I finally have my car out and it runs great. I have a question on the gauges i installed all new gauges and wiring in the car when I restored it. I drove it 60 miles round trip and had no problems but Was wondering why the gauges { temp, amp} do not seem to move or work? where should the needles point at{ maybe Im just worrying for nothing I am going to work on them some time soon but wanted to ask first as the best way to test these in the car. I think I can disconnect the battery and if the car still runs then the generator is putting out ? but not sure if this is right ;

DO NOT DISCONNECT THE BATTERY AND RUN THE CAR ON THE GENERATOR!

To test the generator, refer to the electrical section in your shop manual and it will give details on how to test the generator.

The ammeter should show a discharge when the ignition is off and the lights are on. It should show a charge when you are driving the car.

The temp. gauge is a capillary tube type and it should slowly register as the engine temperature rises.

thanks i will check the book I did not disconnect the battery as the person that told me to do this I figured was not sure. It s funny that the gauges are new and even the temp one does not register getting hot.. The radiator is a new re core from the local radiator shop they told me it would not over heat with the new core they installed. im going to get the book out and go over these. I had to do this with the Vacuum shift and after several readings I figured the linkage adjustments and it works great now. thanks again for the help

If you are running an original temperature gauge it is not eletric. If its not working the gas in the bulb and little tube has escaped. In other words its N.G.
If the ammeter is not working it hooked up incorrectly. If the ammeter was bad no current would pass beyond it and nothing eletrical would work.

well I **checked each one and the amp gauge seems to be working now. not sure if I was just worried or as per another post I did replace the brushes in the gen and maybe there seated now ? on the temp gauge I would have to guess the alcohol in the tube has to be gone as everything looks good and its tight in the well so I will do something about it this winter as Im just enjoying the car and do not want to tie it up during the nice weather.

When you replaced the brushes in the generator did you re-polarize the generator before starting the car?

I think so but that was two years ago when I did this so Im not sure. I do remember when I installed the new wiring harness I did the regulator as I followed the service manual. is there a way to test this to see if it was polarized

You can re-polarize the generator and then you will know for sure that it is polarized correctly.

thanks again.

Is the gen. ID plate riveted traditionally,i.e.the rivet is flatened inside and out,or is the rivet pressed in from the outside of the body?

The rivets are driven into a blind hole on the outside of the generator housing.

Any way of finding out the model and serial#s

there are drive in rivets specific for this application, installed from the outside. See the Filling Station FS-152

None of my amp guages ( on 3 cars) show a discharge with the the switch off ! Did I miss something ? Maybe with the switch on and the engine not running would show a discharge! Thanks.

Turn on the headlights and see if you get a deflection.