my GEN light came on in my 1971 GS several weeks ago. first it was intermitent, and now it is on all the time. i replaced the battery, alternator and voltage regulator (but not the diode-type thing that it attaches to the voltage reg on the top). any ideas on what it could be? john
Hi John - Is the battery actually charging? Is the alternator putting out voltage? Here (thanks again Bill/Al) is some good information to test your alternator to see if it's working. If everything seems to be in order after the above test, maybe it's a ground wire ??? o No:
thanks. i will check all of that. and marco TOMORROW! i will get my stage 1 on your list! i know that i suck about doing that but i promise, with chocolate sauce on top, that i will this time. john
Is the Gen light on ALL the time, even after you shut down the car? I had this problem. Turned out that one of the wires (is it one or two) that plugs in to the top of the alternator was broken - first it made intermittant contact - finally it was broken clean through. I recall hearing the regulator clicking on and off - probably "searching" for juice.
this thought has occured to me also. it is on only when the car is running but it was intermitent until the alt was changed, now it is non all the time. i think that i will check the plug in the alt to see if it is broken. also i will see if the battery is charging. john
Also, check the pigtail connection under the rubber boot! I had an alternator that had the contact just spin inside, the nut never would get tight. Also, double check your connections on the voltage regulator, with the power off and battery disconected. Sometimes they feel good and snug and just aren't. Here's the path of current flow in various conditions. This is from the '70 Chassis manual, but it should be identical to the '71: "With the ignition switch turned on (engine not running), current flow is through the ignition switch, through the generator light in the instrument cluster, in the "4" terminal of the regulator, through the lower contacts of the voltage regulator (held closed by the spring) out the "F" terminal, in the "F" terminal of the generator, through the brush and slip ring, through the field, through another brush and slip ring to ground. Before the engine is started, the generator light should glow at about 1/2 brightness. This is because the voltage in the circuit before the light is about 12 volts, but the voltage at the "4" terminal after the light is about 5 volts. This makes the effective voltage across the generator light 7 volts for about 1/2 brightness. After the engine is started, the voltage put out by the generator immediately closes the field relay. This causes battery voltage from the "3" terminal to be present at the "4" terminal. See figure 120-18 [sorry, my scanner isn't working:gt: ]. Since battery voltage is present on both sides of the generator light, the light goes out."
ok, we have to log this one in th Doh!ou: :spank: :gt: the alternator was bad, but the plug was also not plugged all the way in after the swap. well at least it has a new voltage regulator now ! john
