With the risk of sounding totally foolish....What does the Voltage regulator do? can the alternator be working but the regulator not? what are the signs of that?
Lee
It regulates the voltage. The voltage fluctuates coming from the alternator. If you have a good re-builder in your area I would just take in the alternator for a checkup/rebuild. Do not go to those places that just supply alternators to trade-in. You rarely have to replace the entire alternator because all the parts are replaceable. You want to look for Auto-Electric companies in your area. The brushes might need replacing or a simple diode has failed. Bring your voltage regulator in as well for a checkup. It may not solve 100% of the problem but it's good preventive maintenance.
Get a quote before they do any work and just bring them the parts. It should any take less than 15 mins for them to discover what is wrong with the alternator and regulator. If they need hr(s) they are ripping you off.
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