Beemon

If the generator isn't grounding out the switch, then its most likely not charging very well or over charging. Reset the field polarity with a jumper wire between the battery terminal and the armature terminal on the voltage regulator. If the problem doesn't fix itself, then you might need to look into a new generator. Before you write it off, though, make sure the armature terminal itself is grounded when off and open when on. Sometimes the green wire can pull out of the connector. If you're set on going with one car, I would pick the one with the Dynaflow. Hopefully it doesn't come to that, though! Keep at it Matt, don't give up!

Who made them for you?

This is why I've kept my car mostly stock, but it is trying at times... especially for a daily driver lol. Good luck with the carburetor, let us know what happens!

A new set of ring and pinion gears for a Buick? I think everyone would be grateful if you found them.

Did you take the switch on the carb apart yet?

Never had an issue with electric chokes. I understand everyone is privy to different circumstances and Jon is the carb king. However, a choke stove coil will stay open just like an electric coil after the engine is hot. When you turn the car off, both of them will be cooled the same due to ambient engine bay heat. I'm not sure the circumstances but seems a bit weird to me. The only difference would be how fast they heat up, where one is based purely on the exhaust manifold heat and will heat up with the car versus the other that heats up the same every time due to electrical heat. I have had issues with putting an electrical choke on a WCFB and having the vacuum piston leg bind on the backside of the choke, leaving it open. It's possibly the same issue. As always, though, I defer to Jon's wisdom. I just will always feign ignorance and use electric because I have never gotten a choke stove coil to work properly in 20 degree weather.

2 is always better than one ?

Let me just pull another $1600 from my pocket book... lol The batwing is my absolute first pick. They're just super pricey. Speaking of, have you mocked yours up Greg? Interested to see how the play with the valve covers.

I know there are obvious case differences the closer you get to 64. I believe it's the Buick and Cadillac generators that use the heavy cases, with the Cadillac having the ducted shroud? Anyways, the info is dead info on the web so I thought I'd ask. Thanks for all the information!

Jon, I learned my lesson not once but three times. I am currently running a late nailhead distributor with an Accel dual point conversion breaker plate. My ignition is bullet proof right now and I don't planon going back to electric conversion any time soon.

Jon, on flat ground from dead stop, if I give more than quarter throttle abruptly it will die. It has always done this. I replaced it originally with a WCFB I rebuilt, but the throttle shafts on it were so worn I could never get the idle set properly so I put this 4GC back on. The cast iron body and the shaft aren't even worn at all. Phenomenal carb other than the off idle bog. I rebuilt it with your kit so the accelerator pump is new, and working. If I set the carb super rich it almost goes away but then i'm wasting gas. And yes I know, open idle circuits .002. Don't have the tools or steady hands to attempt it. I'm sure this was a superb carb 60 years ago, but it isn't anymore.

Don't throw the old one away!

The regulators from NAPA have screw on covers. That's how I adjusted it like in the book. It was $120 but so far has been bullet proof. I was just curious because when I talked to the man, he assured me that all delco generators used the same field coils and armature from when 12V generators first came out to the advent of the alternator. So what constitutes a bigger generator?

So I was informed by an electrical shop that it's the voltage regulator, and not the internals of the generator, that determines what the amperage of the charging system is. Is this true? This is the same shop that rebuilt my old starter that blew up, admittedly I got desperate for a new armature for the generator before buying a rebuilt Chevy one online that so happened to have the correct sized pulley. If it is true, why don't people just buy the 35 amp voltage regulator vs the 30 amp? The 35 amp voltage regulator is $65 cheaper than the 30 amp voltage regulator.

Yesterday I got fan mail. Someone (presumebly femaile because their I's and J's were dotted with hearts) left a note under the windshield wiper. Naturally, I thought I had been ticketed so it was a not so welcome but also welcome surprise. It said the car was gorgeous and wrote have a great day, sending smiles. Made me feel pretty good about myself. Before no one had given a care to the car, now that its painted its worth something to other people. A phone number would have been nice, too, but alas no such luck. Yesterday was also the day of the school's big car show they host in the basketball coliseum. I don't know why, but the washer jar is always the talking point. I guess these kids have never seen the washer reservoir on the fender/firewall? Even growing up in the early 90s and "helping" my dad work on the family vehicles, the washer reservoir was always there. Now its hidden away from view, somewhere in the fender. Maybe because its glass? The other picture of the engine bay I guess was to show off the valve cover? (I didn't snap these photos) And then I got the old/worn treatment, too. Overall, though, it was a pretty interesting show. Definitely not worth the $45 to enter and then have to sit around for 6 hours without escape.I really want to paint the hood latch and radiator support, since they do stick out like a sore thumb. I probably should have painted my exhaust manifolds, too, but I was short on time. Regardless, my car is definitely a driver and I plan to keep it that way. About the 4GC, I hate it. I wish I had brought the WCFB to tinker with like I had last year. I'm planning on driving home soon to get it, it is that bad. Yes, the 4GC is the best running carburetor I have, but when I say "look what I can do" and kill the engine with the accelerator pedal on purpose, it just goes to show how bad this carb is. I'm hoping to go with my dual quad intake, but then what would I do for an air cleaner? Speaking of air cleaners, I think its time to purge the oil. The fires are hopefully over (can see the moon at night as white and not orange).

Did Buick Gardens hook you up with a Ansen shifter or did the well dry out?

I'm sure you've posted this before, but care to elaborate? Maybe a 55-56 322 with the sturdier 3 speed?

Don't forget to take a video of first fire up!

He's not, he said he's using the primary wire on the ballast resistor, the 12V one. You still need the ballast resistor if using the stock coil. However, the module is said to need 12V so don't get the two mixed up.

On the subject of daily driver, throw the heated choke to the side and go electric. Some people complain about them, but I have had zero issue with electric chokes and being in the PNW, I am subjected to every single type of weather possible except for hurricanes and tornadoes of course. I drive my car every month of the year except for when there's 6 inches of snow on the ground. Anything that has been sitting on the shelf for years must always be rebuilt, regardless of what it is, in my opinion. Gaskets have shelf life, too. It's like installing a 20 year old mechanical fuel pump and getting mad it has stopped working after 3 months because the diaphragm ripped.

Oh, yeah sorry had to re check the wiring diagram. Its still early for me

The carburetor switch is pretty bulletproof, but is occasionally susceptible to dirt bypassing the filter. Its the easier of the two to check, just put a test light on the ground side and see if the light turns on when the pedal is depressed. Same can be done with the starter relay. Also double check the ballast resistor, too. If it's original, it could be toast.

Always enjoy a femme fatale.

Probably karma for thinking the south is going to rise again

Back in 2010, after my grandmother died and I pulled the wheel bearings and backing plates off my Buick so they couldn't haul it off to the scrapper, my mother started emailing me at least two articles a day explaining that a restored vehicle isn't ever going to be worth even half of what you spend to make it right. Of course this is also by a per-car per-vintage per-buyer perspective and a needy buyer will pay any price if they really want something, but this article pretty much sums it up. It's not a return investment unless you have a 56 Corvette matching numbers with a dual quad intake. Now if only junkyards read articles like this. Can't believe someone tried to sell me 322 heads for $500 each as is from the desert, because 56 is one year only and "rare".