Alternator Trouble...

[eubanksae]

Tell me what you think...

My battery wasn't getting charged, and I thought it was something with the alternator. I would start the car, and watch the voltage. It would get up to about 13, but never really any higher, and not long after starting the car, it would usually drop down to just under 12.

Well my battery was very low, so I tried to trickle charge it, and found out it was gone, wouldn't take a charge. I replaced it today, and I was on my way to work, and I was observing the voltage...

( I rigged a little device that plugs into my cigarette lighter and hooks to my multi-meter, so that I can watch the voltage when driving, to solve this problem).

It seemed to be working, it was around 13.5. Well as I was pulling into my parking lot, I noticed that I saw it up into the 14's, and it even hit the low 15's once. I don't think that seems like a good thing.

Also, my car is a '78 911SC, and the votage regulator is supposed to be on the driver's side wall in the engine compartement, but it's not there. Is it possible for the system to run without one, or did my alternator just get updated to that "great" newer one with the integrated Voltage regulator?

[304065]

do a search in the archives, there are about 10 recent threads on this. Your alternator will not put out voltage without a voltage regulator, internal or otherwise. The archives tell how to pull out your oil pressure gauge and tell if you have converted to an internal reg.

[eubanksae]

John,

Can you give me some clues on the threads about the oil pressure guage? I did some searches, and couldn't find anything.

[Zeke]

I used " oil AND voltage" and came up with the one about the guage right away.