generator wiring

Bob, Late 40's should have a ground wire in the harness between the regulator and the generator.

39 & early 40's had the reg. gnd'd to the fire wall with a short braded lead.. Ford realized in 1940 that any voltage difference between the firewall and the generator case would cause the regulated output of the generator to be off-set by the voltage difference between the two...



This is why Ford added the ground wire between the reg. and the generator...



Jim

I have a later engine in my 40, and that is why the harness doesn't have the wire, I guess. Sounds like I need to run an extra wire. Thanks

Bob

My wire harness doesn't have a wire for the generator ground terminal. What happens there? Thanks

Bob

They must depend on gen mount,you can add a ground wire.

The 1 wire setup uses the mounting bracket as the ground return but, as 36 coupe said, it wouldn't hurt to run a seperate ground wire. Ken(SC)

Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements)

Should have said what car I have. 1940 Ford. Run a wire from the terminal on the generator to the base of the voltage regulator? Seems strange that the harness didn't do that. Thanks for the information.

Bob

40 Generator should not have the ground post. It was added years later. The terminal is the body of the generator. It will not be necessary to add a wire to the terminal. Make sure the front bracket is grounded to the intake manifold at the attachment screw and the body of the generator has the paint cleaned off at the attachment of the front bracket and as well as the rear cover.

Orig replacement wiring prior to like 1942 did not have a separate grnd for Generator .You can add a separate grnd wire as Ford did after these years. ...If your running a 12V system with an Alternator and the engine is properly Grnded the alt Which is unpainted will be grnded when Bolted on..

OK Thanks!

I'll clean the mounting points and not worry about the terminal.

Bob