6V Dynamator - first hand experiences...

[Ruairidh Dunford]

Thank you Russell and Dave.

Please spread the word as there are many who are not on the Forum who may need to know this information.

[JonE]

The obvious thing is to post it on the Austin Seven facebook group with 1800 odd followers, but that needs to be done very, very sensitively... perhaps just advocating help and assistance via the Friends forum etc.?

[Ruairidh Dunford]

Latest update.

A new dynamo distributor drive gear arrived today from Tony Betts - I have fitted it to my second Dynamator unit and the difference is quite dramatic. There is very little noise, even when listened to through a stethoscope - both ends of the unit sounds quiet and happy.

I know Roly is still waiting for his new gear to arrive but I am hopeful that the outcome will be the same.

There is some long driving coming up for me fairly soon so I should be able to test this set up properly. I have also now sent a set each of the original Accuspark gears to two Forum users, who will report back anything they find from it.

[Nigel was in Brittany]

The silence from Accuspark about this is deafening.

[James Anderson]

As I said before, this topic requires a special heading or maybe new section on the forum titled 'established faults with new (or old) products'. Additionally, as has been mentioned subsequently, it would be great if Ruairidh or one of the long-term users of it could write a short article on their findings in say the quarterly association magazine for those Austin 7 owners who don't use computers (amazingly, there are quite a few !). I have not yet seen the need to buy one of these units but, if still available, am still tempted despite its obvious faults and it may encourage me to get out more at night !

[dick warren]

I am newly registered in order that I can add my name to the 'small' number of 6v dynamator users who have experienced severe damage to the camshaft timing gear as a result of fitting the alternator.  I suspect there may be more of us.

[Nigel was in Brittany]

I would suggest you write a letter of complaint to Tony Ibbertson (MD of Accuspark ) and register your complaint with them and also invoice them for repairs. They obviously don't have a Customer relations department as they haven't bothered to report to us that there is a problem with the gear on the distributor end of the Dynamator as well, that was left to 2 members here highlighting it, the rest of the product is ok. Interesting to note this thread has had over 8000 page views, counting the amount of timing gear troubles there are in excess of 20 of us so far.

[Colin Reed]

Hi Ruairidh,

Are the gear problems only with the 6Volt version and not the 12 Volt as no one has mentioned it.

Colin Reed
NZ

[Ruairidh Dunford]

I only have a 6v version Colin, the suppliers tell me the gears are common to both units...

[Nigel was in Brittany]

Colin, yes its 12volt and 6 volts, it's the gears that are the problem at both ends , the bit in the middle is fine, but of course, Accuspark do not accept liability as they had an engineer inspect the gears and could not see a problem, they were round and have teeth