Pre-alternator failure symptoms?

[roccit_53 at scirocco.cs.uoguelph.ca (C Boyko)]

On 7:23:59 pm 09/01/05 Patrick Bureau <patrick.bureau@gmail.com> wrote:
> I agree, but often enought the culprid is not the alternator but
> simply the voltage regulator on the alternator where once your remove
> it (2 philips screws) will show the brushes are worn out and need
> replacing (12$/autozone)  I would check them first... then again
> checking voltage output on the alternator (boost to start the car and
> test car) will give you indication if alternator/brushes are at fault
> or something else.
>
>  On 9/1/05, Don Walter <dswalterwi@gmail.com> wrote:
> >
> >  Bad Alternator/Charging = Bad perfomance as the battery starts to
> >  lose voltage
> >  It will run fine at first then start to spit and sputter after
> >  about 30 minutes of use from a fully charged battery.


I love you man, that is EXACTLY what it did yesterday, but then it kept
running poorly to get me another two hours or so of seat time, and several
good starts. Not today. 
I boosted it, started right up. I quickly tested the voltage and was
discouraged to find 13.0V, not stellar, but enough to get by. I then turned
on anything I could find, it dropped to 12.6 by then, but when I turned
stuff back off, it was at 11 and continued to drop till I killed it at
9.9V. So it's a charging issue, (could be the plug, I'm guessing that's
what it is actually) and I hope it will correct a lot of other issues, I'm
weary of rewiring things.
But I'm off to Montreal for the weekend, so it'll have to wait now.
Cathy

Thanks, Cathy