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Voltage variance, '89 100Q: SOLVED



Before the holidays I'd posted a problem I'd been having with my '89 100Q - 
the voltage "pulsing" in time with engine speed, especially at idle. Could be 
seen in voltage gauge needle and light's intensity, and heard in the fuel 
pump's whine. Numerous suggestions were posted to me and the Q-list (thanks 
folks). I finally got under the car last night and pulled the voltage 
regulator out of the back of the alternator. Brushes looked fine, but I 
noticed a significant amount of corrosion on the pair of little brushes/spring 
contacts attached to the diode plate (? I guess) and their contact point on 
the regulator. I took a bit of sandpaper to these spots, reassembled the 
works, and what do you know, it's fixed the problem. Voltmeter reads rock 
solid at 13.8V (give or take), at any speed. 

Once again, thanks for the suggestions. Luckily the fix was one or two steps 
simpler, and free at that. I wonder what the typical garage would have found 
and done??? Thrown in another alternator and given me a $400 bill?  And I 
would never have known the difference.  Scary thought. 

Frank M. 
'89 100Q
'88 Mazda 323 GTX