Quote Originally Posted by ryan roopnarine View Post
ok, i'll clarify. there's no point in asking someone to get you a voltage regulator for the 140a bosch from a 1992 525i, unless you take the voltage regulator out first and read them the number off of the rectifier first. iirc, it took bma about 3 tries to get me the right one. some of them have the brushes parallel to the rectifier, some perpendicular, some in another configuration....

yeah, and it wasn't cheap in 2004 dollars either. i think i finally ended up with one for about $48 or $50.
wow - i don't need more headaches and the market just isn't the same here.

if i can get a 115A bosch from these guys i'll be happy to pay the difference. that way i'll know for sure if there really is anything wrong with the rest of the car b/c the (really) old one worked well until it bit dust.

if it's not the alternator i'm taking it to get the alternator and starter cabling redone somewhere.

if that's not the problem i'm going to try setting the car on fire and seeing if that helps at all.

if i do ever get it fixed i will throw a party the weekend after my month-long nap.