147 Starter/Gen/Regulator Question
 

Hello OCC members – I have been working on a 1970 Cub Cadet 147 for the past seven months. It was a barn find and had not run since about 2003. I hope to restore it in the near future but for now I’m using it as a prime mover around the property. After rebuilding the carb, complete fluid and filter changes, replacing all wiring and cleaning the gas tank, it’s running. My issue involves the starter/generator, voltage regulator and the battery. I was never able to get the generator to push more than 7-8 volts so I took it off and had it checked by ABI rebuilders, a shop I️ highly recommend, in Danville, VA. It was cleaned and new brushes were installed but it tested ok on all bench tests before being opened up. When taking a voltage reading using a digital multi-meter from the generator, at the generator, I get result of between 4 – 8 volts. The same reading is produced at the voltage regulator from the battery terminal input to ground. When I take a reading at the battery I get between 11 and 13 volts. All of these at about 2000 rpm. My charging gauge pings back and forth and never stays in the charging direction. Is this normal operation for this regulator or should I see 12 to 13 volts at the generator and at the regulator? Could my gauge be faulty and if so how could I test just the gauge? Any ideas? I have opened up the regulator and cleaned the contact points but made no other adjustments. :bigthink:

Good evening. In the tech section, there is a great write-up for testing the charging system on this style of setup. I have included the link below. Let us know the results!

http://www.onlycubcadets.net/forum/showthread.php?t=18

Trouble Shooting a No Charge Condition
 

Lance,

Thanks! :beerchug:This sheet helped me immediately identify the V/R as the fault. It took me all of 5 minutes. So now the big question - replace it with as close to original as possible for about 100 bucks or go for the 20 - 40 dollar Chinese equivalent that is not an exact match up? I'm really torn because there is such a big difference in price. :bash2: What would the OCC's guys and gals do? Is there a pro or con other than money and quality?

ps. Has anybody ever adjusted one of these as mentioned in the "Current-Voltage Regulator section, 1-31, of the operators manual for models 106,107,126,127 and 147? :bigthink:

Byron

I would recommend going as close to original as possible. When it comes to the foreign knockoffs, stay away from electronic items. Now, you can find the regulators at Napa that are a good middle-ground item. They actually carry 2 different brands. ECH VR896 is the more expensive one, and MPE VR896SB is the cheaper one. Just be aware that the new style regulators have the GEN terminal located on the backside. So make sure you put the correct wire on the correct terminal. Don't just do a one for one swap.

As for adjusting, I have never performed that task. Maybe someone else has?

NEW V/R are already adjusted from the Factory.

I second all what Lance said.

You MIGHT try cleaning the contacts inside your VR. if you’re just going to trash it, it won’t hurt to try. The symptom you’re having sounds like the field coil isn’t grounding properly, which will happen if the contacts inside the VR are corroded or whatever. Clean them like you’d clean a set of points and give it a shot.

They aren’t terribly complicated devices, but because they are mechanical, they wear down over time.

The last sentence in his post states he cleaned the contacts already.

Yes but did he readjust the points?

According to the original post, no.

D5Offe, when you say " My charging gauge pings back and forth and never stays in the charging direction", I am assuming that you are saying that you mean the amp meter is jumping to the plus (+) side and then to the minus (-) side, or back to zero. If that correct, it sounds like an indication that the v/r may be doing it's job but some other factors may be in play, such as bad grounds somewhere, a short to ground somewhere, a loose connection somewhere. I would check all connections for clean contact and tightness and good continuity before throwing money at a new v/r. Just my:TwoCents: