VCCA Home Forums TECHNICAL - GENERAL Electrical - 6 volt Starter / Generator Rebuilding

Even though I have numerous used spares, I was wondering if it would be useful to buy some old stock field coils for spares?

Do these ever fail from age or just from getting run hard electrically? Worth buying old stock field coils for spares or better just to find a real shop should the need arise and get them rewound? I've heard of some rewinding being done for higher output so this route sounds better than relying on old stock...

Thanks

Field coils for your application are still available brand new. Check with your local starter/generator/alternator shop and they will either have them in stock or they can order new field coils for you.

Thanks. Are they pretty reliable anyway or does the insulation start to fail with age?

On another note, my wife and kids are telling me I may be driving down through your neck of the woods for vacation in San Fran. I want to SCUBA dive on vacation not drive...

The wrappings on the generator field coils are usually rotted due to the impregnation of oil and grease over the years of use. If the generator field coils are good then the original wrappings can be removed and the field coils can be re-wrapped with new special cloth material designed exclusively for field coil applications. The same is true for the starter fields as well. I re-wrap field coils all the time in my restorations of starters and generators but for you it would probably be easier to install new field coils when needed.

If you get down this way and are near my location, stop in for a visit. I am located about 15 to 20 minutes from the I-5 freeway.

Thanks. Sounds like something to deal with IF the need ever arises. Keep seeing NOS ones for sale but they look old and fragile so if new parts are still available, there's no point in adding old ones to my parts stash.

Would be great to meet yourself and others along the west coast if I get down that way.

If you do get down this way it would be great to meet you and talk about old Chevrolets!

I have purchased many nos Delco units and if they are still in their box they are always in excellent condition. I was going to re wrap a pair in a gen I was working on but when I had them tested the shop said they were marginal. I did not ask what they tested. I found the wrap for sale but the nos Delco's were in the 25-30 dollar range so I went that way. One other point is somewhere along the line Delco went from offering a single coil to pairs only.

Dave

The shop probably tested the current draw on the field coils to see if they were within specs. Also, if the windings of the field coils are badly burned due to the generator over charging then the field coils should be replaced.