Best way to kick off the weekend?
 

By having all the electrical stuff crap out on me on the way home.

First, I started noticing that the air flow turned from ambient air to HOT air...my first thought was something funky with the CCU, since I've had so much trouble with it.

Then my blinkers weren't working, radio wouldn't come on, windows would BARELY go up (lucky I got them up).

When I came out from dinner with the fam, it wouldn't start...wouldn't even turn over. I jumped it from the wife's SUV, and it drove home fine.

Alternator?

If so...dang...tough to come by on a Saturday. I could go poking around a pick-n-pull, although I've never been to any around here.

Ahh, Saturday. :)

How cool, you get to tinker this weekend...........I get
stuck taking my lovely asst. to yard sales tomorrow

I hate yard sales.No men stuff,like tools,turbos,things to make my diesel pretty.Nothing but fat womens clothes,and underwear that would sail a boat.
Thjank God my wife's a size 7,I wear w29 jeans.

Just think of yard sales as another type of PNP ;)

If you lost all electrical,check your ground at the battery or the body ground strap.

Charlie

Jack -- you have to do searching for the man's yardsales!!! They are out there. Estate sales sometimes have tools and CARS. You could always line up "things" to go see. Let's see what's on my list for today:

Propane Tank
450SL parts car
1999 Diesel Dodge 2500

:)

The local AutoZoo should check your starting system for free, if you get it there.

I finally wrestled the alternator free yesterday afternoon - that bolt on the far inside corner gave me fits...I finally broke it free, to much celebration.

Took it to a local auto parts place - the thing didn't even spin up on the test, before coming up bad. Of course they didn't have the replacement Bosch in stock, so I'll pick one up on Monday from my usual supplier (they are closed on the weekends), along with my warranty-replacement radiator (has been leaking from a factory seam).

I didn't expect the alternator to be so pricey (I did not check pricing here before I went to the store), but it will give me good piece of mind to have i taken care of.

FYI- the voltage regulator and brushes can be serviced while it is installed on the car. $30 or less.

That's exactly what I was thinking.

Why would you buy an alternator before checking the voltage regulator?

Hmm...good question. Sadly, I don't even know what the voltage regulator is, or where it resides...could it be bad, and the alternator good, when the alternator tested bad already?

Yes, the first thing to go on an alt is the regulator, it has brushes that wear down.
The first pic is of the back of the alt.
The second is of a new regulator.
It's a five minute job to swap it out, go under the car, you'll see it.
As mentioned earlier, if you get the chance, have your starting system checked.