[Antonio Medina]

My Dummy light on my 1977 El Camino came on two weeks ago on my 35-mile drive home from work. I got home fine and none of the lights dimmed or anything. It has started just as it always had for the last two weeks and continues to get me to work and back everyday (75 miles each day). I had an Alternator shop test my alternator. They said it wasn't putting out the power it should. I replaced it. (hence replacing the Voltage Regulator as well since it's internal). The Generator light is still on. In fact, with the old alternator it didn't come on until I was up over 50 mph and then suddenly the lights would get brighter and the gen light would come on. Now with the new alternator, it comes on as soon as I start the car (and the lights are immediately bright). But the gen light is still on. I swapped out the battery with my wife's car battery to see if it was the battery. The gen light still comes on.

A friend of my thinks it might be the positive lead from the battery to the starter being loose. He says the starter is live when the car is running (but only turns at startup). But it was tight.

Any thoughts? I'm stumped. Thanks in advance...

Antonio

[bobs]

disconect the small wires on the altenator (leave the batery wire alone) and see if the light goes out. If it does you have a bad or the rong altenator. If the light stays on you have a wiring problem.

[Dave E Shank]

HEY ANTONIO: Go to " Articles" on top of this web page. Put in ALTERNATOR and you will find a wealth of info. Also AutoZone and some of the other chain auto parts stores will check out your wiring with test equipment no charge. GOOD LUCK Dave Shank

[Kevin45]

Numerous times AutoZone, Advanced Auto, and the like will get rebuilt alternators. A couple of guys I work with went to them and had to go thru 2 or 3 alternators before one would work. Also the ones from Advanced seem to go bad rather quickly. On his Honda he went thru 5 before getting one that would last.

Kevin