Harry,
I know that you are partial to the 1x8-9 series. Believe me, I meant no disrespect when I mentioned in my previous post that I thought the Starter-Generator/Mechanical Voltage Regular system is complicated and problematic. I stand by that statement. This statement is not without foundation. Please allow me to explain.
For fifty years, my late father was a General Motors mechanic. Being an auto mechanic wasn't his only trade. He was a teacher, a craftsman, a student of the profession, mentor to many, and had the professional respect of all who knew him. He had relationships with many engineers and service representatives at General Motors and was an adviser to the area training center for many years.
Dad often stated that the best product that Delco-Remy ever produced was the Delcotron alternator. As a kid, I remember hanging around the shop and taking apart and cleaning many a generator for overhaul. He would quip that as long as there were generators, there would be work to do to overhaul them. These generator/regulator charging systems were the best that was available in vehicles up to the early 60's, but they weren't without their problems. I took apart many, and later, even got the chance to assemble a few, but never once did I do what was necessary to properly fix them. Anyone with average mechanical skill can take apart a generator and install a brush kit, new end bushing, bearing and stud kit. It took a craftsman to fix the problem from happening again. Dad would chuck the armature into a lathe and gently true the commutator on the armature. This step was the key to fixing them so that they would last. I never got the chance to do this step, because Dad always said that one could wreck as many generators as could be fixed in this step. I simply didn't know what I was doing. I still don't; nor do I have the lathe.
As for regulators, I made many, many trips to the parts store on my bike to pick up a 'rebuilt' regulator for a charging system being repaired. Replacing a regulator went beyond unscrewing three wires and several screws holding the device to the firewall. The regular had to be matched to the generator output, adjusted to charge and not charge at various RPMs and then some systems had to be 'excited' so that no damage was created very soon after repairs were made. I never learned how to do this, nor did I learn which systems needed to be excited and which ones didn't. Regulators are sensitive to heat, humidity and vibration. These systems worked every second that an engine ran, regardless if where that engine is mounted.
Alternators, Stators, electronic voltage regulators and direct starters eliminated a lot of this kind of detailed repairs. These improvements simplified wiring, were more dependable and longer lasting.
Starter/Generators, and their related Voltage Regulators were used on Cub Cadets and their Kohler engines well into the alternator era. It seems to me that either IH or Kohler desperately tried to hold on to old technology well after its time. Kohler could have gone to the AQS engine well before they did. The technology for direct start/alternator changing was readily available. Was this an IH thing, or a Kohler thing? I don't know. What has been written is that change was difficult for International Harvester.
Brian Wittman