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.
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.
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.
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?
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.
@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
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?
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.
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.
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...
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!