TheSamba.com :: View topic - Northeast fatty rustback- Noobie 'How To' time

Sat Jun 21, 2008 2:33 pm

The generator body grounds through the fan housing through the motor through the trans through the tranny ground strap then to the pan-body. Clean some of the paint off the generator body so the strap can ground it OR run a ground wire from the generator body to the car body.

Sat Jun 21, 2008 3:16 pm

If you have a ground wire already under the screw in the housing, check the other end of that wire at the voltage regulator. They are corroded there a lot of times. But yes, get that paint off the housing of the generator where it contacts the engine.

Next, if that is OK, then do a full field test. Unhook both wires at the generator, and with the motor running, connect your volt meter to the D+, and with the engine running at a good fast idle, momentarily ground the DF terminal. The generator should put out 18+ volts. If it doesn't the generator is bad. If it does, then you have a bad voltage regulator.

Mon Jun 23, 2008 6:32 am

Thanks guys, I'll try this stuff on Saturday. 8)

In the meantime...

Tue Jul 01, 2008 1:48 pm

click for bigger version

Tue Jul 01, 2008 5:17 pm

WOW!! all I can say is WOW! It amazes me the things that some of you guys on here can do with these cars. I hope that mine will turn out half as good as this... Awesome.

Sat Jul 12, 2008 6:07 am

With all your advice at hand, I finally got around to looking into the generator light being on...

I checked the strap around the generator and it is nice and snug.
Looked at the connecting wires at the regulator and all is fine; nothing loose.

I hooked the battery up, started it up.... hmmm, no generator light... but... I hadn't done anything yet... which tells me that there is a loose connection somewhere between the engine compartment and voltage regulator?

Since I was ready to do so, I took the the sandpaper & popsicle stick tool and cleaned off the now gray drum and is again showing its nice copper color.

It seems to be okay but I'll be staying fairly local with it before I can borrow a meter to run the full field test.

Thanks guys!

Sat Jul 12, 2008 10:07 am

So I changed the oil since i had time... when i took it for a ride, the generator light came on... then went off... then went back on again... I'll add a ground wire to see what happens.

Sat Jul 12, 2008 10:10 am

RafCarre12 wrote: So I canged the oil since i had time... when i took it for a ride, the generator light came on... then went off... then went back on again... I'll add a ground wire to see what happens.

You have a loose connection. Check and clean all the connections at the regulator, and check the battery terminals too.

While you're at it, take all that garbage off the headlights. It'll make your car look 100 times better.

Sat Jul 12, 2008 10:13 am

x2 :wink:

Sat Jul 12, 2008 10:14 am

RafCarre12 wrote:

i love the color on this!
anyone know where i can get the eyelids?

Sat Jul 12, 2008 10:50 am

myersonman90 wrote: I love the color on this!
anyone know where i can get the eyelids?

I'll seel em to ya, $15 + shipping. :D

Sat Jul 12, 2008 10:53 am

RoachGhia wrote: ...While you're at it, take all that garbage off the headlights. It'll make your car look 100 times better.

Have I ever told you that I hate you? :lol:

Sat Jul 12, 2008 10:59 am

RafCarre12 wrote: myersonman90 wrote: I love the color on this!
anyone know where i can get the eyelids?

I'll seel em to ya, $15 + shipping. :D

i'll think about it... i'm running a little low on cash right now :(

Sat Jul 12, 2008 11:59 am

myersonman90 wrote: RafCarre12 wrote: myersonman90 wrote: I love the color on this!
anyone know where i can get the eyelids?

I'll seel em to ya, $15 + shipping. :D

i'll think about it... i'm running a little low on cash right now :(

then why are you asking for parts, if you're not ready to pay for them?

15 bucks is a really good deal.

Sat Jul 12, 2008 12:56 pm

RoachGhia wrote: myersonman90 wrote: RafCarre12 wrote: myersonman90 wrote: I love the color on this!
anyone know where i can get the eyelids?

I'll seel em to ya, $15 + shipping. :D

i'll think about it... i'm running a little low on cash right now :(

then why are you asking for parts, if you're not ready to pay for them?

.
that's a great question

Sun Aug 31, 2008 12:07 pm

possible winter mode. :D

Mon Sep 01, 2008 10:05 am

So I put on new connection ends on the wires that seemed a little loose.

When I turn the key on to the accessory position: Oil light fully on; Gen light, off.

The car turns on when I use the jump pack. The engine runs fine at that point but the lights are very dim.

I'm going to run Russ's field test now, be right back.

Sat Sep 13, 2008 11:15 am

I know it is a really simple thing to do but I thought I'd put together a quick 'how to' for the my fellow new people.

This is what your generator looks like all put together and fully hooked up to the wiring. There are three wires, red (power), green (to the regulator) and brown (the ground).

First step is to disconnect your battery which I'm not going to take a picture of because this post is already ridiculous. Once the batter is unhooked, disconnect the three wires. 8mm socket and a phillips head screwdriver.

I had to remove the coil because the bracket it is sitting on blocks the left generator bolt. 10mm socket.

The bracket. You may or may not have this same bracket... mine doesn't look like it came with the car but it does the job.

Next, the bracket is now removed and is time to loosen the bolts that hold down the generator itself. 13mm socket does the job.

This is the guy we want to change, the generator brush, this is what it looks like installed.

And this is what it looks like when you remove the small flat head screw and remove the brush by releasing the tension on the spring (on the right and pulling it out. You can use the nail on your pointer finger to release the tension.

There are two brushes on the generator so you'll need to spin it around to get access at the lower one. There is no need to remove the generator belt. Use two hands to slightly pick up and spin the thing.

Once you swap out the second brush, work your way backwards for assembly. And that's that. These are what old vs. new brushes look like.

Tue Sep 23, 2008 1:57 pm

i love your square raf...i wanna put porsche's on my fastback...im thinking of maybe bbs 5X130's
ur an inspiration though, keep it up!!!

Sat Nov 22, 2008 10:37 pm

Thanks Ivan! RS's seem to be really popular lately. :D