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Need Help with Electrical Problem

P

paratrooper34

Just got it firing!
Joined
Apr 8, 2013
Messages
2
Hi Everyone, I have an electrical issue that I can't seem to figure out.

I have a restored 1960 Lodola 235 GT. I finally got things together and took it out for a ride, thinking I had all issues sorted out and it was ready to ride. I got a new 6v battery and installed it. I rode it around for about five miles and it ran great, no issues. I took it out a couple days later and realized the first time I took it out, I did not turn the lights on. So this time I turned them on, and noticed the bike wanted to quit running. I quickly turned the lights off, and it ran fine.

I suspected the generator was the issue. So after reading a little on them, I realized it probably needed to be polarized. The generator was rebuilt about five years ago, but hadn't really been used much. Because of the delay in use, I figured that was my best bet. I pulled it out, polarized it, but it still did not work. So, I took it to a specialist, and found I did not polarize it correctly. Anyway, he got it done, bench tested it, and found it works as it should.

I reinstalled it on the bike, did a voltage test on it while running and revving the engine. It puts out only about three volts or so. This measurement was taken from the positive terminal and the engine case as I got no reading with the meter on the ground terminal of the generator. This seems low to me, but I am unfamiliar with generators.

I then took the bike out again. It ran great with the lights off, but as soon as I turned them on, the bike quit. Shut them off, the bike runs great. The difference in how the engine runs is instantaneously related to the position of the light switch.

My question is: do I have a bad voltage regulator? Should the generator put out more than the three or so volts I got or is it an issue with the regulator?

I hope my description is detailed enough. If not, please fire away.
 
Im unsure about lodola but you should get a voltage from engine ground to bat positive. Also from bat positive to bat negative. Maybe you have a ground wire going nowhere? where does the battery neg end up? Is the motor a battery ignition or magneto? Check earth wire goes to ground and that engine is also grounded.
If it is battery fed coils then when you turn lights on this uses the current the coils need because the battery cant supply enough. The generator should put out 7 volts when revved a bit. Hope this helps
Cheers
Milton
 
Carl has provided a schematic for the bike. https://www.guzzitech.com/attachments/ ... la_235.gif It is in the tech section under electrical. The regulator is the old style three terminal regulator. As Guz5 said, it should output about 7 volts. Not sure if a Guzzi regulator is available, but the old ford 6 volt systems used the three connection regulator. It might be a little big, but should do the job. Also a tractor three wire regulator (6 volt of course) should work as well https://www.tractorpartsasap.com/Voltag ... 105284.htm good luck.
 
Chris,

The 6 volt mechanical tractor regulators have a pretty good turn over rate. I doubt the one he would buy would be 20 years old. There are still allot of 6 volt tractors out there still farming.
 
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