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Cranking Amps

7

7539

Donation Time
I've asked before but never solved the problem... my 64 runs great if it'll start. My problem is, it generally won't without a boost. I've tried replacing the battery, trickle charging, I've checked the ground. The generator light comes on as if it's charging although we know that this may not mean anything. It seems to me that the battery is just not strong enough to crank it. Once started it runs like a champ but turn it off and it's like you never did anything, just dogs about a half cranking and that's it.
What cranking amps are you folks using in your cars? I'm stumped otherwise. The battery ground is in the compartment behind the seat and seems good; I don't see a strap on the engine.... maybe I'm blind...I know I'm deaf and old...

Thanks
 
R

RootesRacer

Donation Time
Two things I will mention, one is that the light on the dash for generator equipped cars is on when its NOT charging and the other is that the brushes and commutators in the starter can make the starter weak (shorted coils can even work against the starter) so consider changing your starter.
 
Scotty

Scotty

Silver Level Sponsor
I had this kind of issue and it went away when I put in a new control box after my old one had rusted to death. Have you checked to make sure the Generator is actually charging enough? I've spent a lot of time and a lot of comments on this forum and the end result is the one result I should have gone with from go: Installing an Alternator this weekend. I love English mechanics, I just happen to love simplicity and reliability just a little more, especially since my IV is my daily driver.
 
7

7539

Donation Time
So I switched to an alternator several years ago and had nothing but trouble...I took it to an import shop in Tulsa a few years back and they put a generator back on it and made everything work pretty well. I was told by the mechanic that the light being on signified that the generator was working.... I was just backwards on the light being on or off regarding charging... I'll check the starter, that may be it... maybe it's weak...I mean, whenever I have power to it from a wall charger or jumper cables it turns over just like it's supposed to...
 
B

Bill Blue

Platinum Level Sponsor
If the engine does not have a ground strap, that means current must flow from the the engine to the battery by any means available. Sometimes that is the heater control cable! You need an engine ground strap. That will probably solve your problem.

Bill
 
R

RootesRacer

Donation Time
7539 said:
So I switched to an alternator several years ago and had nothing but trouble...I took it to an import shop in Tulsa a few years back and they put a generator back on it and made everything work pretty well. I was told by the mechanic that the light being on signified that the generator was working.... I was just backwards on the light being on or off regarding charging... I'll check the starter, that may be it... maybe it's weak...I mean, whenever I have power to it from a wall charger or jumper cables it turns over just like it's supposed to...
Click to expand...
Sounds more likley that the battery is not getting charged.
 
Scotty

Scotty

Silver Level Sponsor
7539 said:
So I switched to an alternator several years ago and had nothing but trouble...I took it to an import shop in Tulsa a few years back and they put a generator back on it and made everything work pretty well. I was told by the mechanic that the light being on signified that the generator was working.... I was just backwards on the light being on or off regarding charging... I'll check the starter, that may be it... maybe it's weak...I mean, whenever I have power to it from a wall charger or jumper cables it turns over just like it's supposed to...
Click to expand...

The Generator won't charge at idle. It only charges if the car is driving or if you rev it...
 
T

Tom H

Platinum Level Sponsor
I'll repeat what others have said:

The red light next to the ignition key should go OFF when the battery is charging. I do not know of any way that it could be mis-wired to be ON when charging. Your mechanic is wrong! I think the owners manual may confirm this, if you do not believe the people on this forum.

At idle speeds, a Generator doe not put out enough voltage to charge the battery. If you rev the engine up to about 2000 RPM and the light stays on, you have a charging system problem. An alternator can put out some charging current even at idle, but not a generator

You say you have "checked the grounds". No sure exactly what you have checked but understand that the ground between battery and starter must be a HEAVY cable to handle heavy starting current. At the battery there should be a heavy cable that grounds the battery to the chassis. AND at the transmission rear bracket there should be a short ,heavy, braided strap that connects the transmission box to the chassis. This cable is not described or shown anywhere in the WSM and might have been left off by previous owner or a mechanic.

If you have a voltmeter you can test your starter circuit. Put the black lead of your meter on some very good ground on the engine. not the chassis, put the red lead on the solenoid post that connects to the starter. turn the ignition switch to the start position and see how many volts are showing up on the meter . That's how many volts your starter is getting (unless the cable from solenoid to starter is bad , or the connections are bad).

Your problem may also be corrosion and bad connection between the battery posts and the battery cables. After trying to crank for a minute or so, feel the posts on the battery. If either one is warm, there's you problem. Do this test with no charger or booster cables connected to the battery clamps.

Tom
 
7

7539

Donation Time
I appreciate the info as usual. Put it on the battery charger for an hour and it started immediately. Took it off and it also started. Ran it about 4 miles and when I came back it wouldn't start... just bogs down the battery immediately. I'll check everything you said
 
loose_electron

loose_electron

Donation Time
Just a couple of other items to keep in mind:

When charging the voltage at the battery should be 14 to 14.3 volts.

A fully charged battery off the charger should be 13.6 volts

Test car batteries UNDER LOAD - They sell battery testers with a voltmeter and a test load resistor. An older battery can look good without a load on it.
 
Scotty

Scotty

Silver Level Sponsor
7539 said:
I appreciate the info as usual. Put it on the battery charger for an hour and it started immediately. Took it off and it also started. Ran it about 4 miles and when I came back it wouldn't start... just bogs down the battery immediately. I'll check everything you said
Click to expand...

I had this exact same issue and I always had to get the battery charged at Autozone. Like an idiot, I went through 3 batteries before getting it fixed. Even with the Generator and control box replaced, running, and producing current, it just doesn't give the kind of charging power and security an Alternator does. You had mentioned you had issues with the Alternator swap, my advice would be to seek someone outside your circle out who is knowledgeable because whoever did your swap before didn't wire it right.
 
R

RootesRacer

Donation Time
Scotty said:
You had mentioned you had issues with the Alternator swap, my advice would be to seek someone outside your circle out who is knowledgeable because whoever did your swap before didn't wire it right.
Click to expand...
That may or may not be the case.
Generators require a residual magnetic field in the armature as they do not have permanent magnets for the field (since the generators control system regulates output voltage through field modulation).
Generators that have been unused for a long time as well as generators that were used in the opposite polarity will require the armature to be "primed" through the application of full battery voltage to the field for several seconds. This puts a residual magnetic field into the generator field armature.
Often, after doing this, full system functionality will be observed, assuming the control box is functional and properly adjusted.
 
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