I just bought a 88 244 so I can have a 4 door car to haul my new born son around in..The car has a new alternator and battery in it and the battery still will not charge..From what I can tell the voltage regulator is internal....Does anyone have any ideas where to start?
Thanks,
Brandon

 

Is the ALT "Battery" light on the dash functional? Goes ON, then OFF when you start the car?

 

Just put a volt meter on the battery and start the car up. Rev it to about 1500 rpm and look at the meter. It should be around 13.8-14Volts. If it is lower or higher then you have a problem. I assume the belt is tight and not slipping. Also the battery voltage at rest without the engine running should be around 11.5-12.5 volts. If it isn't at the 14V range with the engine running then I would take the alternator off of the car and take it to an auto shop (autozone or NAPA) and have them bench test it. Go from there.

 

The point here is that the dash light must work to complete the charging circuit.
12 volts must be present at the small spade terminal (D+) on the alternator.
Ed

 

The battery light stays on the whole time

 

Make sure the battery cable terminals are clean and snug. Make sure the leads at the alternator are solid. The wires can be loose inside the terminal ends. I can't neglect to mention voltage drop testing.
http://www.aa1car.com/library/voltage_drop_testing.htm
Ed