Get rid of the crappy regulator. Bosch makes a solid-state unit that works like a charm.
When I was running Auto Zone regulators, I had to replace the battery about every 4 months, the starter about every 6 months, generators about every 6 months, . . . flashers, bulbs and fuses burnt out constantly . . . from time to time, wires in the dash would get hot and start smoking for no apparent reason. Since going to the Bosch solid-state regulator last winter, all of those electrical gremlins have disappeared! In fact, the only electrical issue I've had in nearly a year happened when I left my lights on all day at work. :oops: After getting a boost and driving home (13 miles), the battery was holding a good, strong charge.
You can get the Bosch unit at Al Johnson's VW in Dalton, or from American Foreign in Dalton or Tri-State Imports in Cleveland. Mainly Foreign may have it as well . . . but I'll bet it's a lot cheaper everywhere else. I paid somewhere around $35 including tax at Al Johnson's. It was the best $35 I've ever spent on an electrical component!
