Re: {Chrysler 300} Generator smoking, alternator conversion?

Totally agree with Don.

While I no longer have my 55 or 57 generator equipped 300's, I still have alternator equipped G and Hurst cars. The batteries are only connected when the cars are in use. While I love driving the cars, having more than one (also have a 2006 Magnum SRT-8 for use in some cruise nights that cater to newer toys) means often times hours turn into days, and days can turn into a week or more in between drives on one or the other of the 300's. I even disconnect the batteries while parked at the car show or cruise night, especially if trunk lid or hood are propped open for display purposes.

My sister and brother-in-law had two of their previous camper/RV vehicles go up in smoke, burned to the ground, while just sitting still a few days after returning from trips. Better safe than sorry.

True confessions from a cheapskate- At an earlier stage in life when I had too many 57-74 Chrysler powered vehicles using Group 27 batteries, I made the decision to only have two batteries, since I could only drive one car at a time. Why have 6 or 7 batteries to maintain/replace in the fleet? That one battery that got moved from car to car lasted over 8 years, maybe partly because it wasn't just sitting doing nothing for prolonged periods?

On Sat, Jul 5, 2025 at 3:25 PM don petty <donlpetty2@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:

Always disconnect battery when parked. Lost too many 300 s this way

On Sat, Jul 5, 2025, 1:21 PM Dyke Ridgley <ridgleyracing65@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
Joh Grady has done a great job in explaining what has happened. I had the same thing happen to me on another car about four weeks ago. Luckily, I was in the car, turned the engine off and saw the Amp gauge peg on discharge. I ran around the car and turned off the battery switch, so no damage. A new regulator and was good to go.

I would also vote for staying with the original style generator. You may very well find a good electrical rebuilder who can source an new armature, if needed, or have the old one rewound.

Dyke Ridgley

On Saturday, July 5, 2025 at 3:12:38 PM UTC-5 jkg wrote:
hi Mike most likely your voltage regulator reverse current relay failed to open which disconnects the generator from the battery when you stop the engine .

Otherwise , battery current will run into the generator and try to drive it as a motor . As it is held by the fan belt , cannot turn it will burn up .
.So likely nothing was wrong with your generator but it is burned up ( likely armature ) now .
Has anybody been inside your regulator lately ? Normally that function is very reliable . This usually happens if someone presses down on one of the relays , the reverse current one, it locks in if you do . Only way to release it , if it happens is disconnect battery . Of course it is possible the relay spring fell off / broke or the fine wire coil corroded open . There are two windings on the reverse current , or “cut out “ relay one for voltage ( fine wire) one for current ( heavy wire ) —- when the current reverses in heavy wire ( = discharge at engine stop ) it fights the voltage coil magnetism and it pops open ; when you start the car it is open still , but gen volts quickly build up , pull it closed , charge current adds to volts magnetism pulls it even more closed . Until you stop .
So Get new VR , dont just replace gen , as a new one will burn up too . Check harness wires for melt too . You are lucky you went out …
Can lead to harness destruction

Ammeter tells you all this .

I would get a used gen , keep F stock, Murray Park etc , just get new brushes , you are good to go Many if not most 35 A dodge Plymouth chrysler 57 60 non AC have same parts inside , watch number of grooves , — of course best to get one the same , they can be clocked differently for F mount , send him a picture
hope this helps ,
John

On Jul 5, 2025, at 3:43 PM, michael johnson <mikel...@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:

I returned from a cars and coffee event this morning, parked my 300F in my garage, and it was running fine. About 30 minutes later I went back to the garage to get something I left in the car, and the garage was full of a whitish gray smoke. I opened the hood of the F and the generator was smoking heavily. I checked the battery and it was at 10 volts and would not start the car, I put a battery pack on and the car started but the amp gauge pegged discharge, so I shut it off an disconnected the battery.
I am assuming the generator shorted out and is probably toast. I am thinking about getting a new generator but then am wondering if converting to an alternator system might be better. Has anyone done this and how difficult is it? Thanks for any ideas.
Mike

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