1973 Ford 4000 Voltage Regulator Issue
- Thread starter deere5105
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rScotty
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- Kubota M59, JD530, JD310SG. Restoring Yanmar YM165D
I expected it would test good in a short term test. I think you did too, since you did say in early messagesthat it took hours of bushhogging before the red light on the dash began to flash. And we know that the tests you did also show that all is charging good initially. So we know it is good until it runs for awhile.
What does the guy charge for going through a generator and doing a rebuild? If you do that and have replaced the regulator there's nothing else in the system - except for the battery & ground connections, and you checked those.
I once had a ground wire that had corroded apart inside the insulation! The connection to the battery was good and so was the frame ground lug. But as I was checking things, I reaized that the heavy ground wire from the battery negative to the frame had a weird floppy spot in the middle. Apparently acid or fumes from the battery had vibrated up the wire and stayed inside the insulation until it came to a bend, and there it ate the copper apart inside the insulation sleeve. From outside, all looked fine.
And everytime I worked on it I must have moved that wire just enough so that it worked again for awhile.
That's the last time I bought a wet cell battery. It took me a year to find that problem.
rScotty
David_Kb7uns
Veteran Member
10si
rScotty
Super Member
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- Kubota M59, JD530, JD310SG. Restoring Yanmar YM165D
David, I'm thinking that never has a message so short contained so much information. Thank you for that.
Let me add the words: "3 wire"
and a link:
and the comment that the article above should be required reading for anyone suspecting alternator or generator problems. It details a simple inexpensive solution to charging any tractor, car, or truck.
rScotty
Thank you for clearing that up and the link. Will read the link soon.
As an update, the charge light seems to now be staying on versus being intermittent before. Volt meter readings verify that with light on no charging taking place. Will have to decide which route to go to correct issue.
As an update, the charge light seems to now be staying on versus being intermittent before. Volt meter readings verify that with light on no charging taking place. Will have to decide which route to go to correct issue.
rScotty
Super Member
- Joined
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- 8,257
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- Rural mountains - Colorado
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- Kubota M59, JD530, JD310SG. Restoring Yanmar YM165D
So just to summarize, check if I have the facts right on the 73 Ford 4000
1. The charge light comes on after running for awhile. Periodically goes off or comes on.
2. Not running, but stopped when charge light was mostly off, then the resting battery measures 12.8 volts.
3. Not running, but stopped when the charge light had been on for awhile, resting battery is 12.4 volts.
4. When running, and charge light is off, you measure as high as 16.5 volts at the battery
5. When running, and charge light is on, you only measure 12.4 volts at the battery
5. All of this remained the same when a new voltage regulator was put in.
6. Took generator to a shop where it tested good.
7. There aren't any electrical problems other than the charge light coming on periodically - and that voltmeter readins seem to indicate that when the charge light is on the system is not charging. Tractor starter seems OK.
8. You are concerned that the charge light and voltmeter indicate that something is periodically failing in the charging system and want to fix it before it doesn't charge at all.
Is all that right? Did I miss anything?
rScotty
David_Kb7uns
Veteran Member
Have an old MF35, previous owner took off the generator and put a 10si on the side with an oil pressure operated switch for exciting you may also do the key swifch or the diode with lamp to accomplish the exciting, only bad thing with the cheaper Delcos is the dust in the brushes and electronics in the back of the alternator. Live in western Oregon and literally any old piece of logging equipment has an old Delco Remy internally regulated alternator on it.
New shop went over everything and replaced both the regulator and the generator. Said is good to go. Curious to put volt meter on it to see what the numbers are now. Also curious about regulator as the one on the tractor was new. Wondering if new one tested bad or just got replaced.
Appreciate the feedback and input.
Appreciate the feedback and input.
rScotty
Super Member
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- Kubota M59, JD530, JD310SG. Restoring Yanmar YM165D
The VR may have been just bad from the start. Or maybe it was polarized incorrectly when you put it in.
Voltage regulators are odd little beasts, A balance of mechanical spring tension versus electrically-generated magnetic force ends up with an old style voltage regulator. Which is a device which can literally be rebuilt at the kitchen table - or built from scratch in a home workshop. And not surprisingly, manufacturing them relies on some some care and craftsmanship winding coils and setting spring rates. That attention to detailed craftsmaship is going to be more and more unlikely as the demand for that old style voltage regulator diminishes.
Demand diminishes because voltage regulation devices for the past 40 or 50 years has been switching over to using semiconductor voltage regulation circuits. It is much simpler to consistently make a reiliable semiconductor voltage regulator - that's what all the modern alternators have built into the alternator. Of course that level of simplicity can only happen after technology has advanced to the point where semiconductors even exist. .... which takes a whole industrial base itself.
Be interesting to see what your voltmeter shows when you get a chance.
rScotty