Hey. Tonight I was driving home with a high electrical load... (lights, a/c, rear window defrost...)and I noticed something strange. My alternator will output a steady 13 volts, almost regardless of load. However. If i turn on everthing, it "gives up". The lights dim, volt gauge falls really low, almost as if the belt has slipped, when it hasnt. To get the alternator to start charging again, I have to turn of almost all electrical load. Once it starts charging agiain, I can turn everthing else back on, until that one load that pushes it over the edge and makes it "give up" again.

 

I have a 87 iroc z28 with a 5.7 that was doing that i i put on a new alternator and it work good now but get it from the dealer i get one from a parts stores and i had to take three of the back and get my money back

 

Thats what I thought..... I was thinking something was wrong with the voltage regulator. Thankfully I have a spare alternator with known good electronics, but a squeaky bearing. Does anybody know of a rebuild guide for the stock alternators?