OOPS! I sent this to the wrong address last week so, here it is for
everyone.......
John,
I had a similar problem with my 59 TR3-A a few years ago (light basically
stayed on all the time) I checked the generator with a multi-meter per the
Haynes manual and it was reading bad.
I ordered a rebuilt generator and took it, along with the car, to one of our
club's events - The Annual Tune-Up Clinic. This is a meeting where everyone
brings their car to a donated garage and everyone just helps everyone out
with a job or two.
Well, I spent most of the day changing the generator - !that thing is not
easy! - ahhh, my first real repair to the car since purchasing
it.........What satisfaction! A job well done! This old car stuff isn't so
bad........etc. etc.
I fired her up and...................that d@mn light was still glowing!
I consulted some of the other club members and one of them (Ed Woods)
thought it was my regulator. I have always stayed away from the regulator
for fear of screwing it up, but, he quickly pop'ed the cover, magically
produced a bit of very fine emery paper, cleaned the contacts, then used a
feeler gauge and re-set the gap.
We started it up and the light was faintly glowing at idle, off at any rpm
over 900. Perfect! That put a big smile on my face. Besides, those
batteries were getting expensive to replace;-)
I am unclear as to exactly what he did, I wish I could give you more info
but....adjustment to the regulator fixed my problem. (maybe Ed can chime in
if he reads this).
(Thanks again, Ed)
Regards,
David Hill (USA)
>Date: Tue, 30 Jun 1998 16:04:32 -0400 (EDT)
>From: John Middlesworth <jape@email.unc.edu>
>Subject: Regulator troubles
>
>
>Because of an unrelated problem, my TR4A engine was revving pretty high
>between shifts (3000-3500 rpm). I then started noticing that when I
>turned the ignition key all the way off, the red light on the dash stayed
>on. Later that afternoon the red light ran all the time while I drove,
>and (as it indicated) the generator wasn't charging. The light stopped
>burning while the car was off but I have no charge going to replenish the
>battery.
>
>My first thought was that something was wrong with the ignition switch,
>but someone suggested the regulator. The generator itself was rebuilt
>about 6000 miles ago, so I can't imagine it's the source of the problem
>(and no, the belt's not slipping).
>
>Am I looking at replacing the regulator or is there a fix? Could the
>earlier high revving could have damaged it?
>John Middlesworth
>1966 TR4A
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