Alternator Troubleshooting Before you give up on your alternator, pull off the two wire lead going to the plug on the regulator on the back of the alternator. Check the two female spade terminals in the plug at the end of the wire for corrosion, burning, looseness. Try to insert a new male spade in each one for test, they should accept the spade and show some resistance when you try to pull it out (I think they may be 2 different sized spade terminals), replace with the right size. This plug isÊthe connection forÊthe battery warning red light (small wire) and key switch power (larger wire)Êto the alternator exciter function. If the terminals are loose, dirty, bent, corroded they could definitely be the cause of your problem. On one occasion a friend had been having intermittent problems like yours for over a year, had replaced his alternator but still had intermittent no-charge problems. I replaced his alternator with a known good one, on test, same problems. Finally removed the aforementioned plug and examined it very closely. Found both corroded, one showed signs of arcing and overheating and was so loose a test spade would fall right out. ReplacedÊthe female spade terminals, retestedÊOK, that was over a year ago and it is still had no repeats.Ê Good luck fixin, hope this helped. Larry S.