Who Rebuilds Voltage Regulators?

[snapper911]

I have called around to local (Seattle) alternator rebuild shops and nobody does it...and they don't know of anyone who does.

Would like to keep the original VR for the car (71) and continue the idea that anything on these cars can be rebuilt to last another 40+ years.


Thanks for any tips!

Nick

[Gogar]

You can always swap the guts of any similar-era VR into your original housing, if that's what you're after.

My '72 has a $15 mopar VR and it's done great for 10 years or so now.

[emac]

Go to NAPA get one for a old VW
Ernie 81sc

[A horse with no name]

Originally Posted by snapper911

I have called around to local (Seattle) alternator rebuild shops and nobody does it...and they don't know of anyone who does.

Would like to keep the original VR for the car (71) and continue the idea that anything on these cars can be rebuilt to last another 40+ years.


Thanks for any tips!

Nick

Hi...Often the armatures don't have to be rewound and if that is the case they are very easy to rebuild. Just put new brushes in it including bearing(s).

If you don't want to do it yourself these guys have been around the North West for along time. Romaine Electric

[Guardsred911]

I second the good words about Romaine Electric. They rebuilt the alternator for me.... and I did end up replacing the VR with a Huco $12 (which I do realize wasn't what you wanted to do, but just passing along)....


another alternator/charging light bulb question

[Walt Fricke]

Lots of luck finding someone to "rebuild" the old style external VR. I suppose there is someone out there who can refurbish the contact points inside of these, and check the various spring tensions and see if some resistors or whatnot inside are out of whack. But nowadays VRs are all solid state, cost less, are smaller and lighter, and last much longer. So realistically, why would anyone want to fuss with old technology when more efficient substitutes are available?

I know - Concours, or just Vintage look. Gogar's solution would seem to be the way to go.

For that matter, buy the VR for a 914. It is solid state, with the guts potted inside a five sided plastic case. I use that on my race motors with somewhat later 911 alternators. It is small enough that with some trimming of excess plastic from its housing you could fit it inside of the VR you now have after gutting it. Just connect the D+ to the D+, the DF to the DF, and the D- to the D- and you are good to go. If space is a problem, you could pry it out of its plastic case (as I once did to examine its guts) and repott inside your VR case after hooking things up.

I've no reason to believe that the old electro-mechanical VRs live longer than the solid state ones. With the caveat that moving the VR inside of the alternator, where heat is a lot higher, may not have been a good move on the longevity front.

[Matt Monson]

Is 356 Electric still around? Drawing a blank on the guy's name but he used to come by Carquip all the time when I was there.

[304065]

Let's start with the threshold question-- is this a Marchal/SEV in a silver can?

[kugelfischer]

What about running an integrated solid state VR on the back of the alternator and then keeping the original (not hooked up) over on the electrical panel. This would keep the vintage look and increase reliability.
I ask because I had been considering this as a solution myself.

[HawgRyder]

I think Kugel has the right idea.
There are 2 types of regulators...shunt and series...the shunt type pulls all the alt can give all the time...and shunts the excess to ground.
The series type only demands the correct amount from the alt when needed.
Shunt types will wear out the alt faster...and put a HP draw on the engine all the time.
Bob

[A horse with no name]

Originally Posted by snapper911

I have called around to local (Seattle) alternator rebuild shops and nobody does it...and they don't know of anyone who does.

Would like to keep the original VR for the car (71) and continue the idea that anything on these cars can be rebuilt to last another 40+ years.


Thanks for any tips!

Nick

Hi Nick...For what it's worth...Here is a brand new VR for a Marchal made by 'Original Equipment'- $85.00

Original Equipment® W0133-1620932 - Porsche 911 Series 1970-1971 Voltage Regulator

[304065]

Internally regulated alternators not recommended due to heat, and finding an internal reg for the 55A Motorola/Marchal alternator in the OP's 71 is hard- would be better to replace the entire alternator with a modern Valeo that is internally reg'd and that fits the fan housing.

I am no fan at all of internal regs, had too many failures that also look like fan belt failure. I trailered 14 hours to a race only to have the red light come on and had to pit, only to realize that the belt itself was fine, just the internal reg had thrown up its hands and stopped charging due to 90 minutes of WOT operation. Never again, my VR lives in a cool spot attached to the electrical console, which is a nice heat sink.

Anyway, it should be possible to carefully open up the metal can for inspection and see what is going on with the points. The original VRs are basically a relay that switches the field full-on or full-off based on a comparison of the alternator's trio diode output (D+/61) with the "set-point" which is around 14.4V. The relay contacts can wear out, the springs can fatigue, or the coil itself can short out-- these are all things that can be evaluated once you (gently) get the can open.

[prebordao]

I used a Huco for a while but for some reason the battery didn't charge as much as with the old mechanical SEV-Marchal. Sometimes at idle, the light would come on and it took a prod on the throttle to go away.
So I went back to the Marchal, who's still working...

BTW- I didn't connect the condensor again as I couldn't recall the right terminals to connect to.. Anyone can help ??

[snapper911]

Thanks everyone for the advice!

I took my Alternator and VR to Romaine Electric as I also heard good things.
Unfortunately, they don't rebuild VRs.

[snapper911]

Originally Posted by 304065

Let's start with the threshold question-- is this a Marchal/SEV in a silver can?

Correct! Says 14V on it.

[wwest]

Originally Posted by snapper911

Thanks everyone for the advice!

I took my Alternator and VR to Romaine Electric as I also heard good things.
Unfortunately, they don't rebuild VRs.

All you need, generally, is a bit of SILVER solder to renew the voltage sensitive relay contacts. Years ago a simple filing of the contacts would often suffice for a few more months.