My 76 B is finally running again with its new block, and running quite
well. However, the battery is not charging. The alternator was rebuilt
before I had the car (It's a Lucas alt.).
Here's the symptoms: Car requires boost to start. All the accessories
do not work at once, or the car dies. Car will die after a few minutes
of running and require a boost (I highly doubt fuel system problems),
good spark. Car dies if I unplug the negative battery cable while it's
running. Car will idle forever if connected to jumper cables. The plug
for the alternator is keyed so it can't go on backwards. The wires to
the solenoid / starter seem okay and the battery posts are clean and
free of corrosion.
I had no alternator problems before I took the car off the road back in
November.
I boosted it off about seven times yesterday.
What can I check to be sure it's the alternator before I spend $100 I
don't have on a new one :) Electrical system problems are no fun but I
don't want to have to keep replacing parts to find out that's not it.
Thanks,
Tyson Sherman
mts3@ra.msstate.edu
http://www.tecinfo.com/~tsherman
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