>Among other things, my Spit's alternator warning light is burning whenever
>the engine is started.
>I checked my manual (Haynes). It has a diagnostic procedure that involves a
>voltmeter, ammeter, and variable resistor.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Even a simple multimeter (volts / amps & resistance measurement combined) can be
picked up cheaply and is invaluable for checking dodgy wiring (usually a DPO
legacy in our cars).
You should note that the 'variable resistor' suggested in the official workshop
manual (not sure about the Haynes) has an 80 Amp rating. This is huge - not the
sort of thing Radio Shack will have in stock - try the physics lab of a local
school/college. (It will probably be about a foot long, with a slider bar that
moves over the length of the exposed wires, thus altering the resistance.) You
also have to work quickly if you try this test method as the battery will
quickly be drained of stored charge.
Pat
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