>
> 2) the voltmeter trick won't tell you if the problem is the alternators
> components (and wether it is field coils, brushes, diodes, regulator, etc.),
> alternator belt, alternator wiring, battery wiring, fusebox wiring, or
> even a lousy cigarette lighter socket.

Agreed there.

>
> You need an oscilloscope to even to a half assed job of alternator diagnoses.

Horse****. If you take a step-by-step approach and work your way through
the system, you can solve any alternator problem with a good multimeter
and a thorough understanding of how the system works. WTF good would a
damn OSCILLOSCOPE be for alternator troubleshooting anyway??? I've got a
master's degree in electrical engineering and I can't for the life of me
figure out why I'd pick an O-scope to troubleshoot an alternator. Maybe
I should use a $15,000 spectrum analyzer too, then I could detect an
extra frequency component in the ripple voltage and that might give me a
3rd-hand hint that a diode is bad.

OR, I could just test the stinking diodes with a $100 Fluke meter and be
done with it. Heck, even a $30 generic brand multimeter would be plenty
good for that.

Sheesh, talk about mountains out of molehills....
>
> Quit wasting time. Take the damn car into a shop with some real test
> equipment. If the problem is intermittant, wait for it to happen, and then
> rush to the nearest autozone (or equiv.) store and have them run the test.

Yeah. Autozone- there's a real brain trust for you. :-/