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New Alternator no problem until ?

Started by Bill Balkie 24172, May 03, 2020, 11:42:47 AM

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Bill Balkie 24172

Hello ,
    The alternator that was on my car looked like a 50 year alternator  (61amp)  but worked fine . So I decided to buy another Alternator and send my Original one out to get rebuilt .  So I replaced the alternator with one I purchased from Rock auto (61 amp )AC Delco .  This alternator worked fine with no problems .  So I thought I would replace the 50 year old voltage regulator. I purchased the regular that was listed for my 1970 Cadillac and installed it .  ( AC Delco )  it came with directions . Start the car and turn on all accessories let run for 2 minutes .  Gen light on the dash now comes on when the car is at an low idle . When you give it a little gas the the dash light goes off .  I replaced  it with  the original voltage regulator and it is fine .  I can leave it this way but I am curious  what is going on ? Could the problem be in the new regulator . They only list one regulator for the car .   I am sure the new Alternator is putting out the proper voltage . Could it possibly be the new regulator . I checked all grounds and they look good and tight .
    Any thoughts on this ?
           Bill
Bill Balkie
1970 Coupe DeVille
2009 CTS

savemy67

Hello Bill,

I am sure others will concur that the quality of some new replacement parts is dubious. 

Occam's Razor would point to the new regulator as being defective.  If the new regulator is of the exact same design as the original, then the new one might be adjusted to eliminate the GEN light at idle.  However, I do not think it is worth the attempt.  You might try to get your money back.

Respectfully submitted,

Christopher Winter
Christopher Winter
1967 Sedan DeVille hardtop

76eldo

#2
I have a source for NOS Delco parts  for our cars.
My feeling is the old parts are probably made better than newer replacements.
Brian Rachlin
Huntingdon Valley, Pa
I prefer email's not PM's rachlin@comcast.net

1960 62 Series Conv with Factory Tri Power
1970 DeVille Conv
1970 Eldo
1970 Caribu (?) "The Cadmino"
1973 Eldorado Conv Pace Car
1976 Eldorado Conv
1980 Eldorado H & E Conv
1993 Allante with Hardtop (X2)
2008 DTS
2012 CTS Coupe
2017 XT
1956 Thunderbird
1966 Olds Toronado

35-709

More often than not electrical items are not returnable, especially if they have been installed.  Keep it for a spare?  Put your old one that is working fine back on.  If something works, resist the urge fix it.
1935 Cadillac Sedan resto-mod "Big Red"
1973 Cadillac Caribou - Sold - but still in the family
1950 Jaguar Mark V Saloon resto-mod - Sold
1942 Cadillac 6269 - Sold
1968 Pontiac Bonneville Convertible - Sold
1950 Packard 2dr. Club Sedan
1935 Glenn Pray - Auburn Boattail Speedster, Gen. 2

bcroe

Quote from: 76eldoI have a source for NOS Delhi regulators for our cars.
My feeling is the old parts are probably made better than newer replacements.

Same here, what you get back too often is inferior to the original.  I
put new bearings and brushes and other wear parts into alternators
(and generators before them) and starters, and put them into my
spare/operating rotation scheme. 

I looked in the yard for used things like HEI modules and alt regs,
because I trust used electronic parts more than new from across
the Pacific.  good luck, Bruce Roe

scotth3886

Quote from: Bill Balkie 24172 on May 03, 2020, 11:42:47 AM
Hello ,
    The alternator that was on my car looked like a 50 year alternator  (61amp)  but worked fine . So I decided to buy another Alternator and send my Original one out to get rebuilt .  So I replaced the alternator with one I purchased from Rock auto (61 amp )AC Delco .  This alternator worked fine with no problems .  So I thought I would replace the 50 year old voltage regulator. I purchased the regular that was listed for my 1970 Cadillac and installed it .  ( AC Delco )  it came with directions . Start the car and turn on all accessories let run for 2 minutes .  Gen light on the dash now comes on when the car is at an low idle . When you give it a little gas the the dash light goes off .  I replaced  it with  the original voltage regulator and it is fine .  I can leave it this way but I am curious  what is going on ? Could the problem be in the new regulator . They only list one regulator for the car .   I am sure the new Alternator is putting out the proper voltage . Could it possibly be the new regulator . I checked all grounds and they look good and tight .
    Any thoughts on this ?
           Bill

This sounds just like my last few days.

