BJ8 Voltage Regulator...adjustable?

[AUSMHLY]

My car was not charging. After tracing the problem, it seems the points in my voltage regulator stuck. After hitting the case a couple times, they freed-ed up.

Although the hit it with a hammer approach works, I'd rather fix the problem, to keep it from happening again...sort of.

I opened the case and found 3 sets of points.
I slid some 1500 through them, followed by compressed air, then sprayed some CRC QD Electronic Cleaner on them. Nice and clean now. Put the regulator back together and installed it back on the car. Seems to be charging fine.

Question:
Two of the points had adjustment screws. Each screw head had drops of something hard on them to keep them from moving.

Does that mean they should not be adjusted?
Or were they set at the factory, but now they are worn and should be adjusted? If there is a point gap, what should it be? And are both of them set the same? How do you set them?

Lost of questions.

Thank you,
Roger

 

[GregW]

How do you set them?

Hi Roger,
See section NNN.3 of the shop manual. It goes through setting the air gaps.

 

[AUSMHLY]

Thanks Greg!

 

[Ed_K]

Hi Roger,

If you noticed a small amount of white or gray colored powder on the sandpaper when you cleaned between the regulator points, you probably fixed the problem.
You should only use a burnishing blade to clean any regulator or relay points to avoid damage to the metal contact surfaces.
Here is a good tool to keep in your " special " tools for your Healey.

https://www.mcmelectronics.com/product/22-910

This tool can be used with the regulator installed . Just remove the cover, turn of the main battery switch, insert the blade between a set of points and run it back and forth. Repeat on the other point sets in the regulator.

I would not recommend adjusting the screws on the voltage regulator. If you had a new replacement regulator when you restored your car and all was OK until recently, the points probably just grew a little oxide on them.

Ed

 

[Ed_K]

Also check the connection of the little ground wire from the regulator to the firewall to see if the screw is not tight or that the small star washer is missing from under the bottom wire closest to the firewall in that bundle of ground wire connectors. A small area of paint should be scraped away from around that screw hole in the firewall to ensure a good connection for the bundle of ground wires to the firewall surface.

 

[Keoke]

:laugh:
Well now here is my druthers. Because the control boxes arenot factory aligned to be compatible with a given Dynamo and they are being built by anumber of foreign companies. i would head for E- Bay and try to snag me an NOS one to be installed in the future. Aligning one if requied Is a pain.--Keoke