ok trike.. have you performed the six steps of the test i have assembled over the years?? its a diagnostic test that checks the electrical connections at the electron level.. i can perform the first 4 steps in under a minute.. test 5 takes about a minute and test 6 can be harder to perform if the alternators buried.. if it is. skip it. if nobody does it you know.. then they have not tried it out.
test One.. at the battery posts.. are you getting 14.1 to 14.8 volts with the engine running and the headlights on .. Test Two... Negative battery post to the engine block.. if there is a loose or dirty connection even a frayed battery cable inside the insulation this will show more than 4/100ths of a volt and you know there is an issue..
tests Three. Negative battery post to the body.. this checks the little wire connection from the negative terminal to the inner fender usually.. how many hundreds of those have i had to repair in the last 35 years i have been doing this..
test 4.. Engine block to the body... why would any body worry about this.. because the battery has 12.65 volts available at a full charge.. the alternator is putting out 14.6.. the alternator is also putting it out on the negative side.. so the engine block as almost 2 volts more than the battery.. since most things are grounded to the body.. and electrons want to take the shortest path.. they don't want to go up the negative cable and then down the small cable to the inner fender.. they want to get directly to the body.. that is why for the past 50+ years... manufacturers have installed braided ground straps from the engine to the firewall. how many hundreds of millions of cars is that. how much money would they have saved if they did not have to install them.
test 5.. this is mostly for 1992 and up cars with under hood fuse/relay power distribution boxes.. but it can be done on earlier models. if the battery power wire to the fuse box is loose.. of the maxi fuse under the end of the fuse box on so many is loose.. even if that wire is frayed inside the insulation you will have more than 4/100ths of a volt. this aims you at a massive trouble spot..
test Six.. Positive battery POST to the Alternator output stud.. not the ring terminal. the stud sticking out the ring terminal is bolted to.. if that ring terminal is not bolted on tight you will measure more than the say 3/10ths of a volt.. why did i post that old mopars can have up to 7/10ths of a volt on test 6.. because the distance the charging system has to go to get to the battery.. its only a test.. nobody has to perform it.. everybody is welcome to throw hundreds if not a thousand dollars worth of parts at their car to not fix it as there is a loose crimp someplace in the system that a properly performed voltage drop test will spot in under 5 minutes and your customer will thing you are HOUDINI.. as they have had that issue for years and nobody could fix it..
guess what.. i perform this test on almost every car i work on.. before i start any other diagnosis.. and just before i close the hood.. to verify the electrical system is working as engineered.. trike.. print the test.. perform it on a few cars before you shoot it down.. unless you have a badge on your shirt that says professional parts changer.. instead of automotive professional.. horses.. water. thirsty or not.. will you at least taste this once..