VCCA Home Forums TECHNICAL - 1945 AND EARLIER 1937-1945 40 Special Deluxe Engine Stalls

Okay Guys here I'll bring this up to date;

1. Installed new points and condenser, cap and rotor and coil. No start so I began switching old parts back in until I found the new points the cause of the no start. I switched the old and new 3 times to make sure and confirmed new points were causing the no start. Old points are in. Took her for a very short spin and she ran like a Swiss Watch but without more muscle to push I didn't want to go for a longer test drive to see if the engine stalling after 15 or 20 minute problem has been corrected.

2. Gave her a tune up and found the #1 spark plug wire in the 5:00 position. Lined up the pointer on the bell housing timing hole with the triangle on the flywheel. Put the plug wires in the proper position with #1 at 12:00 to the valve cover and the rest in the firing order clockwise from #1. The car coughed like a sick dog. I put the wires back the way I found them with #1 at 5:00 and the rest clockwise from there in firing order and she started right up. Distributor in backwards?

3. I check the generator while the car was running. Using a voltmeter I get 0 to .3 to .5 (when revving the engine) from the leads contacts / wires. Is that correct? Shouldn't I be getting well over 6 volts? Forgive me guys but this is the first 6 volt car I've owned and I'm just a shade tree mechanic helper!

Please comment on all three areas if you can. I'm enjoying learning and passing it onto my son.

Thanks,

Mike

The distributor is a few teeth off. To compensate for this some one "re=arranged" the spark plug wires. OK to leave well enough alone as long as you are aware of the change.
Sometimes it is necessary to clean the NEW point contacts as they may have a protective coating on them.
The generator should read around 7 volts. Were you reading the amps?

I show that there are three cars for 1940..Special DeLuxe, Master DeLuxe and Master 85. Mechanically, the Special DeLuxe and Master DeLuxe are alike with the differance being the Master 85. On the generator, should be No. 1100004 and voltage regulated. Hot...25 to 28 Amps and Cold 26 to 30 amps. Check to make sure you have the right gen. Check your regulator. Your correct firing order will be 1-5-3-6-2-4 on all of them. No. one plug is near the fan. With your flywheel on mark the dist cap rotor should point to no. one. That is where you put the no. one wire onto the cap. (that may not be at the 12 o'clock point.) Correct cap is in line with the clips that hold it in place and a slight tip on the cap itself that fits in a notch on the dist. itself. And, you are right about it not running right if the wires are crossed up. Hope this helps.

Damn! I had a feeling there might be a coating on the new points after I took them off the third time and looked closely. I'll hit it again tomorrow. Many, many thanks! Sometimes the smallest thing keeps a car from starting right!?

I could have sworn I had the meter on DC current but will check that generator again tomorrow. The positive test lead on the larger wire and negative on the small wire bolted to the casing of the generator with the engine running should give me the voltage reading right?

Thank you

The positive probe on your volt meter should be on the generator wire and the negative probe should be on generator housing. You should read somewhere around 7.5 volts output.

As most have suggested read volts with everything connected and can be read between the generator / regulator output and ground or accross battery posts which also testing battery connections. To read amps disconnect regulator output and connect amp meter between, connecting amp meter to ground is a direct short circuit and will generally burn the amp meter out sometimes in a big cloud of smoke.
If you have separate meters you can have both connected at the same time.
Tony

I've not had the chance to recheck the generator directly but I can tell you for sure that my multi-meter read just over 6 volts at the battery terminals with the engine running. In 12 volt systems any reading below 13 or so has always been a sure sign to me the alternator is not charging the battery and it's bad. I would assume the same case with a generator in a 6 volt system. I will double check all again - especially the check at the generator with the procedure suggested below (+ lead on the larger wire connector and - lead on the generator housing).
Kids ice hockey and soccer games this weekend have kept me out of the garage :(

Thanks,

Mike

I think you need the engine running somewhat above idle to see the charging voltage of 7.5 volts.

Ok guys here we go.

With the engine idling the voltage at the battery is 6.19. With engine running, red lead on the larger wire and black lead on the generator housing I get about .5 volts. I revved the engine and it went up to around .9 volts.
If this means it's a bad generator then it would explain the engine dying after 15 or 20 minutes of driving I believe.
I'm sure I checked the voltage correctly and there's next to nothing coming out of the generator. I know on a 12 volt system you get over 13 at the battery wen the engine is running because the alternator is designed to recharge the battery so it puts out a little more than the battery. I assume the 6 volt is the same. A new generator is en route. I look forward to installing and testing it while running.

Also, the new points I installed then had a no start situation; As suggested by one writer I cleaned them with light sanding and alcohol. Still no start. For the hell of it I removed them and cleaned the metal strap of the points assembly that bolts to the inside wall of the distributor where the condenser wire is secured. It started right up. I guess they are coating everything on these electrical parts today.

Happy to read any comments you guys have about what I did and what your thoughts are.

Thanks

Mike

I just read something on the internet about generators needing to be "polarized". Before being polarized they put out about 2 volts. Hmmmm.

Anyone know about this and how to do it?

Mike

If you use the search feature you should get a few hits. If you connect a jumper wire to the "bat" terminal on the regulator and then with the other end strike it on the "gen" terminal that will correctly polarize the generator.

Thanks!

Steve's advice is right on except I do not like the word "connect." I would rather he have used the word "touch." The process of touching the two surfaces causes a spark as it establishes the polarity so do not be startled. I use an insulated, solid, copper, 14 gauge wire, about 6 inches long, with about a 1/4" of exposed copper on each end. Mine is bent to the approximate shape to make the "touching" easy. It is not uncommon for me to have to polarize my generator two or three times a year because of the restoration work I do. I treat my insulated wire like a tool. It hangs on my pegboard.

Steve is also right about the importance of familiarizing yourself with the index of our past posts. There are over 10 years of posts indexed for you to use. Rarely, will you find a topic that we have not covered. Follow the link (in blue text) to a set of previous post on this topic.

Polarizing a regulator

Good luck, Mike

Ok, I have just polarized my generator by your instructions. A quick touch with a spark then I again checked the voltage while the car is running. At the battery I'm getting 6.18 to 6.19. At the generator I get .5 at most (revving engine).
Does this mean the generator is shot?

A new / rebuilt one should arrive from Chevys of the 40s anyday now and I assume I'll have to polarize it as well but I'm wondering if you guys think the one I have is bad and is the likely cause of my engine die out after a 20 minute drive.

Hi Mike,

The simple solution is to take your generator off and go have it tested. Some auto parts stores are still going to have equipment around to test them especially ones that might rebuild engines, or have been in business a long time. The next thing would be to take it to a business that rebuilds generators/alternators/starters. If you are like me until you find out the problem you will always be WONDERING!!!

Good luck, Mike

P.S. If you find a place that rebuilds generators and yours is bad get an estimate on rebuilding yours. They usually charge around $100. It is always nice to have a spare

The generator may actually be OK. To test it, jumper the terminal that has the smaller wire, the 'F' terminal to ground and repeat the test. All you know right now is something is wrong. You could have a broken wire or a faulty regulator.

I'm appreciative of the help guys. I installed a new voltage regulator before polarizing the generator so unless there's a problem with a new regulator I don't think that's the problem.

When the new generator arrives I'll have the old one inspected and rebuilt.

I just hope the new one works or it means I have a different problem all together.

I'm dying to drive her again but sure as hell don't want to have another engine die out 5 miles from home!

Thanks again!