'03, v6, 5sp. appr 132K miles. single owner - bought it new in november of '02.
trouble description:
3 separate times, when idling, the voltage meter has pegged at the bottom end and the engine runs extremely rough. the first time this happened, i was able to jump it off and go to a gas station. i idled at the pump for a moment, and it ran so rough it died. jumped it off again (and both jumps were easy and immediate cranking). pulled onto the 4-lane, keeping it reved pretty high, and drove 80 for about an hour. saw the voltage meter staying in the center where it belongs. stopped at a kelly's, and had the battery and the alternator tested - both tested good, but dude buddy said the alternator "has a slightly low output."
the next time was several weeks later - again, while idling at a traffic light. i felt it idling rough, looked at the voltage meter, and it had pegged at the bottom. i was able to rev it quite a bit, get out of the intersection, and into a parking lot where i really punched it while in neutral - i felt a surge, and saw the voltage meter go dead center again. we were 3 hours from home, but headed on that way with no more problems.
again, several weeks later - idling at a stop sign, i felt it running rough, saw the meter had bottomed out, and was able again to rev it high, and get on the move. about a quarter mile down the road, i felt it kick in again, and saw the meter jump up.
my question - is it the alternator? or, is there a voltage regulator that i can replace first? maybe the bigger question - if i replace the alternator, does that include the voltage regulator?
trouble description:
3 separate times, when idling, the voltage meter has pegged at the bottom end and the engine runs extremely rough. the first time this happened, i was able to jump it off and go to a gas station. i idled at the pump for a moment, and it ran so rough it died. jumped it off again (and both jumps were easy and immediate cranking). pulled onto the 4-lane, keeping it reved pretty high, and drove 80 for about an hour. saw the voltage meter staying in the center where it belongs. stopped at a kelly's, and had the battery and the alternator tested - both tested good, but dude buddy said the alternator "has a slightly low output."
the next time was several weeks later - again, while idling at a traffic light. i felt it idling rough, looked at the voltage meter, and it had pegged at the bottom. i was able to rev it quite a bit, get out of the intersection, and into a parking lot where i really punched it while in neutral - i felt a surge, and saw the voltage meter go dead center again. we were 3 hours from home, but headed on that way with no more problems.
again, several weeks later - idling at a stop sign, i felt it running rough, saw the meter had bottomed out, and was able again to rev it high, and get on the move. about a quarter mile down the road, i felt it kick in again, and saw the meter jump up.
my question - is it the alternator? or, is there a voltage regulator that i can replace first? maybe the bigger question - if i replace the alternator, does that include the voltage regulator?
