149 voltage regulator nightmare

[mgonitzke]

An alternator would not use any more HP than a generator to charge the battery. Might actually use less. As for starting you will have to figure out some other way to start the engine because an alternator will not work as a starter. You might be able (by rewiring) to use the S/G to start and by mounting the alternator on the other side of the engine and having the belt go around three pulleys. Probably have a hard time dealing with belt slippage.

Or...just fix the problem? OP has his regulator wired wrong, and may have some previous owner mods to correct. All these silly kludges and workarounds are more work than just fixing what is there, and not necessary. The original starting and charging system works just fine. Parts may need to be replaced every few decades though.

 

[kmcconaughey]

Here's shot at it. IH used Delco Remy in almost all their equipment so the regulator and M/G from all the descriptions so far seem to point at them being Delco. The "L" terminal was for loads so as to not affect the regulator's bobbin action in controlling volts/amps for charging. As the tractor electrical loads are through the ammeter that is in series with the charging circuit the "L" can't be used without some re-wiring so the advice to ignore it is good, just an un-needed option for us. Follow Roland's instructions and the schematic linked.

Here's a link on the MG and regulator I hope can shed some light on why things need hooked up the way they are. The bulletin also has references to how and why the regulators work they way they do.

Study Fig. 3 in the bulletin

:: Panhead and Flathead site ::

There's a lot of good info there, thanks for the link.

 

[Neil Mullins]

My 106 would start & run but would not charge. After changing a reg. Still no charge. All the power required was starter & ignition. Manual PTO clutch & lift. For 3 years or maybe longer I simply put a battery tender on it.
When I finally got around to fixing it, found it needed an entire new wiring harness. Not uncommon for older Cubs especially fabric wound harnesses.
In my case when the insulation around the individual wires literally fell off when exposed. The copper wire was also green & also fell apart.

 

[Todd Wolf]

I have the same issue with my 74 149. Hook up battery cable, turns the starter/gen over. I replaced ignition switch, no luck, tried a new solenoid, no luck. Ordered a new reg, should come today, see if thats it. Dont know what terminals it will have, said compatible with this model though....

 

[chiggerfarmer]

Here's shot at it. IH used Delco Remy in almost all their equipment so the regulator and M/G from all the descriptions so far seem to point at them being Delco. The "L" terminal was for loads so as to not affect the regulator's bobbin action in controlling volts/amps for charging. As the tractor electrical loads are through the ammeter that is in series with the charging circuit the "L" can't be used without some re-wiring so the advice to ignore it is good, just an un-needed option for us. Follow Roland's instructions and the schematic linked.

Here's a link on the MG and regulator I hope can shed some light on why things need hooked up the way they are. The bulletin also has references to how and why the regulators work they way they do.

Study Fig. 3 in the bulletin

:: Panhead and Flathead site ::

That bulletin is great information, thank you Sir!

 

[Greg Riutzel]

I'm glad the link is helping. As a shop teacher repeated to us over and over, "foreknowledge is fore armed" or another "if you ain't measur'in, yore just guess'in".

Of all my IH stuff, trucks to tractor and the little Cub, only the trucks had any in depth electrical troubleshooting. When it came to tractors and the Cub, nothing more than a layout and schematic with basic values. It seems the Tractor Division held troubleshooting for the Dealer shop.

 

[RAllison]

Joel,post the serial number off the rear end.

 

[jdrong]

Or...just fix the problem? OP has his regulator wired wrong, and may have some previous owner mods to correct. All these silly kludges and workarounds are more work than just fixing what is there, and not necessary. The original starting and charging system works just fine. Parts may need to be replaced every few decades though.

I couldn't agree more! I've had various models of Cub Cadets since the late 70's. Unless the V/R is obviously burnt somewhere, the fix has always been to the draw a quick diagram of the wiring or take a picture. Remove the V/R, take off the cover, look for hot, burnt spots, if there are none, carefully clean the inside with compressed air, and lightly clean the contact points with fine sandpaper. This method has worked probably more times than I can remember. If the V/R has to be replaced, the terminals may be different and careful attention to this is needed. Hooking wires to the wrong terminals may have already ruined a possibly fragile Chinese V/R. This my actual hands-on experience with V/R's in the past, not what I copied from someone else's other posts

 

[Kevin Hendress]

OK , since I have a few days off now, just got my voltage amp meter to put in my 149, seen on a wiring diagram that there is +/- sides to this, so if I am correct, looking at face there is charge and discharge ,,, on back side charge is positive and discharge is negative??

 

[Kevin Hendress]

It has been a while BUT I have been successful in getting this running again, changed switch, amp gauge, took advice for this forum, finally purchased another voltage regulator that matched the one I took off and it works as it should. Bought a total of 4 regulators, returned 2 ate one.

I do have a question, I have a narrow snowblower that has an oil bath gear box, will this work on a rear mount tiller?

 

[dschwandt]

Doubt it as the gear ratios are different.

 

[hydroharry]

Kevin - some of the right angle gear boxes are 4 tab mount and some are 3 tab. If the one on the snow thrower is a 4 tab and your tiller is a 4 tab then it will mount on the tiller bracket. Or if both are 3 tab then you can mount it. If one is 3 tab and the other is 4 then it won't directly mount.

Also, as Dave noted above, the gear ratios are different between the throwers and tillers. The tiller uses a 3:2 gear ratio and the throwers had a 2:1 ratio. And I believe the length of the output shafts may be different.

 

[deverett]

I DO NOT know how the subject got changed,BUT I just wanted to restate something I learned the hard way. After checking and finding at least 5 regulators I had laying around from my 108 to 149 tractors with my FLUKE digital meter I discovered that digital meters are to sensitive. The regulators must be tested with an Analog Meter. You might be confusing a faulty AMP meter or wiring problem and condemning a good v/r.

 

[Allenpatterson]

I DO NOT know how the subject got changed,BUT I just wanted to restate something I learned the hard way. After checking and finding at least 5 regulators I had laying around from my 108 to 149 tractors with my FLUKE digital meter I discovered that digital meters are to sensitive. The regulators must be tested with an Analog Meter. You might be confusing a faulty AMP meter or wiring problem and condemning a good v/r.

I made that exact same mistake.

 

[Kevin Hendress]

the first one was bad