61 needs help!
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Pro
Joined: Feb 2015
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From: Omaha NE
61 needs help!
Hello all, I need help on this. I just finished my dads fuelie, rebuilding the orginal engine, I installed a new wiring harness from switch to starter AND put in the fuse on the black amp wire too. (Thanks Frank)
The engine ran great and no issues for the first 2 hours, went for a 30 minute test drive and shake down, parked in garage and was looking for any leaks and such when it just died - completely silent!
Checked the fuse and sure enough it was blown, investigating a burnt smell in the engine bay and found the pertronix II unit smoked.
Ok, thought it was a bad from stock. Put in the dual points and a new cap rotor. Replaced the fuse and looked everything over. Saw nothing and everything was tight. Started it again, set the timing and was watching the dwell meter and bam! She died again another blown fuse!
Any suggestions?
Battery is new last fall, generator was rebuild and new regulator, I can not find the fault.
Replaced the grounds on the exhaust and engine too.
The engine ran great and no issues for the first 2 hours, went for a 30 minute test drive and shake down, parked in garage and was looking for any leaks and such when it just died - completely silent!
Checked the fuse and sure enough it was blown, investigating a burnt smell in the engine bay and found the pertronix II unit smoked.
Ok, thought it was a bad from stock. Put in the dual points and a new cap rotor. Replaced the fuse and looked everything over. Saw nothing and everything was tight. Started it again, set the timing and was watching the dwell meter and bam! She died again another blown fuse!
Any suggestions?
Battery is new last fall, generator was rebuild and new regulator, I can not find the fault.
Replaced the grounds on the exhaust and engine too.
Last edited by 61corv; Jun 9, 2016 at 07:21 PM.
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From: Omaha NE
Update, I disconnected the generator and ran for 15 min with no problems. I need to test the reg and generator now, the generator was rebuilt with new armature installed. Or I was told.
I may try to re polarize the regulator and try again, it is a new Napa unit.
If the regulator didn't polarize would that may have been the problem. To much voltage blowing the fuse and smoking the pertronix unit?
I may try to re polarize the regulator and try again, it is a new Napa unit.
If the regulator didn't polarize would that may have been the problem. To much voltage blowing the fuse and smoking the pertronix unit?
Last edited by 61corv; Jun 9, 2016 at 10:22 PM. Reason: Spelling
Melting Slicks
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From: Chuckanut WA
It is the generator that needs to be polarized. Since a new armature was installed it is absolutely necessary to polarize the generator. Momentarily touch B+ to field terminal on generator. Just momentary flash is all that is required. Good thing you had the fuse, it may have prevented further damage to regulator.
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Army
Another C1 owner saved by a $5 fuse. And, if you used the 30 amp fuse and it blew...that has to be a hi-current, dead short to ground. You can polarize the generator but I'm a little skeptical that that's the issue. At a minimum I'd pop the top off the regulator and make sure the contacts haven't welded themselves closed... Check the wiring in the generator/regulator area again carefully. If the Pertronix went belly up then you had a short or massive surge in the ignition circuitry so look at all that carefully too.
Never hurts to check the wires running under the ignition shielding that you mentioned in your PM. I've put that plasticized chrome door edge guard with the self-adhesive along the bottom of all of my ignition shielding on both cars...
Finally, make sure that mashing that center shielding down to secure it isn't letting it touch any of the coil terminals to bare metal...
Never hurts to check the wires running under the ignition shielding that you mentioned in your PM. I've put that plasticized chrome door edge guard with the self-adhesive along the bottom of all of my ignition shielding on both cars...
Finally, make sure that mashing that center shielding down to secure it isn't letting it touch any of the coil terminals to bare metal...
Last edited by Frankie the Fink; Jun 10, 2016 at 06:26 AM.
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From: Fresno California
A non polarized generator won't blow anything at all....it simply won't charge. Agree that there is a dead short to ground allowing maximum current to run through the circuit, until it blows the fuse. If not for the fuse, you'd be looking at a complete meltdown. I did the Frankie The Fink Fuse Upgrade before I even attempted to drive my '61 for the first time. Glad I did.
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From: Omaha NE
Check the regulator for welded contact, Looked good everything moves freely.
Re polarized the regulator, No help.
Generator putting out 16 volts to the battery. Generator 43 amps measured on the terminal.
I don't think the regulator is working.
Gauge showed pegged at 30.
Re polarized the regulator, No help.
Generator putting out 16 volts to the battery. Generator 43 amps measured on the terminal.
I don't think the regulator is working.
Gauge showed pegged at 30.
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Army
You are NOT polarizing the REGULATOR; the procedure is done for the GENERATOR...
Regulator is not working allowing generator to 'run away'; don't operate the car like that as 16V can do some harm....shouldn't be more than 13.8 to around 14.2 volts at fast idle charging. The later C1 generators are rated at 35 amps "all out" so you're reading on that is way high..
Break out your '61 Shop Manual and go through the generator/voltage regulator troubleshooting checks!
Regulator is not working allowing generator to 'run away'; don't operate the car like that as 16V can do some harm....shouldn't be more than 13.8 to around 14.2 volts at fast idle charging. The later C1 generators are rated at 35 amps "all out" so you're reading on that is way high..
Break out your '61 Shop Manual and go through the generator/voltage regulator troubleshooting checks!
Last edited by Frankie the Fink; Jun 10, 2016 at 01:31 PM.
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You may have multiple problems.. Certainly, at a minimum, you are in "full charge" mode constantly.. which is dangerous, and needs to be addressed ASAP. But I doubt 16v would fry the Pertronix..
Was the gauge reading normal during the first 2 hours of "normal" operation?
Was the gauge reading normal during the first 2 hours of "normal" operation?
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Amperage is what fries wires, not voltage. The higher the voltage the electrical system, the thinner gauge the wires. Check out the thickness of the wiring in an old 6 volt car.....huge. Less volts, more amps.
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Honestly I wasn't looking at the battery gauge, I was watching the temp and oil pressure. But like I said it seemed ok during the break in, I did notice it was high during the test drive but nothing seem too bad.
Checked the regulator and put in a new just in case it wasn't working correctly. Started the car and gen was pegging, I put a different generator on, Seems to ok, but this generator reads low, less the zero, but no blown fuses an not 100% sure this unit is charging. This was the generator my dad had on the car, I don't know if it was working when I pulled the engine.
Now I am not sure where I am going at this point... I need a nap.
Checked the regulator and put in a new just in case it wasn't working correctly. Started the car and gen was pegging, I put a different generator on, Seems to ok, but this generator reads low, less the zero, but no blown fuses an not 100% sure this unit is charging. This was the generator my dad had on the car, I don't know if it was working when I pulled the engine.
Now I am not sure where I am going at this point... I need a nap.
Last edited by 61corv; Jun 10, 2016 at 07:24 PM.
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Army
Set the car up to run at a fast idle (after your nap) and check the voltage across the battery terminals; again; it should be between 13.8 and 14.2V on a properly charging car. About 12.7V with the engine off (indicating a charged battery)...
You did polarize the NEW generator ? Right ?
You did polarize the NEW generator ? Right ?
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That's normal... You won't see a charge at idle.. Generators don't generate enough current at idle.. one of the reasons for the switch to alternators..
Fast idle or maybe 1500 RPM is where mine starts to push a charge if needed.
Fast idle or maybe 1500 RPM is where mine starts to push a charge if needed.