"68" Ford 4400 Lucas generator problem

[City Farmer]

Field to battery, got the spark but still no voltage increase (11.9). I removed the belt and took power to the armature, it started spinning instantly. I thought I had to ground the case before it would spin? I'm thinking something inside the generator is grounding out but I'm not sure. As always any help would be appreciated.
Edit: I'll check a full field test tomorrow.

 

[Soundguy]

what you said makes no sense!

you have a free flaoting genny in one hand and a single wire to the armature and it spins? that's pretty much impossible!

 

[City Farmer]

Your right SG, I had the field hooked up when I took power to the armature. I tried full fielding it and that didn't help. This is where I'm at after reading some of your previous posts: I disconnected the field and armature wires, started the tractor and took power to the field. I checked the armature to the frame, it read 18.6 volts at 1000rpm. I think this means the voltage regulator is bad right?

 

[Soundguy]

Yes it, jump out the vreg, tractor running, bat to arm and field, see if bat shows charge on a voltmeter, all vreg basically does is close cutout when charge volts come up, and crudely manage field current, many also manage charge amps too. Thus jumping out field and cutout and she should make max capable charge based on rpm

 

[City Farmer]

Thanks for the help Soundguy. You have no idea how helpful your posts are in getting the o'l girl into working condition again. We're charging, 13.2 volts @ 900rpm and 13.7 at 1300. The oil sending unit broke so I put in a mechanical while the new sending unit comes in, 35psi at start up idle and 40-47 hot at 2000 rpm.

 

[Soundguy]

Sounds like a new reg then. Ps, was to open up Lucas regs and see if they have sticky or coroded contacts. While not guaranteed, I have revived Lucas vregs with a fine file drug thre the points and a spray job with brake cleaner, or better yet electric motor cleaner, in the end, most just are dead though

 

[City Farmer]

Thx again SG. A trip to the dealer, $24 later for a vreg and were charging. I have a few more small problems I have to address/trouble shoot before I say she's 100%.

 

[Soundguy]

cool.

lucas gets a bad rap, and it deserves it many times.

the vregs are just total junk.

the genny are 'ok' not as good as a ford genny. but ok.

many times i have used a vreg off a 59-64 diesel 4 cyl ( 12v stock ) on a 65-75 lucas genny, because the lucas vregs are junk.

one time i got lucky and found a no name brand knock off of a lucas online. it looked just like it.. no logo's. worked fine.