power surge when at 24 RPM

[Gail Slockett]

Hi..we have a problem that no one seems to be able to diagnose.  When we rev the engine..a yammer 4JH-TE..to 24 RPMs the engine control breaker goes.  We changed the breaker twice, changed the ignition switch, and checked all the wires and connections for erosion or bad connections.  We found that when the breaker goes there is a major jump in amperage and the DC discharge meter on our electrical panel shows a big jump.  We had the Balmar regulator checked and it is working properly.  We are having the alternator....Balmar 60-120V...serviced and we are hoping that this is the problem.  I was wondering if anyone else had this issue or has any insight into it.

Thanks

[Chip Ewing]

Another possibility is the pinion gear on the starter is getting stuck on. Even with the start ignition switch is off, with the engine running the starter will still spin because the pinion gear is stuck on the fly wheel. This may cause big amperage draws on the battery. 

[Bill Schmidt]

Chip, IMHO, not so. If the pinion gear is jammed in gear to the fly wheel and the engine is running, the energy to turn the starter armature is coming from the engine. There is no field current working with/against the engine turning....yes?If the field current is on, then the starter would work as an alternator....I think, but it shouldn't produce a power surge.

b.

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[Chip Ewing]

A better way to say it might be, the ignition is turned to the run position/not off after starting the engine, but the for some reason the starter contractor doesn’t turn off and the pinion gear stays engaged causing an amp draw, because the starter thinks your still trying to start the engine? The regulator for the alternator reacts to the high draw and starts charging. . Or  like you say the pinion gear is stuck for some reason and is generating electricity, when it gets to 2400rpm things start tripping? Hopefully, it’s something simple and they figure it out, let us know. Cheers.