potatoemoe

I have recently gotten a an 81 4x4 which has had some issues. first it ran really rich, so I replaced the carb and sparkplugs which fixed that. Then we couldn't get it to run quite right wouldn't idle then would seem to run fine and then it would have a miss in it all the sudden then clear itself up again. Well voltage meter was reading 17 volts so we talked with a few people and were told to replace the external regulator, so we did and there was no difference. Then I replaced the battery, no difference, then I replaced the alternator no difference but I found in the paper work that there is a 6 wire and a 5 wire alternator which I needed the 5 wire and had the 6 on it. Now I don't know if it was over charging because of it being the wrong alternator which may have burnt the regulator up again, because the new 5 wire alternator isn't charging at all. Is there a way to test the alternator separate from the regulator or any other suggestions?

kdo58

take the alternator to a parts store they can bench test.

James Woods

iTrader: (1)

Voltage meter in the truck reading 17 volts or an actual volt meter? If it is in the truck, it is normal, my wife's 4runner has a voltage meter in the truck that reads 17 volts when running but with a DMM on the battery it only reads around 14.8 volts.

kj1074

my truck ran the same with 5 or 6 wire alternator. the voltmeter inside my truck reads a bit over 12 most of the time as well. when i first got my truck it was having similar issues, ended up being a bad distributer.