Go Back   The Ford Barn > General Discussion > Early V8 (1932-53)

Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements)

Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
Old 11-08-2019, 09:12 PM   #1
Eagle43
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Nov 2018
Location: Edmonton, AB
Posts: 167
Default 8BA Startup

I fired up my 8BA today. This is probably the first time this motor has run for many years. This is the one I was working on last winter. I put in new rings, con rod bearings, some new valves, new valve springs and honed the cylinders. You may recall I also repaired two cracks with Irontite plugs and received a lot of input from this forum. Once I located my very ancient timing light and got it to work, the motor fired right up once I got the timing mark on the pulley lined up with the pointer. I only ran it a few minutes because I still need to connect the radiator but I wanted to hear some thunder.

I do have a question. The motor is just sitting on a cart made out of a shopping cart which came with the motor when I bought it and is not connected to anything. Somewhere I seem to recall that one should not run the generator without having it connected to something even if it's only grounded. Is this true? I see three connections on the generator which I believe should be Field, Ground, and Battery but I'm not sure which is which. Any advice would be appreciated. I don't know if the generator is any good but I'd hate to wreck it.
Eagle43 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-09-2019, 05:07 AM   #2
flatford8
Senior Member
 
flatford8's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Lyman,ME.
Posts: 2,612
Default Re: 8BA Startup

I believe this was posted by JSEERY.....
Attached Images
File Type: jpg 724EC089-FE3A-4C20-9600-081F8966E61D.jpg (16.9 KB, 49 views)
__________________
I'm thinkin' about crankin'
My ragged ol' truck up
and haulin' myself into town.
Billy Joe Shaver
flatford8 is offline   Reply With Quote
Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements)
Old 11-09-2019, 06:58 AM   #3
chap52
Senior Member
 
chap52's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2013
Location: Marana Arizona
Posts: 1,771
Default Re: 8BA Startup

Ain't it SWEET! Chap
chap52 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-09-2019, 08:08 AM   #4
flatheadmurre
Senior Member
 
flatheadmurre's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2015
Location: Sweden
Posts: 3,045
Default Re: 8BA Startup

Generators donīt care about running unloaded..alternators is the ones that have a bad habbit of frying the solidstate parts in them.
flatheadmurre is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-09-2019, 08:34 AM   #5
Kurt in NJ
Senior Member
 
Kurt in NJ's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2010
Location: on the Littlefield
Posts: 6,140
Default Re: 8BA Startup

3 brush generator needs a battery to control voltage, without a battery the voltage can go over 45 volts and it will fry, the smoke will come out of the windings This is because the third brush powers up the fields. They say these generator need output grounded, a 2 brush generator needs the fields externally excited there's not enough magnetic field for it to fry itself

Running the engine without coolant is a good way to start cracking
Kurt in NJ is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-09-2019, 10:50 AM   #6
flatheadmurre
Senior Member
 
flatheadmurre's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2015
Location: Sweden
Posts: 3,045
Default Re: 8BA Startup

Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements)
Even a 3-brush generator wonīt manage to kill itself testfiring an engine for a short time...
The windings have to heat up enough to damage the insulation before bad things start to happen.
Grounding the output would be like a short making the generator put out all it has and heat up...a load like a large bulb or a battery may be a better choice.
flatheadmurre is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-09-2019, 11:59 AM   #7
Eagle43
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Nov 2018
Location: Edmonton, AB
Posts: 167
Default Re: 8BA Startup

Thanks everyone. I think I'm good to go.
Eagle43 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-09-2019, 01:22 PM   #8
19Fordy
Senior Member
 
19Fordy's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Coral Springs FL
Posts: 10,872
Default Re: 8BA Startup

Not good to keep running an engine not under load like on an engine stand.
This has been discussed on Fordbarn.
19Fordy is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump

Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements)


All times are GMT -5. The time now is 09:51 AM.