So recently (having been through most of winter) my 2001 Sport has been misbehaving electrically. While the majority of the time it'll crank right over and run like a top these fleeting symptoms show up seemingly at random and in various weather:

1. It'll crank and start and the slowly die off.
2. Key through to ACC/Run and when cranked it'll click like a dead battery. If I hold it to start it'll eventually turn over but no power to the cluster or interior on rare occasions.
3. Alternator gauge will fluctuate between 14 and 14+ and occasionally peg all the way to the right for a random amount of time and then go back to normal while driving.
4. When doing the voltmeter gauge dance I've had the interior power die if I pull my headlights on

I figured the first and best option would be a free batt/alt test from the local parts shop and see if that gives me any insight. Unless those symptoms are glaringly obvious of an issue elsewhere and I'll hop on that.

 

You know the drill:

1. Remove alternator and battery and take them to a shop/store and have them checked.

2. Clean all grounds in the engine bay.

 

just waiting for the lovely rain to subside so I can get wrenching. I'm hoping it's an excuse to drop a blue top in