Topic: AMK voltage regulators

[Chris]

Has anyone had issues lately with the voltage regulators for generator equipped cars? These look to be made only by AMK now and I'm on my third one in two months. The first two did not work and the third looks to be failing. The voltage from the generator is around 14.7 volts. This is the reading I get at the "A" (bottom) of the three terminals on the generator voltage regulator. There is an internal shunt that allows the voltage to pass to the BATT terminal (top terminal) that seems to be the issue. This did not work (pass voltage from A to B terminal) for the first two regulators. The third initially worked fine but now does not begin to pass voltage and charge the battery until running for about 15-20 minutes. When it does work, the voltage at the battery is about 13.9 volts, so that looks ok.

It seems a number of suppliers have this part backordered, so I was wondering if there was a batch of bad regulators out there. I've not called AMK directly...they close early.

Chris

[Mike_B_SVT]

I believe it is "common knowledge" that the reproduction voltage regulators are not considered reliable.

Alot of folks will take the cover from the repro unit and put it onto a regular old parts store unit.  So you end up with one that looks correct, but has better internals.  I believe you can get the correct rivets to swap covers as well, but I'm not sure exactly who / where they are available from.

Good luck!

[Chris]

I would buy a non-AMK version if I could find one, NAPA, Advanced Auto, etc... do not carry them or order them. If anyone has a line on where a relaible 3-terminal voltage regulator for a generator can be purchased, please let me know.

Chris

[CharlesTurner]

I have an NOS 25A version if you're interested.  Believe the 30A was most common though.

[64rustang]

I had 2 reproduction units that had issues.  Go with an NOS unit.  I've had no troubles since I've had the NOS Autolite regulator.  Plus, with a NOS unit you can install the terminal screw cover.  They don't fit the reproductions.

[Chris]

Charles, thanks. Would a 25A work for a generator with a/c? I think it's a standard Ford 30A generator.

Chris

[CharlesTurner]

Charles, thanks. Would a 25A work for a generator with a/c? I think it's a standard Ford 30A generator.

I probably would not go with a 25A on a car with A/C.

[Chris]

I found an NOS 30A voltage regulator, will post a picture when I get it next week.

[Chris]

Here's the voltage regulator, not NOS but an original that has been remanufactured. I've gone through 5 AMK voltage regulators and none have worked. I dropped this one in and it worked first time. I
looking at the internals of the AMK regulators for 64 1/2 w/AC, the contact for the BATT terminal isn't closing. The ARM and FIELD terminals are closed by default. The terminal for the BATT is open by default (when car is off) and is supposed to close to pass the voltage to the battery. It seems that the magnet in the regulator isn't strong enough to close the contact for some reason. You can manually close the contact for Batt and it starts charging the battery. Once the car is turned off, the contact opens, so some magnetic field is working but not enough to close the contact at start up or even after running for a while with RPM run higher.

Beware the AMK voltage regulators. I'd like to find a 30 AMP NOS original for backup.