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Date:         
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@vanagon.com>
From:         
Subject:      Re: Ramona Rests

>After seeing that damnable RED LIGHT come on and stay on over a week ago, I
>knew either the generator or the volt. reg. was kapoot, and since I'd just
>put in a new battery and couldn't afford a shop diagnosis, I drove her just
>the same; all the while thinking: Muir once drove 1,000miles like
>this.......Well, I drove about 80 before yesterday when she decided to stay
>put.
>I followed Muir's procedure for testing the generator by removing both wires
>from the gen., clipping the heavy one to my timing light and grounding out
>the second to the gen. with the light, and got nothing; no light, even at a
>scream of an rpm. 

I'm not sure your diagnoses is right here.  The easiest test for any gen/alt
is to lift the battery positive while the engine is running.  If she dies,
no juice.  If it still runs, theres hope.  But this could still be a
regulator problem.  I would make absolutely sure the actual genny is bad
before you spend massive effort R&R'ing it.  The brushes should also be
checked (replaced?).  There are so many ways the battery/reg/gen can screw
up you may need assistance here.  Check through a bunch of books and really
test each part.  No one on-line can truly diagnose everything.

The generator field (small spade connector) needs to be connected to the
large terminal in order for the generator to make juice.  I don't see that
in your test.  In fact, I don't trust that test at all!

PS the most reliable repair should include new regulator/generator and battery!

Eugene
'71