over charging!!! id my altinator?

[maurice c]

A bad earth between the alternator and the engine could also be overcharging at the terminal. Run your multimeter across the terminals of the battery and then move the negative to the alternator body, you should get the same voltage reading if the earth is good.

[lilcrash]

just so ppl know, 16+ volts is bad, my ta22 boils my truck battery everyday, it idles at 15 volts and goes well ova 17-18 while driving, brand new external regulator too so i dont know whats going wrong,

definately replace the altenator asap.

laterdays

[maurice c]

It may not be the alternator, I think that there may be resistance on the positive from the distribution point in the loom causing the rectifier to let out too high of a voltage to compensate, to teh battery. or rectifier isnt earthing properly giving the same symptoms.

[maurice c]

I actually ment to say Regulator in the last sentence, You really shouldnt try and write in depth answers at 12 at night after working 12 hours. Your charging voltage is maintained by a switching transistor in a modern day bosch and what looks kind of like a dual points system in the old toyota external regs. You can actually get an aftermarket regulator made thats solid state and made by an australian company that has an adjustable charging rate, Ingrams make it I think. This could be a quick solution to your charging problem without really addressing it.