Bill Balkie 24172

#6
Hello and thank you everyone for your replies .I ended up going AutoZone and purchased a Duralast  voltage regulator .
I put that on and there was absolutely no problem whatsoever . So now I have three voltage regulators the original one which is good the new AC Delco which has something wrong with and a Duralast . So what I think I’m gonna do is take keep Duralast  send back the AC Delco and use my original 50-year-old voltage regulator. Until I can purchase a good quality AC Delco . The good news is nothing is wrong with the system .  Hear is the strange part  . The new AC Delco regulator looks to be high quality . The Duralast looks like a very  low quality .

     Maybe the the lesson is don’t fix things if there not broken ,

       Bill
Bill Balkie
1970 Coupe DeVille
2009 CTS

Bill Balkie 24172

Quote from: bcroe on May 03, 2020, 02:18:02 PM
Same here, what you get back too often is inferior to the original.  I
put new bearings and brushes and other wear parts into alternators
(and generators before them) and starters, and put them into my
spare/operating rotation scheme.  That’s a good idea Bruce . I used to live in the junk yards years ago . There is still a lot of good parts in the grave yard .

I looked in the yard for used things like HEI modules and alt regs,
because I trust used electronic parts more than new from across
the Pacific.  good luck, Bruce Roe
Bill Balkie
1970 Coupe DeVille
2009 CTS

Bill Balkie 24172

#8
Quote from: 76eldo on May 03, 2020, 12:37:08 PM
I have a source for NOS Delco parts  for our cars.
My feeling is the old parts are probably made better than newer replacements.
Hello Brian , my car has a cheaply made Duralast Regulator in there now . I am going to take the cover of the original regulator and clean it up . If you have a good source for a nos regulator I am interested . I hope everything is good with you and your family .
     Bill
Bill Balkie
1970 Coupe DeVille
2009 CTS

Cadman-iac

Some of the new regulators are all electronic inside, instead of having the coils and contacts like the original ones have. And unfortunately I don't think that they are adjustable. If you take the cover off you can verify that. I've even seen some of these that have the cover riveted in place so you can't do anything as far as an adjustment, or just an inspection. And they are lighter than the original ones too because they don't have the coils and hardware inside.

Rick
CLC# 32373
1956 Coupe Deville A/C car "Norma Jean"

fishnjim

I could say, well, what did you do that for?   But we all know that one.
These parts places that go by M,M,Y scare me.   Too little info.   Lots of emphasis on price.   We used to be able to judge based on how much dust was on the box, but no longer.   

Just my guess, the 60 amp output might be a bit much for that VR.   Things have to match in voltage and ampacity design.   A typical alt is around 40 amps, so that's a 150% of period normal.    Amp outputs started to go up as more "demand" was added by options, air, windows, etc.   I think my truck is up around 100+A, two batteries to feed to crank against the diesel compression.   
'70 is on the cusp of low compression but still fairly good.   I guess near last of bred, wasn't far removed from the internal regulated alternators a much better design.   It can be rewired for one, but I know the "originality" guys will scream.
I guess someone needs to make a "fake" VR to looks real but does nothing to satisfy the eye.

bcroe

I fought all those problems for quite a while on 3 cars.  Finally I just
converted my 62 to an alternator and solved all those failures.  The
mechanical was just a matter of swapping in a 63 mount, the electrical
was just a matter of rewiring according to the later manual.  At first a
mechanical reg alt was used, but then I got an internally regulated alt
from the yard, wiring was mostly a matter of removing unused stuff. 

One thing to consider, the original charge path may not be adequate
for the higher output replacement.  I have a coil of 6 gauge welding
cable to replace the alt output to battery path.  Bruce Roe