Sean Johnson wrote:
>
> Among other things, my Spit's alternator warning light is burning whenever
> the engine is started.
>
> Sean Johnson
> '75 Spitfire/'79 engine
Sean-
The light is to burn bright with key ON and engine NOT yet started.
Should go out upon engine start. If not, the voltage reg in the alt is
out. This is VERY common if you were doing any electrical work and
accidentally created a short circuit (sparks) almost anywhere in your
car. These Lucas alternators are VERY sensitive to shorts. It creates
some sort of back surge of current that the regulator/rectifier cannot
handle.
You are out of luck on fixing it usually.
Although recently I had a problem where the light would intermitently
burn dimly, but not at all with key on and engine not yet started. I
pulled the alternator off and remove the back cover. Cleaned and
tightened all the connnections and reinstalled. Also, I crimped the
blade connectors inn the end of the wire plug before connecting. Giving
a tighter fit to the alternator terminals. All works fine now.
As an option, you might look in the junk yard for an early 80's Ford
Fiesta (those little german econoboxes). Many of them had a Bosch
alternator that is a fit-alike and plug-alike replacement for the Lucas
unit on the Spit. 80 or 81 Fiesta if I remember right. Not all but
most. I made this change on the 65 Spit when I went from pos earth
generator to neg earth Alternator. Works fine. More reliable than
Lucas with more amps output. Cost me about 10 bucks.
Good luck.
Brian N
65 Spit
79 Spit
63 Consul Capri
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