Unreliable American made parts

[Jim L.]

The weather in California's Sierra Nevada has finally turned favorable enough that I decided to awaken my unrestored #3300 '54 and go for a drive. However, when I started the old 6 banger today, the Ammeter wasn't showing a charge.

Rats.

Since I had the generator rebuilt relatively recently, that suggested to me the voltage regulator had failed. Fortunately I had a spare which I installed and the charging system once again works fine.

The regulator I removed was supposedly a fine piece of American craftsmanship.... except that it doesn't work.

What junque.

It lasted only 57 years.

Jim

[Alexander C.]

Re: Unreliable American made parts

I agree! The original VG in my '56 is alive and well. When I had my generator gone through we ran it with my VG on a test bench to see if we needed to adjust the VG at all, not a single adjustment was needed! The thing keeps going and going. Same for almost everything else original on my '56!

[Terry M.]

Re: Unreliable American made parts

While not quite in the same league at only 16 years old, I recently took the alternator from one of my 1995 Police Package Caprices in to be rebuilt. After a brief examination the shop foreman told me there was nothing wrong with it, but I thought the bearings were noisy. He changed his mind about the rebuild when I told him it had 217,000 miles on it. He asked: " OMG Is it the original?" When I assured him it was, he readily agreed to rebuild it. At 140 amps capacity it is a big heavy *****, but like the rest of the car is built like a brick …. Well you get the drift. I am sure it too was made in the USA even if more recently than your parts.

[Gene M.]

Re: Unreliable American made parts

Hey Terry,
I just hope the parts for the bebuild are also made in the good old USA .........!

Another 200K miles is in its future.

[Terry M.]

Re: Unreliable American made parts

I hope so on both counts Gene.

I recently had one head off -- long story, but an intake valve got carboned up when the engine temperature sensor failed and told the computer the engine was a -40 degrees. NO ridge in the cylinders and a valve job and valve stem seals were all that was needed. ALL valve springs checked within specification. This is one of the Gen II LT1s with reverse flow cooling. They may have hit a home run with that engine design, although it lasted only a short time compared to the Gen I small block.

So off it goes for the next 200K or more if I can keep the body from rusting. I have been proactive on that front as well, having lost a few cars to the tin worm in the past.