Pilot Dan

Looks like after 30 years of service my Delco replacement regulator (made in USA) is on the blink. I barely get a charge with no electrical load and confirmed the problem is definately in the regulator by running the electrical tests (I rebuilt the generator recently, and it is putting out what it should). What is the best way to go on a replacement regulator these days??? I know they make GM replacement (foreign made) but wonder about the quality. I have also read that some have converted to solid state as well. Then there are some who get them rebuilt (I am assuming for the date code).

Also, I was wondering if anyone has any experience servicing one themselves I know the air gaps can be adjusted, but I don't have the specs. (don't have the 58 shop manual info). I am game to give that a try if someone can give me the info. Maybe it's just an adjustment and that will get the charge rate up again. Anyone had any success trying that?? Thanks in advance guys. This bites, can't really drive much after dark till I get this resolved. Pilot Dan

LB66383

If it were me, I'd go to the local FLAPS and get a solid state regulator. You can then either remove the cover that comes on it and put your Delco cover on and nobody will know that it isn't the original......or install it for now so you can drive at night while you decide what to do about the original.

Frankie the Fink

You can NOT go to any FLAPS store and get a solid state regulator for a GENERATOR car - you can do it all day long for ALTERNATOR cars.

You have 3 ways to go:

1) Repair and readjust the one you now have. Getting those armatures and points just right is tricky though....I, for one, am not good at it.
2) Just get a mechanical V/R service replacement...they are readily available on eBay.
3) Get a solid state replacement that fits invisibly within your current regulator housing (like I did 3 years ago) and drive on and you never have to dick with it again. Cost: about $85.

There is one and only one way to get the solid state V/R and that's via a 93 year old gentlemen that does this FOR GENERATOR CARS (don't let anybody tell you different):

Wilton Auto Electric, LLC 10 Stoney Brook Drive Wilton, NH 03086

email: bobj50@comcast.net

"bigearl" on the forum also runs one of the solid state conversions in his C1 and loves it as well.

scopeli

the 1119001 voltage regulator is very common and i see them often on ebay and at car shows. seeing that you are not far from carlisle i would try to pick one up at corvette show.

Pilot Dan

Thanks for all the above suggestions guys. I just pulled the regulator and damn it looks nearly brand new inside to me.



I would sure like to give adjusting this one a try before giving up on it. If anyone might have the calibration and adjustment proceedure they could share, I'll be the ginea pig and report back.

I'll be at Carlisle and will try to pick up one anyway.

Frankie, the solid state is an interesting idea, though this is the first problem I have had in 30 years with the old one.

ps Contact points all look like new as well, no burning pitting nothing

DZAUTO

SOMEWHERE in these United States, there is a guy that rebuilds voltage regulators for GENERATORS. It SEEMS his name is Pirkle?????????? ANYONE know? Have contact info? If so, I need to send him a couple.

Tom Parsons

Frankie the Fink

They always look good internally (unless the points are horribly pitted)...that's because they have a gasket under the cover that keeps out the nastiness... Pick up another one (and a spare)....that's what I have, along with a spare starter motor, generator, water pump, spare dual quads and extra brake pads/linings !! I don't like being off the road for long...

Pilot Dan

John Pirkle:

www.JohnPirkle.com is the guy. He usually has a booth at Carlisle. He comes up from GA I believe.

Found the Specs for the Voltage Regulator in one of my Corvette books, but need more info on the adjustment proceedure. Seems doable.

Pilot Dan

You're right, I have spares on everything else.

scopeli

i use him all the time for generators, regulators, starters, relays, etc. he's the best, but you usually have a long wait before the part is finished. email is "pirklesr@aol.com". phone #706 860-9047.

DZAUTO

Thanks for the info. I talked to him quite some time ago about rebuilding 2 gen regulators for me, but lost his contact info. I need to send them to him.

Tom Parsons

QIK59

I don't know if we're that backward up here (Canada) but we still have lots of local starter and alternator rebuilders.
Just look in the yellow pages, unless you're nowhere near civilization ?

This isn't an exotic deal that requires sending to one (NCRS restoration) guy in America and waiting for it him to get to it.

I have adjusted my regulator before - set up an electric motor to run my generator to "warm up" the regulator as per the GM manual yada yada.
Worked half donkeyed okay.
Last fall decided to do it right (by someone who knew what he was really doing) took it to a local rebuilder.
Next day and $20 later it was adjusted.
Only thing : the shop might want you to bring the generator with it so it is adjusted to match.

This isn't rocket science - NCRS guys think that Pirkle has to "lay his hands" on this stuff and mutter some sacred NCRS mumbo jumbo ; that no one else is capable.
Great racket for Pirkle LOL !

scopeli

it would have been enough to mention going to a local alternator and starter rebuilder. if you need to know why people deal with john pirkle it is because he is not only a rebuilder, but a restorer with many years of experience and a large inventory of hard to get parts. restorations involve processes such as cad plating which i am sure your local rebuilder will not provide. once john knows what an item is going on, he can tell you if you if that item is correct or what has to be done for it to be correct.

QIK59

Yeah I know why some people go to John, but some of them don't know any better.
If I need to get imitation correct dated diodes installed in my starter I might go to him.
Now Pirkles cad plating obviously wouldn't be correct because it's not original Delco cad plating - it's reproduction (counterfeit) cad plating LOL !!

Pilot Dan

Unfortunately, in my area at least, I may be way to close to modern civilization, all the old time Generator shops are gone (as are a lot of the other Mom & Pop's). Greedy landlords, and lack of demand closed them down systematically over the years. I would agree this is not rocket science and if this were a main stream type of repair/adjustment, lot's of people on the forum would have chimed in by now with help on how to do it. My Regulator was a nice GM US made part BUT a replacement from back in the day and not an original part, so I would not spend big $$ trying to restore it. I am just going to buy a new one and save the old one to play with if I can ever find a source to learn how to adjust it.

62Jeff

I'm late to this party, but doesn't the ST-12 have all the adjustment info in it?

Pilot Dan

Yes Jeff, it says it's usual "refer to the 58 Passenger car shop manual".
I don't happen to have that and I wonder if it would give enough practical info to accomplish adjustment without specialty tools anyway.

62Jeff

Ahhh, ok. Well here are some things I found on the forum, perhaps they will help a little.

http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c1-a...-question.html

http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c1-a...ery-drain.html

62Jeff

Here's another thread, on 57 Oldsmobiles
http://forums.aaca.org/f120/new-prob...ds-292615.html

Pilot Dan

Jeff, lots of good information, thanks! I have some older car repair books I dug out and they too have some info. I talked to an old timer friend of mine and he says that if the points are clean and the field windings are in tact that the likely cause of low charge is oxidized points. So, I am thinking I will clean them up and attempt to adjust the voltage back up under load and see if it makes a difference. It's just got me curious now, and I'd like to see what happens.