I had the opportunity to visit Dan Masters yesterday and he spoke to me
about replacing the Lucas alternator with a domestic model. He has signed
off this list (he's really more of a Triumph man and is devoting his time
and energy there), but if anyone wants his address for the details, e-mail
me private and I'll get it to you. According to him, it's a snap with just
a minor fabrication of a bracket. BTW, he's replaced the alternator on his
TR6 with a domestic and is quite pleased.
Peace....
Spencer
Ten Mile, TN
1980 MGB
At 11:56 AM 10/17/97 -0400, you wrote:
>SteveB5815@aol.com wrote:
>
>> My '79 MGB alternator is on the fritz. Can the
>> internal components be bench tested with a digital volt/ohm meter to
>> determine if they are working?
>
>Troubleshoot as an US alternator.
>
>1. Check voltage out with engine running and no electrical stuff on
(should be
>~13 -14 Volts at idle) Check at ~ 3000 rpm should be the same.
>2. Turn on lights and check voltage at idle (again 13 -14) Check at 3000
rpm
>3. Disconnect rectifier and check forward and reverse resistance of the
diodes
>(use resistance setting of voltmeter and check then reverse the leads and
check
>again). Should have zero resistance one direction and infinite the other.
>4. If the voltages were high (overcharging) the regulator is probably
shot. If
>they were low remove the regulator and supply the hot side of the field (the
>ungrounded brush) with battery voltage. Start car and check voltage it
should
>now be high (especially off idle) if it is the alternator is good and the
>regulator is bad. If its still low and the rectifier checked out the
alternator
>is bad.
>5. Check for noisy or high resistance bearings. If these are bad your
better
>off replacing the alternator (if it sthe rear one anyway since the bearing
passes
>over the commutator).
>
>On this topic has anyone replaced the lucas regulators with a domestic unit?
>
>
>
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