I have been doing some research on my altie, as well - and find that there are a lot of chrysler vehicles that use the ECU to regulate the voltage from the alternator - so if the voltage reg goes out, you have to replace the ECU.

Does ANYONE here know if this is how OUR alternators are built?

 

I do believe the EVR (Voltage Regulator) is integral to the ECU or PCM whichever you decide to call it but, I also understand that an EVR failure is pretty rare.

 

Ya they never fail. But if you get a problem with the alternator, just replace it.

 

I was reading that it's not uncommon to see spikes, and even ECU codes for a bad alternator / VR if the battery cables are jacked up, or not tight. The cables on this truck look to have been southern-engineered together... I already bought some new batt terminals, and I have a LOT of 4-gauge pwer cable left from a stereo install i helped a friend with, and was planning to just redo those cables myself, using that - and maybe THAT alone will resolve the issue - if not, due to budget constraints, may just take the alt to a local shop and have them repair it for a fraction of the cost of a rebuilt...

 

I remember rebuilding alternators and starters as a teenager fresh out of Lincoln Tech Institute, do they even make rebuild kits for the general public anymore?