Grinding noise
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Road Master
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Grinding noise
I posted this thread in the flathead coulmn by mistake, but my '62 Pan has developed a grinding noise after the ignition switch is turned off. It sounds like a ratchet going backwards and will go on for quite some time. If I kick the kickstart, it stops.
Any ideas?
Thanks in advance for any help.
Any ideas?
Thanks in advance for any help.
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Joined: Mar 2009
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From: Niles Canyon Ca.
Need a little more info , is the motor still running ? What side of the bike the noise sound like it's coming from , primary , kicker cover or the gear case & generator ? If the motors stopped and you hear it I'd say somethings loose in the primary other wise ratchet gear in the kicker cover maybe .
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Road Master
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You guys will think I'm nuts, but I swear that noise is coming from the generator. I've got the fan cooled type. I know that the generator has a clutch and gear on the end of the shaft. WTF. How could that be spinning after the ignition is shut off?
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Road Master
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I have no idea why the kickstarter would stop the noise but I've eliminated that as a cause. I took the small cover off of the generator and the armature is definitely spinning when I turn off the ignition. I think the sound I'm hearing is the clutch on the end of the armature shaft.
Could it be an electrical problem? The generator and regulator are both working properly i.e. the battery is charged and the generator light goes out after the bike starts.
Could it be an electrical problem? The generator and regulator are both working properly i.e. the battery is charged and the generator light goes out after the bike starts.
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From: Honah Lee
Not sure how the drive is on this but if it's a one way clutch and the regulator is is in the generators of old will run just like an electric motor. Had one do it on an old 62 car when I through a belt. The ignition was not on and when I popped the hood it was spinning away. I assumed it need a kick to get it started so you may have a slight short in it. Generators need some voltage to excite them an of course when you drive it it charges back through battery when voltage gets above the normal battery voltage. However in a free state the battery will flow back through it. You probably have a slight voltage regulator problem allowing this. There is a cutout reverse current relay in the regulator that is not functioning correctly. Sorry can not help you further since I do not have manual. Getting my info from a 1947 Motor Auto Repair Manual
Last edited by Jackie Paper; Apr 10, 2011 at 07:34 PM.
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From: Honah Lee
That would be my guess but its a pretty simple system and if you had a electrical manual you should be able to isolate the (I think) 3 wires going to the regulator. One should be going to the ignition switch. This one should shut off with the ignition key off. The other two go to the battery. With the generator running as described in you FP above and you cut the ignition switch wire and it does not go off you know its not the ignition switch and hopefully not a short through the generator itself. That leaves the other two wire to the battery which the cut relay inside the regulator should cut that circuit. My guess is it's the regulator. Does it have a removable cover that you can actually remove and see the relays and contacts. Should be 3 of them in there? My guess what fixes it when you kick it the one way clutch stops it and the voltage reset the relay on/off to off as it should be in a non running motor condition. The relay contacts may be burnt and sticking. From what I read it appears that voltage control in this old system is determined by temperature through a resistance coil inside the relay. Pretty crude but it works. Be sure to let me know what you find out and how you fix it.
Last edited by Jackie Paper; Apr 10, 2011 at 08:35 PM.
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Thanks for you help GRF000. Later today when I've got some time, I'll take the cover off the regulator and check the contacts and clean if necessary. I'll also check the ignition switch as I'm a little suspect of it given the age (it's original) The regulator was replaced maybe 3 years ago. Is it possible for some current to leak across the ignition switch if its faulty, causing current to go to the generator and cause it to spin? I know that's a lot of ifs but I'm curious.