I'll try to set the stage and see what everyone thinks. I'd occasionally get the click of death from the starter - click from the engaging solenoid, but the starter motor wouldn't even try to turn against the flywheel. Add a set of jumper cables to the mix and it would fire right up. Pretty much the same behavior with external and internal voltage regulation. I had gotten in the habit of putting it on the batt charger and it's started every time since, knock wood. When I'm driving, I'll see one of three things as I watch the voltmeter: VM shows 11.5-12V and doesn't vary with RPM (most common) No gen light. VM shows 14V and the gen light comes on bright (seen it twice in the last dozen or so trips) VM moves with throttle as I would expect. Gen light might be on for a minute or more when driving at 2000 rpm. VM starts at 12V or so, then steadily drops into the red (<11 volts) No gen light. This seems like I'm driving on batt only; headlights get dim, flasher takes a while to come on, then is slow etc etc. Condition of the system: Fresh battery, but I'm afraid it's getting abused with this electrical mayhem rebuilt internally regulated alt new 0 gauge wires on the battery new 10 ga wire from the alt to the power lug on the starter S-W voltmeter wired to the battery posts (the signal wire goes through a small relay that has IGN-ON power) Original blue wire as shown at the alt and soldered to the brown #4 wire at the old volt regulator Do the three different cases above point to an intermittent ground problem? Any likely suspects? Thanks.
Have you thought about replacing the starter? Check body to engine grounds and a battery to body ground. I one braided strap from the back of each head to the fire wall and one from the batt to the fender.
