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bdcvg

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So I just finished a 600 mile trip. Went to change oil Today and when I started the car the ignition light stayed on. I opened the bonnet to check connections and there is a lot of fine black dust on the inside of the hood and coating the cooling fan blades of the generator. Did I eat My generator end bearing or the brushes ?
 
Sounds like the brushes to me. Mine went out a few years ago when I was two hours away from home. Having no spares, I drove the two hours home nervously staring at the red light wondering if the battery had enough juice to make it. It did. The brushes were had turned to dust.
 
Yes sounds like brushes to me too.
When you have it repaired be sure the commutator is turned on a lathe.
This type failure- Brush Vaporization- is usually caused when it is out of round .
 
You should check the run-out with a dial indicator before getting it turned. The brush disintegration could also be due to a bad bearing/bushing on the brush end. That kind of play could cause the brushes to disappear.
 
I did the test the manual describes with jumped terminals and a volt meter. I got ZERO volts which seems a little low to Me.
 
bdcvg said:
I did the test the manual describes with jumped terminals and a volt meter. I got ZERO volts which seems a little low to Me.
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:lol:----YEP
bdcvg
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I think you just qualified for a rebuild-
 
bdvg not to highjack your post, but I seem to remember a company that used to advertise in Hemmings (I think) that would put an alternator in a generator case, so it looked stock. Has anybody done this? If you so please provide contact information.
 
Don't forget those old generators don't have sealed bearings, you have to lube them once in a while.
 
TodE said:
bdvg not to highjack your post, but I seem to remember a company that used to advertise in Hemmings (I think) that would put an alternator in a generator case, so it looked stock. Has anybody done this? If you so please provide contact information.
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TodE,

I just got mine back from Don Allen at Gener-nator who is located in Portland Oregon.

https://www.gener-nator.com/

I am yet to put it in my car, but it looks great. Don was able to install in my case an alternator that kicks out 60 amps and he was able to construct it to work with positive earth, he can build it for either positive or negative earth. This was not cheap, nor was it quick. Don told me it would be 7 to 8 weeks and true to his word he shipped it off to me in week 8.

It was my intent to put this in my Healey and use it for a couple of weeks before sharing with the group and I will do so in a week or two.

Jeff
 
Are you getting a smaller pulley to go with the Gener-nator (alternators can turn at higher speeds, one of the reasons they are more efficient than generators)?
 
Bob,

Yes the pulley is smaller.

Jeff
 
You should check the voltage regulator. If it is out of whack the generator will keep charging even when the battery does not need it. This puts a bit of a strain on the generator and the brushes and may the reason your generator brushes are disintegrating. It can also cook your battery.
 
Well the generator can not be re-built, it disintegrated inside. So do I convert to alternator or try to find a rebuildable core? bummer
 
Check E Bay for a useable or rebuild able unit.
 
Where are you in Cincinnati? I have a shop where I store and work on my cars in West Chester, and I know that I have a couple of Lucas generators on the shelf. In fact, the generator that I removed from my BJ7 was a fully functioning unit. I converted to an alternator. Bring yours with you, unless you already know the Lucas No. and I am sure we can find a core or the one that I know was working.
 
I have a rebuilt generator with invoice from my 1966 BJ8 that I am going to sell; My car now has an alternator. If interested send me a private message.
I am located within 100 miles of Cincinnati!!

John
 
I sincerely appreciate the offers but I think I too am going the alternator route. I had the car restored so I could drive it to death ( Mine or the car) and I think the reliability and extra amps are worth the swap. I'm either going to fab a mounting method like RAC did here or use the Hendrix kit.
 
My gen light comes on at under 800 RPM idle so thinking of the converted generator to alternator as I too will drive it to death.
What did it cost to have done in Portland?
 
Hoghead said:
My gen light comes on at under 800 RPM idle so thinking of the converted generator to alternator as I too will drive it to death.
What did it cost to have done in Portland?
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Not inexpensive. If having your engine bay look original is important to you, as it was to me, then it is worth the money. It looks darn near original, the only way you can tell is the pulley is a bit smaller.

If maintaining the original look of your engine bay is not that important to you then I wouldn't do it. I have a modern alternator in my BT7, which works just fine. As for my BN7, I wanted that to at least look original so I went the Gener-nator route. All in, the cost was about $1,000 and it took eight weeks to get it.

As I said, it is a lot of money and if original appearance isn't important to you then it is a lot cheaper to use an "off the shelf" alternator. As for me and my BN7, I thought it was worth every penny.

Jeff
 
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