Is my generator cactus?

karmannghia60 Karmann Ghia Sucker

1,459 posts · joined Aug 2002 · 7 Jan 2005, 9:02 pm

#289346

Coming back home last night I heard a scratching noise then smelt burning cardboard. Opened the engine lid, smoke coming from the generator. Gen. light did not come on. This monring pulled the fan housing out and re-aligned everything, Noise is gone but genie light is on all the time. Measuring the out put at the genie terminals is showing less than 3v!!! I polarised it by running it like a moto using a 12v battery but still 3v or less output. Is it gone? Anything I can do to revive it without a full rebuild?
Thanks
Raf

Bizarre Moderator The artist formerly known as blue74l

12,785 posts · joined Aug 2002 · 7 Jan 2005, 9:14 pm

#289349

have you checked the brushes???

Futue te ipsum!!!

karmannghia60 Karmann Ghia Sucker

1,459 posts · joined Aug 2002 · 7 Jan 2005, 9:16 pm

#289350

Yeah, they look ok. Also was working perfect before the noise then the smoke so can't see how the brushes would cause this. The noise was from the fan rubbing against the housing

Bizarre Moderator The artist formerly known as blue74l

12,785 posts · joined Aug 2002 · 7 Jan 2005, 9:18 pm

#289352

hmmm.... any play in the bearing???? may be it shat itself

Futue te ipsum!!!

karmannghia60 Karmann Ghia Sucker

1,459 posts · joined Aug 2002 · 7 Jan 2005, 9:22 pm

#289357

No play. I think it shat itself from the heat

karmannghia60 Karmann Ghia Sucker

1,459 posts · joined Aug 2002 · 7 Jan 2005, 9:23 pm

#289358

Do you still have the alternator 4 sale? Would it fit on the same stand as the generator?

68AutoBug Beetle Restorer - Experience over 138\% - YIKES --

11,654 posts · joined Aug 2002 · 7 Jan 2005, 10:21 pm

#289392

Hi,
I haven't heard of a generator burning up before....
even though they do get extremely hot in a VW engine bay...
If your fan was rubbing... that means the armature in the generator must have moved.... for some reason??
Very strange... a field coil may have shorted out due to the movement of the armature... or some armature coils may have shorted out due to the movement....

The alternator stand is shorter across the top....
so its different..... if You had both You could grind the generator stand into an alternator stand....

I see You did polarize it.... and still 3 volts...
You should be able to pick a 2nd hand generator one up fairly cheap, as most of us have 2-3 spares in the shed....

If You go for an alternator, get one with an internal regulator, as the external regulators don't last long...
they don't in other vehicles I've owned either....

best of luck

Lee Noonan

- Helping keep Air Cooled VWs on the road - location: SCONE in the Upper Hunter Valley - Northern NSW 320 kms NNW of SYDNEY---

Grey 57 Old Grey Cruiser

2,937 posts · joined Aug 2002 · 8 Jan 2005, 4:11 pm

#289733

Had the same thing happen to my Oval. If there was smoke then its cactus Raf. The cardboard burning smell is the wrapping on the coil things catching fire.
Get a new one. Mine only cost a couple of hundred with a new regulator. Few hours work fitting it. Go for a solid state reg too. More reliable then the usual ones.

Bizarre Moderator The artist formerly known as blue74l

12,785 posts · joined Aug 2002 · 8 Jan 2005, 4:32 pm

#289760

Grey 57 wrote:. If there was smoke then its cactus Raf. .

i heard if ya can get the smoke back into them then they are ok again.

Bugger of a job though! :P

Futue te ipsum!!!