Help, car keeps dieing

superchargeddrt said

If you have access to a volt meter, measure the battery voltage (should be at least 12 volts) then start the car, the alternator should be putting out around 13 volts. If there is no change after you start it the alternator isn't putting out any voltage. The regulator could be bad or the alternator could be bad. See if you have voltage at the field terminal (the small spade connector) of the alternator. If you have voltage I would suspect the alternator, if not I would try a voltage regulator.

Good Luck,

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Actually the battery voltage should be a very minimum of 12.6 volts when the car isn't running because each cell is 2.1 volts (2.1 x 6 cells=12.6 volts) and charging should be right at 14 volts when the battery is fully charged. And I believe a 70 will have a dual field alternator. With that in mind the voltage on one field should read battery voltage and the other should read a low voltage that varies depending on what the regulator is putting out as it's a controlled ground. Your method of checking is correct for a single field alternator like used in pre 70 vehicles.