DBF

So I stop at an automotive electrics shop on the way home tonite to pick their brains and to possibly grab a new regulator. After talking with a couple of the techs, they convinced me that if the regulator is generating @ 14v, than my idiot light problem is something else. One of them grabbed a regulator and showed me where the blue wire (exciter) gets it's feed from the reg. He mentioned that it is more than likely the rectifier plate. That's big bucks. He checked his supplier and, of course, they never had one. I decided to come home and take the alt off and have them bench test it tomorrow ($5 + tax). I removed the regulator and found the brushes extremely worn and all the contacts and the entire alt chassis covered in carbon. I even fished out a couple of old dead bugs. I took a com stick and polished up the exciter contacts and reassembled everything. I'm sort of hoping all it needs is a good wash, to be blown out and a new regulator installed. Any comments? I never put the alt back on the car as I don't have a garage, my gravel driveway is a quagmire and it is dark now. We'll see what tomorrow brings. BTW, on the way home my shoe phone rings. It's the old lady. My '98 F150 is bucking and sputtering and the check engine light is on. It never ends........

Dan