The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area The Electrical Bay Generator end plate material?

Does anyone know what the Delco Remy generator end plates are made of? Can it be welded?

I broke the rear plate on my while trying to install it. It never felt like I was putting much pressure on it, but it snapped off right by the case.

1958 Chevy generator

hi ApacheFiend,
if it's the part i'm thinking of i would suspect it is a cast part,
does the broken surface look like tiny tiny crystals?

if it was me... and i'm no expert, i would decide like so
i would determine how much strength it needs where the fix is going
if it is light duty i would consider braising it then i don't destroy the part if it needs welding in the future if the braising can't hold up.
(but all the braising would need to be removed for future welding)
i've seen the whole cylinder head of a hit-and-miss engine braised together from the two former halves and it worked for years, if braising has enough surface it can be reasonably strong.

if i had to weld it, i would reach for a 1/16 or 3/32 nickel rod unless i knew for sure some cheaper rod could work.

put a lot of heat sinking metal behind you weld spot, consider preheating the part first to minimize warping, clamp the flat faces of the parts to flat things to keep it all square / parallel, don't unclamp it till it's cool.

how about going to your favorite wrecking yard and getting a replacement?
-s

The end plates are cast aluminum, and a pretty crappy alloy at that. Yes, they can be welded- - - -find somebody who is an artiste with a TIG welding machine, and pay him about three times what you'd spend on a "rebuildable core" generator on Ebay. The job won't be easy, and anyone capable of doing it right should be charging premium prices for his work.
Jerry

2ManyTrucks-

Yes, it looks like tiny tiny crystals. I put a magnet to it and there was nothing, so it's not ferrous. So welding looks out of the question for my skill set. As far as favorite wrecking yard, not many around the Dallas area with vehicles out vintage that don't charge their weight in gold! Thanks for the reply!

HRL-

Aluminum? seems like it. I stuck a magnet to it and nothing! I already have a line on a core for alot let than the latter of what you posted. It's gonna be this or convert to a Alt. Thanks for the reply!

Apache -- If you'd like, email me a picture of the piece (on a ruler or tape) and I'll check this small stack of generators here. Maybe I can find that part and send it to you. I'm getting ready to send these "rebuildable cores" to the recycler, anyway.

oh i had not considered aluminum
mine are all iron based generator parts, but they are all Canadian models and these bits likely were sourced from a manufacture up here.
see photo, ignore that big ugly capacitor on there, that my way to reduce radio noise
-s

I bought an end plate off of ebay. Thank you all for the help, leads, and offers! Hopefully I can be on the road again soon!

Oh well. I had pulled this off last night for you. Is it the one you needed? Curious as to what you paid for the ebay one .... ??

If anyone else wants it, let me know. Free to whoever needs it.

JM

John, if you're willing to box up that stash of generators, I'll cover shipping to give them a new home in Tennessee.
Jerry

Jerry, Let's move our discussion to PMs before Rusty Rod bee otch slaps both of us ...

I try not to tell the Boss what to do.

John-

It does look liked the right one, but just to the right of the center bearing looks alittle different. I would still take a generator from you to keep as a spare. Let me know.