Look up under the dash on the passenger side. There is usually a fair bit of empty space over there.

 

True dat!

 

Garage light above my workbench petered out today. Replaced it with those mega bright LED fixtures. Big improvement. Then I cleaned up the tools n stuff all over the workbench. It was totaled. But I was left with no desire to mess with the truck today. Too stinking hot! So I'll mess with the truck tomorrow.

 

So, I hooked up my backup NOS voltage regulator (never been used) and I still get the shakes. I did not attach the backup regulator to the fender where the current one is attached. It's laying loose next to it. Pulled the connector off the current regulator and plugged it into the backup NOS regulator. I initially hooked up one 10ga ground cable to the case using a 1/4-20 bolt n nut coming from the alternator ground stud. The dash gauge shook. Then I added the 10ga ground cable coming from the neg battery terminal (now have two ground cables bolted to the case). Still shook. Checked for charge. Getting 14.4v on the battery at idle with the backup regulator.

So seems the regulator is not the culprit. Not sure what is left now other than the alternator.

 

But even the alt isn't that old? As I recall, that's been replaced a couple times as well.

 

Replaced once back in November, 2015 (7 years, 8 months ago and 20,000 miles). And it was a reman.

I mean, it acts like the alternator is bad with flickering lights and all but the baffling part is the problem was (temporarily and briefly) solved multiple times by beefing up the grounding on the regulator. That well has seemingly gone dry now.

 

I suppose another option is to get another OBD1. Maybe the regulator will work in that one.

Just thinking out loud.

 

I do have a lifetime warranty on that OBD1. He offered to replace it once. Maybe I should try that route again.

 

I emailed the place that sold me my reman PCM. Gonna see what he is willing to do. I have a lifetime warranty but in my experience, warranties are only as good as the person standing behind it. He stood by his stuff before so maybe he will again.

 

Can't hurt..... eliminate the external regulator altogether.....