Quote:
Originally Posted by patrickt
"One Wire" alternators like yours do not have external voltage regulators, so you don't have to look for one.  I see on the instruction a little bolt hole for a ground strap but I don't see that connected on yours. But that doesn't necessarily mean your alternator isn't sufficiently grounded. To answer that question, put your Volt/Ohm meter on the lowest voltage setting. Then start the car and turn on all the lights, fans, and anything else you have to create electric load. Have someone rev the engine to 2500 RPM and put one lead of your VOM on the negative terminal of the battery and the other lead on the outside case of your alternator. If you read more than .2 volts (or -.2 volts if the leads are reversed) then you need to run a supplementary ground to your alternator. |
Thanks Patrick, you've been tremendously helpful. However my battery is in the trunk, is there another spot I can use to check the Voltage drop?
In any case I'll have to wait till later (when I have a helper) to run this test, but I assume from what I've shared here I can drive the car in the current state without risking any "damage" to the electric system?
Thank you!