520H Onan P 220 G 1996

[Gadget 37]

I have discovered some aftermarket parts that seem to be out of place and or incorrectly installed. The manuals I am able to find don''t really help me out to much or at least I have not been able to understand them well enough to diagnose my potential problem.

The engine runs well, it seems to charge correctly but I am wondering if I should correct the poor work that was done by the PO.

Also the coil (not shown) is nothing like the pictures I have seen in the parts catalog. Its more of a cylindrical coil like you see in an automotive application. It is just sort of floating around in the space where the factory coil SHOULD be.

As far as the grey wire that goes to the tach (did a continuity test) I tried jumping between the contacts of what I think is the regulator and the tach wire and just got sparks (I tried both black wire contacts) so I am wondering if  all this aftermarket stuff means that I have no way to get a signal to the tack and if thats the case what other problems might this cause.

If you could send a picture of the correct set up, and any warnings I would appreciate it.

[sorekiwi 761]

The box with the terminals in your first pic is the original voltage regulator.  The one in the second pic is a replacement.  Perhaps it wont fit in the same place as the OEM one?

 

As a side note, the tach does take its signal from the regulator.

[doc724 924]

The second regulator is installed upside down.  The PO probably could not figure out how to get the original one out (it slides a bit then lifts out).  Take the original one out, put the aftermarket one in.  The grey wire (broken terminal on the original) will connect up to the aftermarket one you reposition it.

[Phatboy 565]

6 hours ago, Gadget said:

I have discovered some aftermarket parts that seem to be out of place and or incorrectly installed. The manuals I am able to find don''t really help me out to much or at least I have not been able to understand them well enough to diagnose my potential problem.

The engine runs well, it seems to charge correctly but I am wondering if I should correct the poor work that was done by the PO.

Also the coil (not shown) is nothing like the pictures I have seen in the parts catalog. Its more of a cylindrical coil like you see in an automotive application. It is just sort of floating around in the space where the factory coil SHOULD be.

As far as the grey wire that goes to the tach (did a continuity test) I tried jumping between the contacts of what I think is the regulator and the tach wire and just got sparks (I tried both black wire contacts) so I am wondering if  all this aftermarket stuff means that I have no way to get a signal to the tack and if thats the case what other problems might this cause.

If you could send a picture of the correct set up, and any warnings I would appreciate it.

The regulator/ rectifier goes where you are pointing in the first picture... Just take out the one thats in there not plugged in and put the one in bottom picture in its place,,

[Gadget 37]

Thanks,

The aftermarket regulator is a slightly different size that the factory one so it will not fit in the opening, so I guess for now anyway, I will leave well enough alone but at least now I know what it is, and where it goes. After reading the replies, I tested the tach again and, like doc74 said, the grey wire is simply disconnected. Easy fix! I guess when I was playing around with my test leads last week, just trying to jump the tach wire to the reg, I must have accidentally grounded it against the sheet metal, causing s spark (short) so I quit right there. Armed with new confidence, I made the correct connection and the tach came to like. Now I have tach and voltage gauges working. The vac gauge line seems intact but that's my next endeavor. 

I am a little careful when I get into things I am not sure of. I only like to "fix" one thing at a time. That way, I can isolate what I have changed in case the "fix" didn't go so well.

Edited April 9, 2016 by Gadget
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