CJD
Yoda
Offline
First of all, I have decided that Triumphs can never be completely perfect. They enjoy having one item in need of repair at all times. More on that later. This thread is about dynamos, or generators.
I pulled the generator yesterday for another rebuild. If you missed my rant on junk parts supplied by the big 4, then you know that all the vendors are supplying rear generator bushings with more than .010" clearance, which is just way to much! I have known this is an issue for 6 years, but as with most of us, chose to live with the problem. This particular generator, though, decided IT didn't want to just live with it, and began to protest with the horrible buzzing. It waited to act up until I had finally repaired the leaking gas tank (another vendor nightmare).
So...this rebuild had a couple goals. First, I was going to replace the yoke (outer housing) with one with the correct part number and date stampings. The date is 2 of 55. My car was built around march, so this yoke was about right to make it "number matching". Goal number two is to replace the wallowing "new" bushing with one that actually fit. I managed, about 6 months ago, to find an NOS rear plate for the generator:
I didn't need an entire plate, but I had hope that an original Lucas plate would also have a properly fitting bushing. Fortunately, it did!! The rear bushing clearance dropped from .015" clearance to only .001". Now we're talking! I swapped the front plate, while also replacing the new ball bearing just in case it was damaged from the buzzing, and even swapped the field windings to the number matching yoke. I only had one odd issue in the rebuild. Considering I was re-using the field windings and armature from the same generator that was in the car. you would think it would drop right in and work the same. That didn't happen!?!
SO, this is one for Randall...
The rebuilt generator, same windings, same armature, put out no amperage when installed!! I jumped the field and it worked perfectly, so not the generator. It turns out all I had to do was tighten the voltage regulator screw 1/2 turn and everything came to life. How weird is that?? I figure the earlier yoke must not be as efficient magnetically as the later 1958 yoke I replaced?? Either that or the tight bushing centered the armature better so it was farther from the field windings?
I'm not worried...just curious how a new yoke would affect the voltage regulator setting??
Back to the quirks with Triumphs. As soon as I repaired the generator, the starting solenoid started to act up. I mean really? These cars insist on attention. I will fix the solenoid, and then the next, and next...until it finally gives me some problem I can live with. Maybe an oil leak or such. Then I will live with it in total equilibrium. As long as ONE item is not working right, a Triumph is happy. Once I have that one problem as one I can live with...I will be happy too.
In closing, the moral of the story is thank you to those souls who hold on to the ancient OEM junk, so we can have decent NOS parts on occasion!!
I pulled the generator yesterday for another rebuild. If you missed my rant on junk parts supplied by the big 4, then you know that all the vendors are supplying rear generator bushings with more than .010" clearance, which is just way to much! I have known this is an issue for 6 years, but as with most of us, chose to live with the problem. This particular generator, though, decided IT didn't want to just live with it, and began to protest with the horrible buzzing. It waited to act up until I had finally repaired the leaking gas tank (another vendor nightmare).
So...this rebuild had a couple goals. First, I was going to replace the yoke (outer housing) with one with the correct part number and date stampings. The date is 2 of 55. My car was built around march, so this yoke was about right to make it "number matching". Goal number two is to replace the wallowing "new" bushing with one that actually fit. I managed, about 6 months ago, to find an NOS rear plate for the generator:
I didn't need an entire plate, but I had hope that an original Lucas plate would also have a properly fitting bushing. Fortunately, it did!! The rear bushing clearance dropped from .015" clearance to only .001". Now we're talking! I swapped the front plate, while also replacing the new ball bearing just in case it was damaged from the buzzing, and even swapped the field windings to the number matching yoke. I only had one odd issue in the rebuild. Considering I was re-using the field windings and armature from the same generator that was in the car. you would think it would drop right in and work the same. That didn't happen!?!
SO, this is one for Randall...
The rebuilt generator, same windings, same armature, put out no amperage when installed!! I jumped the field and it worked perfectly, so not the generator. It turns out all I had to do was tighten the voltage regulator screw 1/2 turn and everything came to life. How weird is that?? I figure the earlier yoke must not be as efficient magnetically as the later 1958 yoke I replaced?? Either that or the tight bushing centered the armature better so it was farther from the field windings?
I'm not worried...just curious how a new yoke would affect the voltage regulator setting??
Back to the quirks with Triumphs. As soon as I repaired the generator, the starting solenoid started to act up. I mean really? These cars insist on attention. I will fix the solenoid, and then the next, and next...until it finally gives me some problem I can live with. Maybe an oil leak or such. Then I will live with it in total equilibrium. As long as ONE item is not working right, a Triumph is happy. Once I have that one problem as one I can live with...I will be happy too.
In closing, the moral of the story is thank you to those souls who hold on to the ancient OEM junk, so we can have decent NOS parts on occasion!!
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