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pfrederi

What to use to clean an S/G

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pfrederi

Trying to fix up a S/G.  I have the DelcoRemy service manual and it is pretty clear to not use de-greasing agents on the field coils/armature.  There is a lot of crud in it some old grease but mostly the black powder I guess from the brushes.  I am guessing that being electric and have an insulator on each coil that looks a bit like paper water based stuff isn't good either....

 

Suggestions???

 

 

sg.JPG

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Pullstart

@WHX?? @Achto?  I have aerosol cans of electrics cleaner.  I’m not sure what the difference between that and brake clean is…

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953 nut

I've used a tooth brush and mineral spirits, worked OK.

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WHX??

Ahhh a job I do not relish and unfortunately the bulk of my tractors have SGs.

I start out by giving both parts an extensive meeting with a blow gun. Outside if possible the black is gonna fly. The outside I will just wipe down good with parts cleaner.

The armature usually cleans up with the blow gun. But if either piece needs more just use a can of off the shelf brake cleaner with the straw. Follow with the blow gun and repeat as required. Plan to go through a whole can if really dirty.

Bearings come out and get replaced no matter how they sound. End bells go in the parts cleaner.  

Re-clean the armature if shining up comutators or under cutting mica. 

I wear disposable exam gloves when handling parts. The carbon residue does not come off for a long time. 

Edited by WHX??
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WHX??
2 hours ago, Pullstart said:

@WHX?? @Achto?  I have aerosol cans of electrics cleaner.  I’m not sure what the difference between that and brake clean is…

Not much both products are pretty much refrigerants with a high boiling point. They dry quickly and leave no residues.  

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ri702bill
26 minutes ago, WHX?? said:

Re-clean the armature if shining up comutators or under cutting mica. 

Undercutting is essential to leave a separation between the commutators so they do not get bridged and short out from the expelled carbon off the brushes. (having flashbacks of Automotive Trade Shop School 1972-73.....)

Edited by ri702bill
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WHX??

:text-yeahthat:

20200512_164646.jpg

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ri702bill

@WHX?? - Excellent. We used to do ours in a pair of wooden Vee blocks to make rotating the armature easier..... I still do!

 

Edited by ri702bill
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WHX??

Absolutely Bill the,  key is to get the nice top of the "H" groove not a V.

A dremel  on low speed with the right thin cut off wheel works really good if you have a steady hand. Old timers used the hack saw blade with good results.  Some pro shops had cutters for doing just this but most went way of the Dinosaurs. 

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ri702bill
9 hours ago, WHX?? said:

but most went way of the Dinosaurs

Yup - along with buggy whips, distributor machines, spark plug sandblasters, and drum brake shoe re-arcing machines.

I still do have a half gone tube of breaker point cam / rubbing block grease - I use just a film on the tip of the pusher pin when installing new Kohler points....

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lynnmor
3 hours ago, ri702bill said:

 

I still do have a half gone tube of breaker point cam / rubbing block grease - I use just a film on the tip of the pusher pin when installing new Kohler points....

My tube of Lubricam may not outlast me so I had to look it up and it is still available.  I might buy a tube the next time I order from a place that handles it.  Apparently there is enough demand for it to service vintage cars and hot rods

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