[Walt Fricke]

Careful, guys. Early cars (including the 2.7s) used an external regulator. It was a mechanical regulator (points, springs, coils, bendable tabs, etc) and you could remove the silver case which surrounded its working parts.

At some point (certainly by the 3.2s in '84) the regulator moved aboard the alternator itself, and became solid state (nothing to fix or adjust). This may be a mixed blessing - it is pretty hot in where it lives. And it is much harder to get at, though doable.

We had one go out on our 3.2. The alternator light never showed a problem, but again it never lit up with the key on but engine not running. This is the Sherlock Holmes symptom - who notices the dog which did not bark in the night?

I had one go out in my SC. Internal style. I had a voltmeter in the cigarette lighter socket, and it was showing 15V and then just HI. Otherwise no warning from the warning light.

I wired one wrong on my track car and got a sulpher smell from overcharging. Not to be fooled with, as I believe the outgassing is flammable - hydrogen and maybe more.

Walt