This is going to be my third replacement rebuilt Wilson generator on my 55 in the last two years. They just stop generating juice, no smoke no bad bearings the amp gauge needle just goes to the middle of the gauge or slightly negative and with luck I hopefully limp it home on the battery. I just did this last Saturday with major missing and the threat of a total stall as I neared the house. The car died as I reached the garage. No juice left in the battery.

I have no problems getting them to give me a replacement generator but I'm now afraid to get farther than a battery worth of distance from the house and that's just not getting it for a old road warier like the 55. Anyone having these problems with Wilson or any other generator. I can't think of any thing that I'm doing that would cause this. I have replaced the voltage regulator twice also. Looking for ideas..... Tedd

 

What reg and genny numbers do you have? Wilson numbers are fine for me to cross.

 

The only numbers on the generator are 12v 30A pass 2/10/2016. This was on a paper sticker with one corner torn off. but it's doubtful if there was another number on that sticker.

The voltage regulator has no numbers except a 12V red sticker pasted to the bottom of regulator. I took the regulator top off and there is nothing stamped inside ether....Sorry for the lack of information. There may have been a florescent red sticker on top of the starter at one time if I remember correctly and it could have been removed. This is on a show car and it stood out like a ruby in a goats ***.If it would help I can take a few pictures.... Thanks for your time... Tedd

 

Pics not necessary. Probably a 92-01-3002. Did both do the same thing? Have you done any tests or opened the gen up for at least a visual inspection? Can you verify if is a gen fault and not a reg problem? Most common problem with a genny is an open of some sort. Like stuck brushes, open armature (sometimes due to over worked), broken internal wire to the fields. If you should decide to open it , then I would like pics of the fields and armature and brushes. If you open it try to be as gentile as possible to see if the brushes are hanging up. Sometimes a rap with a hammer will make the brushes move enough to start charging, if you would like to try that before you take it off of the car.

 

Stellar here are my plans tell me if I'm attacking this generator/ voltage regulator in the wrong way. I have charged the battery and let it set over night, No sign of voltage drop today (about 12.56 volts). I next want to test the generator to see if it is indeed producing electricity, if so.I plan to take a reading off the two poles on the generator top, field and armature What should it read at say 1000 RPM? If no juice I will stop there.If there is juice I'll next move to the regulator. I a'm assuming that reading will be taken on the armature and field posts on the regulator is this correct or a'm I doing this wrong? I.m just trying to isolate which component is failing and yes I will give the generator a smack with a rubber hammer first thing. All the components in this system are nearly new, battery, voltage regulator and generator are less than a year old.
Thanks for your help/advise I sometimes feel electricty is relaated to black magic at times... Tedd

 

The symptoms were the same on the last generator also. I just replaced both regulator and generator for good measures as I was leaving for Canada in this car and didn't want any problems away from home... Tedd

 

Voltage at the gen A post should be over battery voltage. A simple gen test is connect volt meter to Arm post, start car then ground F post. Volts should be high as it is not being regulated. Do not run very long like this.

 

Well after giving the generator a smack with a rubber hammer I'm now getting approximately 13.8 volts out of the generator at about 1000 RPM + or -and the AMP gauge is now showing about a 7 amp charge on the gauge, I wish I had checked the generator before I smacked it. At least I would have known if the smack did the trick and it was the generator or did it just started to work on it's own. Now that it appears to be operating I'm rather at a loss what to do.This car has to be reliable, it's my long range vacation car and I don't need problems 500 miles from home. How do you check a system that is working and how long does a smack last?... Tedd

 

How long it will last when smacked is directly proportional to the amount of force it has been smacked with. Just kidding. You probably have a hung brush. I would take the gen apart and see if the brushes move freely. You may want to take some emery or sand paper and clean the brush holders inside where the brushes are and lightly sand the brush sides. When you take the 2 bolts out try to pull the armature and end assembly out gently. If the brushes are hung sometimes you will see them stuck in the brush holders. Usually just the movement of disassembly will make the move. When it is apart move the brushes back and forth in the holders and see if you feel drag or sticking. Also check if bothe have similar spring tension. You may have a weak spring.

 

Thanks for the advise Steller. I'll pull it apart probably on Monday and see what I see. Should the holders be lubed or left dry.... Thanks again... Tedd

 

I don't know how important originality is to you, but if not here's an idea you might want to consider, similar to the vacuum wiper motor conversion. When operating the A/C and lights together at night I often came back with the battery in worse shape than when I left. Since getting parts for the A5 compressor was difficult anyway, I got a bracket from a 1964 Olds which held the A6 and an alternator. A slight modification was needed to fit the '55 due to deck height, but it wasn't bad. This solved two problems for me. Of course originality was lost but both the A/C and electrical system now work better. I did all the re-plumbing and rewiring myself, but if you'd like to read about the electrical part, try this:
http://www.rowand.net/Shop/Tech/Alte...onversions.htm

 

Just want to ask since I didn't see in your post , Did you polarize the generator when you reinstalled it??

 

No lube. Leave it dry. Lube will collect dirt and cause them to stick.

 

Ozzie, on this car it is pretty much stone stock except the dual mufflers and electric wipers. It used to be a pretty good points car in it's prime.

Ancient Iron , yep it has been polarized.

Steller I Thought dry would be the answer but thought I would check anyway.

Thanks for the reply's.... .. Tedd