Well the other night, I finally got the car on the road and went to the gas station to get gas. After I was done I went to start the car and it barely started (weak battery), it was getting late so I just put it away for the night. Next day started the car (little sluggish) pulled it out and shut it off. Then I remembered the battery seemed weak for the night before so I jumped it to see if it would crank again. Well at this time it was too dead.
So I jump the car pull it in the garage and put a charger on it and it charged up fine and seemed to hold the charge. I got thinking that maybe the alternator wasn't charging so I put a meter on the battery, it was at about 12.4v not running. Started the car again to check it while running. No real change, if anything it was done to 12.3v running. So I assumed the alternator needed replacing.
So today I picked up and alternator and put it in the car and checked the volts without the car running and with it running. Again, basically the same thing. So I don't know what else it might be. If I am correct do the 79's have an external voltage regulator that could be bad and if so, could this cause the problem I am having or is it something else? Also (being I am now in the house, not in the garage) where is the voltage regulator located?
If its not the voltage regulator what else could I check? BTW, I took the car out tonight for about 1 - 1 1/2 hour drive and had the headlights on half of the that time. I checked the battery after I got back and it was about 12.2v. So it was a little lower, but if it wasn't charging wouldn't the headlights have drawn the power down even more than that?
Thanks guys.
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