Charging system question. Drove my car last night. Started and ran fine. Got home, headlights were VERY dim, turn signals quit and once I shut the car off, it would not start again (click, click rat-a-tat). When the car was running, revving the engine did not affect the brightness of the lights. Alternator dead? Voltage regulator? Battery? If the charging system is working, once the car is started, shouldn’t it be able to stay running without the battery?

What are my choices for getting a correct looking alternator for my AAR if that is the problem? Thoughts appreciated!!

sounds like the alt went south. it might be cheaper and easier to your existing one rebuilt. that way you can keep the originality.

How do I go about finding a shop to rebuild an alternator?

i don't know where you live but my first thought would be the yellow pages. just about any city has a place where they rebuild alts, generators and that kind of stuff. or google it for your zip code.

do not check the charging system by taking off a batt cable while running to see if it keeps running. (1) take off both alt female field wire connectors (2) eng at a fast idle (3) w jumper wires w an alligator clip on each end jump from the batt neg post to either male alt field wire terminal (4) w another jumper wire jump from the batt positive post to the other male field terminal for 3 seconds max & if the alt kicks in (You'll feel/hear the eng slow slightly but markedly) the alt is good & it's a field circuit prob but 1 thing at a time. Do have all light bulbs/accessories off when you do this "full fielding". Holler back & we'll go from there

Thanks Robert......... I have a question just to educate myself. What harm will be caused by disconnecting the battery with the car running and if the charging system is working properly, shouldn't the car be able to run without the battery?

yes it'll run if the alt is putting out but the voltage spikes may fry some electronics in the alt. It won't happen every time & I admit I've done it but I do not like to tempt Murphy's law & "full fielding" it takes minutes & some made up jumper wires w alligator clips on the ends are very usefull to have around (make a long one to reach from the batt neg post to the tank sending unit) which is unrelated to your current prob.

Robert, can you check the voltage at the battery (+) positive terminal with an ohm/volt meter to see if it's charging?


MikeR

yes check the charging voltage at the batt terminals at a fast idle w lights/heater on then check charging voltage at the alt batt stud/case & see how much drop you have in the system EDIT I assumed that he did not have a VOM at his disposal. OP, if full fielding does nothing pull the brushes & see if all looks good

just got back from Maple Grove!! anyway OP, this is probably a stupid qusetion but....... did you check the alt belt for tightness and/or glazing?

Thanks for all the help and suggestions.......... Problem solved. I went to remove the alternator so I could get it tested and when I went to remove the wires from the alternator I noticed the ground wire had come out of the plastic terminal end on the wire. So, re-crimped and a bit of solder and problem solved. Thanks again!

K.I.S.S. rarely fails . Glad ya got it

that's an acronym for "Keep It Simple Sam"