Mass911

My 89 911 shows signs of a failing alternator/regulator.

At start up the alternator light is on, with no charge measured at the battery. Give it a little throttle, the light goes out and the battery shows charge.

Would you guys pull the alternator at this point get it rebuilt, or wait untill it fails completley (the alternator light stays on with no charge)

Would I be risking damaging anything waiting for the unit to fail completley?

Thanks..

Jdub

Clean the grounds to your battery (at the battery), under the car at the chassis to engine (see webbed strap).

You can ruin a battery by leaving a bad alternator in, depending.

Try the above and see if things don't improve (probably ought to recharge the battery as well: do this with the battery unhooked from the pos and neg terminal cables from the car).

Jw

RANDY P

Why wait if you know it's bad? It'll only leave you stranded.

rjp

catuck

You should check your owner's manual. In my car, the manual calls the light comming on at idle normal. Although my car is 14 years older than yours and very different electronically, it couldn't hurt to check.

eskimo

I'd pull it if I were you.. I had the same thing happening on my 88 a few years back.. I figured it was the brushes and I'd take care of it next weekend..
Well, by thursday, I was pushing the car to the side of the road. <img src="graemlins/oops.gif" border="0" alt="[oops]" />
brushes cost $15.. My experience was .. slightly more expensive.

One thing I've noticed with my car. She will warn you of an impending failure twice, once, "hey, you should look at this" second, "Look at this NOW"
Finally.. "oh, poop.. now I'm pushing." <img src="graemlins/c.gif" border="0" alt="[ouch]" />