5kSW: Failure modes for crimped alternator cable

["Buchholz, Steven" <Steven.Buchholz@kla-tencor.com>]

Got a call from my brother-in-law today ... he's en route to Las Vegas from
Oakland, CA in his '88 5kSW.  Apparently the car has started to exhibit a
new symptom while he was driving down the freeway ... all of the gauges go
dead intermittently and the engine loses power for a few seconds.  In
driving around town the car dies when this happens.  I went home and picked
up the Bentley at lunch and looked it over.  I've had him check a few fuses
S4 and S12 (S12 didn't do it, I haven't heard back on S4).  The battery
connections are solid, as is the ground connection to the body ... the
ignition switch does not seem to be the culprit, and it doesn't appear that
the load reduction relay could be the source at all.  Other than this I
don't see too much more that could cause these symptoms, but then I
remembered the reports of the high current wire between the battery and
alternator having a flaky crimp.  From the reports it seems the main symptom
is a voltage drop between the alternator and battery, with the associated
heat generation, but I thought I'd ask to see if anyone would know if this
connection opened up if it would cause the problems that he describes.  

He's taking the car to a place called Euro Auto Works in Bakersfield, but I
thought I'd post to the list as well.  I'd appreciate any thoughts on this
ASAP!  TIA!

Steve Buchholz
San Jose, CA (USA)