bad alternator or electrical?

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Hi all, I just picked up a 92 Rocky and was having fun on a roadtrip for the last two weeks with it. After doing some nice off-roading on it, which it did just fine, it started giving my problems on the highway on the way home. I was driving and all of a sudden, both the battery and brake dash lights flashed in unison a few times then stayed on full. After checking obvious stuff, kept on driving and proceeded to drive another 300 miles (yup, I am in the states) and then the dash lights started to go dim and she died. This sounds like a bad alternator or voltage reg, but the weird thing is the brake light (dash) being on as well. I also lost all rear brake lights for the ride home, though it turns out that was just a blown fuse. I have checked the wire loom over the rear frame/wheel and it looks intact. I also have gotten the light to go off by yanking on the wires that come out of the alternator lightly (the three small guage ones, not the main power) but that doesn't seem to do anything any more. The problem is also internmittant, sometimes all seems fine, then sometime all is bad. Anyone have any ideas what to check or have an overall electrical system troubleshooting diagram/tree?

Thanks for any suggestions...

Cheers

Check the wear on the brushes

Check the wear on the brushes in the alternator. They could be past their use by date.
Growing old is compulsary, growing up isnt, and
MUD MAKES EXCELLENT TOOTHPASTE

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Growing old is compulsary, growing up isnt.
MUD MAKES EXCELLENT TOOTHPASTE.
I use billion dollar satellites, to find Tupperware.
Please visit http://groups.msn.com/AussieDaihatsuRocky/_whatsnew.msnw
All views and advice offered are my own, from my ow

brush kit part number?

Anyone have a part number for the brushes or the specs for an OEM part that will fit? I am pretty sure that alternator is a denso unit. Am I lucky enough to have a nice common one in here that honda/toyota uses?

dodgy alternator

Sound like your alternator, Mine showed the same kind of misbehaviour on the way out. I took it out and replaced the brushes which were well gone. Thats all it took and its run fine ever since.

best
Tom