Car is a 98 pre-facelift AEB 1.8t
Yesterday and today I noticed my battery light came on, monitoring my voltage it would drop to 11v, randomly come back up to 14V for a bit, then to 12v etc. It jumps all over every 15-30 seconds it seems like.
I barely made it home tonight as it stayed below 12v and got all the way to 8v by the time i got home.
I went and grabbed my digital multi-meter to test the battery/alternator. To my surprise the car started and didn't need a jump.
Testing the battery and output from the alternator is generally the same readings, the voltage is bouncing all over the place, from 9v to 14v, every second bouncing to a different voltage.
I'm pretty sure its the voltage regulator that failed after some research, I can't find the specific regulator replacement though, if anyone has a link to the correct one that would be great
If anyone has any knowledge about this I would appreciate it, I'm no electrical guy
I just pulled the alternator off the car to see the brand/amps. Looks like its a bosch re-manufactured valeo alternator
https://imgur.com/a/7v93zED Here are pictures of the brushes and slip rings. top brush is more worn than bottom one. The slip rings look scratched, and the top one half of the circle is very dull.
Do i just need a new regulator with new brushes? Do i clean the slip ring surface with light sanding? Or do i have to replace the whole alternator unit
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