jan 27, 2020
    Posts: 180

    Fisher400
    Member
    from East coast

    Hey guys,

    I figured the HAMB could help me with a generator question!
    Yesterday I ran an errand with my 63 Falcon Sprint. Engine is a full rebuilt 1,500 miles ago and stock original (2bbl, generator, no power or AC etc). I pulled in and noticed the GEN idiot light came on after the ignition was off...odd. When I came back to the car, the GEN light was off, but it smelled like burning rubber in the car. I did a sanity check...saw nothing and since I carry an extinguisher on board I drove it home with no issues. When I pulled in the garage I had the lights on and noticed no dimming of the lights at idle or increase in brightness when it revved. Looking around the engine, no burned wires, but the generator has the remnants of that burning rubber smell if you give it a wiff. The belt is not smoked, right amount of tension. Smells like it is coming from inside the generator.
    What gives? Time for a rebuild on the generator or just keep driving it? Pic of the generator is attached.
     

    Attached Files:

  2. BJR
    Joined: Mar 11, 2005
    Posts: 9,816

    BJR
    Member

    Sounds like your regulator stuck and smoked the generator.
     
  3. Fisher400
    Joined: Jan 27, 2020
    Posts: 180

    Fisher400
    Member
    from East coast

    Thanks! So... replace the voltage regulator and then what needs to be done to the generator?
     
  4. gnichols
    Joined: Mar 6, 2008
    Posts: 11,345

    gnichols
    Member
    from Tampa, FL

    Perhaps some loose wires, arching on the pins inside a connector?
     

  5. BJR
    Joined: Mar 11, 2005
    Posts: 9,816

    BJR
    Member

    You need to test the generator before you start throwing parts at it.
     
  6. Fisher400
    Joined: Jan 27, 2020
    Posts: 180

    Fisher400
    Member
    from East coast

    Ok, pulled the cap off the regulator and that all looks fine fine points etc. I have the tech manual for the car so there should be some generator test procedures in that.
     
  7. sunbeam
    Joined: Oct 22, 2010
    Posts: 6,213

    sunbeam
    Member

    When the regulator stuck the generator tried to turn into a motor and a stalled electric motor has a short live. One of the things to test a generator is to motor it with the belt hooked up it tried to turn over the engine.
     
    Last edited: Apr 13, 2022
    jaracer likes this.
  8. Fisher400
    Joined: Jan 27, 2020
    Posts: 180

    Fisher400
    Member
    from East coast

    Fun times…if the generator fried for sure, I would think I would have had trouble running the car on the way back…? I have had an alternator go before and that caused everything to just stop at some point while driving… wouldn’t a bad generator be similar?
     
    AccurateMike likes this.
  9. lippy
    Joined: Sep 27, 2006
    Posts: 6,825

    lippy
    Member
    from Ks

    Regulator hung up? Maybe battery smell. Lippy
     
  10. Mr48chev
    Joined: Dec 28, 2007
    Posts: 33,861

    Mr48chev
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    Sounds like you fried it.
    Now the choice is take it off and take it apart and inspect it or take it off and take it to an auto electric shop that works on generators and have them check it out.

    Just thinking that the two cries for help we see most often are:
    My generator crapped out what do I do now?
    My Pertroinix crapped out what do I do now?

    Most likely if you pull it apart you will find that the solder at the connections from the armature windings to the commutator has melted in some spots. That means replace the armature or replace the whole generator.
     
    427 sleeper and jnaki like this.
  11. rusty valley
    Joined: Oct 25, 2014
    Posts: 3,883

    rusty valley
    Member

    @Fisher400 , if the only power being used is to fire the ignition, the car would probably run for 100 miles. Lights, radio, heater, etc, well then its anybody's guess. Got a good battery? then, it will run a long time on just ignition
     
  12. Take both items to an auto electric shop for evaluation. I always used to replace the regulator when I changed a generator. Most parts stores wouldn't guaranty a generator with an old regulator. Have you given thought to an alternator conversion?
     
  13. goldmountain
    Joined: Jun 12, 2016
    Posts: 4,442

    goldmountain

    The armature smoked on my generator. It was cheaper to convert over to a one wire alternator.
     
    firstinsteele likes this.

  14. ONLY way to go. 11 years, 20,000+ miles on a parts store rebuild for less than $60.

    Ben
     
  15. alchemy
    Joined: Sep 27, 2002
    Posts: 20,406

    alchemy
    Member

    I recommend taking the generator and regulator to a trusted auto electrical shop if you have one near. They can test both and adjust the regulator to give the correct output once all the parts are operating again.
     
  16. Fisher400
    Joined: Jan 27, 2020
    Posts: 180

    Fisher400
    Member
    from East coast

    Just to close the book on this, I went to a local shop that rebuilds alternators/gens/starters and they rebuilt it for under $200. Absolute full rebuild and adjusted the regulator to the rebuilt generator. They even had all the nos parts up stairs. Good guys- Trucko in Leesport Pa.

    what I learned was health of the generator is important of course but the regulator needs to be adjusted to the generator too. Car starts and runs much easier now.
     
  17. Thanks for the update
     
  18. Bob Lowry
    Joined: Jan 19, 2020
    Posts: 1,488

    Bob Lowry

    Glad you figured it out...just went through the same thing on my '61 Chevy....love the Falcon Sprints, even
    though I am not a total Ford fan...this one just came up in Denver...63.5 with 58k orig. miles...even has
    the original Sprint tach...pretty cool...
    sprint.jpg
     
  19. Fisher400
    Joined: Jan 27, 2020
    Posts: 180

    Fisher400
    Member
    from East coast

    Very cool, hope you went for that Sprint. Yea Sprints are fun. A factory example of the old hot rod mentality "small car and big(ger) engine". Not that a 260 is that fast!
     

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