My '76 Dodge P/U is my most neglected vehicle and it works the hardest. Yesterday after starting I noticed that all my lights were very dim and the ammeter was pegged at "D". So I limped to the job where I was working and upon re-starting the engine the charge needle went somewhat back to normal. When sitting at an idle the needle still drops and the lights go very dim and the power output is low enough that my signal indicators will stop working. Does this sound like a voltage regulator issue? Otherwise how do I go about testing the rest of my charging system? Keep in mind that I'm working out side and it's 17* F.

Thanks in advance, Pat.

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If it's charging when revved but not at idle, it's likely an alternator issue (dead phase, open or shorted diode, weak brush spring, worn-out brush...), but could also be a regulator issue. If you are in a hurry and don't want to spend a bunch of time outdoors freezing, replace both components. Try to get quality items, i.e., a Standard-Bluestreak, WAI/Transpo or Echlin regulator, and a new rather than "remanufactured" alternator. If you're in a big hurry, swallow hard and buy the "remanufactured" junk. If you have a little time to play with, have your alternator rebuilt.

(17°F...? Sounds like balmy weather to me over here in dark and dumped-upon Tronna...)

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一期一会
Too many people who were born on third base actually believe they've hit a triple.

Thanks Dan, I figure I'll just get a new VR and get my guy to rebuild the alternator. It's actually warmed up to about -5*C. here but has snowed over a foot since yesterday with no end in sight. I've seen Ontario on the news lately, it looks like a gong show.

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I don't know what a "gong show" is. If it means "People driving like selfish, thoughtless, greedy, stupid, braindead, distracted, celphone-yammering nincompoops on extremely greasy roads", then yeah, it's a gong show.

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一期一会
Too many people who were born on third base actually believe they've hit a triple.

It's my nice way of saying "clusterfuck", so yah, you nailed it.

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It's my nice way of saying "clusterfuck", so yah, you nailed it.

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I like that cluster word. Why isn't it in Websters?

Its a Canadian word.....so its in Oxford instead.

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Yeah....Im the one who destroyed this rare, vintage automobile.....

Other Canadian words and terms generally not heard in the states: Kerfuffle, parkade, laneway, shìt-disturber, chesterfield (not the cigarettes Ronald Reagan smoked), two-four, milk jug, eavestrough. Oh, and "table" (the verb) means the opposite of what it means in the US.

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一期一会
Too many people who were born on third base actually believe they've hit a triple.

You can add the phrases: "excuse me" and "Pardon me"

a local phrase I like is the term "faller" ....one who falls (not fells) trees

"Im going falling for MacDoald Creek" ....companies are named after geographic locations.

"I was falling for MacDonald Creek last winter"

Self Loading Log truck is a Hook Truck (off road hook truck may weigh 120,000lbs)

Yarding means moving logs.....using a yarder (big tower) or a skidder.

Interestingly there is a machine called a Feller/buncher....not a faller/buncher

A Hooker is the boss on the hill.....the chokerman hang beads....or set beads.....depending on skidder or yarder

the Bull Bucker is the foreman of a crew of Fallers.....yet a buckerman never does any falling....he just bucks(cut logs to length)

If you buy suspenders at the saw shop you will be asked "Husky or Jonserad?" .....its important to answer correctly. Im a Jonserad guy....my son is a Husky guy(Husquevarna)

The faller has the right to ride shotgun in the crummy.

We all get our stamps for Breakup and go on Pogey.

"Give er eh!"


Im pissed means Im drunk (takes a two-four eh)

Pissed Off means angry......which a lot of people are right now because the Pope is Dead....and stiffed them. (Pope and Talbot went bankrupt and didn t pay the workers)

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Yeah....Im the one who destroyed this rare, vintage automobile.....

double double at Timmy Ho's

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Yeah....Im the one who destroyed this rare, vintage automobile.....

Wow, I've created a monster. "Hooker", "Chokerman", "Skidder"! What industry did you say you work in? Clearly it's not logging. When I lived on Vancouver Island everyone would always talk about "Going up Island" which I always thought sounded silly. Now that I live on Kootenay Lake everyone travels "Up the Lake" So maybe it's a B.C. thing.

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I live "down the lake" (Arrow Lakes)

We go "over to Vernon"or "down to Nelson" .....and up to Revelstoke.

Been down to the Coast lately?

My son went sledding up St Leon yesterday.....it was a $hitshow

You must be new to the Kootenays if you dont know the terms skidder or chokerman. I dont know whether to hook a choker or choke the Hooker.

Time to shut my pie hole and get back atter.

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Yeah....Im the one who destroyed this rare, vintage automobile.....

We're practically neighbors, I'm "all over" logging terms having lived here for 13 years, I'm just "taking the piss". Why is cross country always referred to as "back East" and "out West"? Riddle me that, "Hooker Choker".

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And "I disagree, but you might be right."

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一期一会
Too many people who were born on third base actually believe they've hit a triple.