Corvair Forum

The recommendation on how to polarize a charging system is the following: After the installation of a battery, generator or voltage regulator follow these procedures. The terminals on the voltage regulator are labeled with letters and this is where you will do the polarizing procedure. Both of the components will have battery power so do not start the vehicle or turn on the ignition switch before polarizing them. You will need a small piece of wire fourteen or sixteen gauge with alligator clips on the ends. Find the "Batt" terminal on the regulator and attach one of the alligator clips, find the "Armature" terminal and touch the terminal with the other alligator clip. You can touch the terminals a few times and it will produce a soft light spark.

Under no circumstances touch the "Field" terminal or any other part of the regulator or you could damage the regulator.

http://www.vv.corvair.org/pipermail/vir ... 13475.html

What you want to do is polarize the generator. If in fact it ran with reverse polarity, everything should be fine after this process. You should not have damaged anything yet.

With key off, use a piece of 14 gage or larger wire to jump between the battery and armature terminals of the voltage regulator. I am at work without a shop manual, so I forget the actual writing on the terminals. BUT, it is the top and middle terminal on Corvairs (with the regulator mounted stock position, red wires on top terminal).

It will spark! Hold for 1 or 2 seconds. The wire may also get warm, be prepared.

Start engine again and check for red light going out.

IT IS IMPORTANT TO POLARIZE A NEW GENERATOR BY FOLLOWING THE PROCEDURES IN THE CORVAIR SHOP MANUAL. THIS PROCEDURE IS DESCRIBED ON PAGE 8-18 OF THE ATTACHED SHOP MANUAL SECTION. This polarizing procedure applies ONLY to vehicles equipped with a GENERATOR. It does not apply to vehicles equipped with an alternator.




Ensure that the ground cable is attached to BOTH the car chassis AND the engine, as shown in the diagrams below. The engine and transaxle are physically and electrically isolated from the car chassis because of the three rubber engine mounts. If a single battery ground cable is only connected to the chassis, the starter, generator and engine may not be adequately grounded. This could cause starter or generator problems.

66vairguy wrote: ↑Tue Mar 14, 2023 2:08 pm Nice job.

A buddy used JB Weld cauld in the tube to fill the cracks and it didn't hold up. I grind out all the old loose plastic, then fill with the old liquid JB Weld (you have to use tape to make dams to hold it in place) then after a couple days I sand it down. So far it has held up very well, no cracks.

Some paints won't hold up to the skin oil from one's hands. I found using a base coat, the painting over with a two part urethane automotive clear coat is very durable and has ultraviolet ray resistance so it won't discolor in the sun over the years.

TikiRalf wrote: ↑Wed Mar 15, 2023 1:08 pm

66vairguy wrote: ↑Tue Mar 14, 2023 2:08 pm Nice job.

A buddy used JB Weld cauld in the tube to fill the cracks and it didn't hold up. I grind out all the old loose plastic, then fill with the old liquid JB Weld (you have to use tape to make dams to hold it in place) then after a couple days I sand it down. So far it has held up very well, no cracks.

Some paints won't hold up to the skin oil from one's hands. I found using a base coat, the painting over with a two part urethane automotive clear coat is very durable and has ultraviolet ray resistance so it won't discolor in the sun over the years.

I use Por 15 - Epoxy Putty, wierd stuff but it works out. It was a lot of work but the result is awesome.


Por 15.jpg

terribleted wrote: ↑Fri Mar 17, 2023 6:12 am
Epoxy putty is the recommended and best answer!!

66vairguy wrote: ↑Tue Jul 04, 2023 2:26 pm Impressive work making the gauge pod. Craftsmanship.

doug6423 wrote: ↑Tue Jul 04, 2023 3:34 pm Looking good!!

If you got the gas pedal from Clark's, they all seem to break. Mine broke and the replacement wasn't much better. I plan to weld it better before installing.