I have had an ongoing problem with the charging system on this 87 244. Have replaced battery and alternator, and sent the car with my son to college. At some point he says he got a reading of 14.2 volts with a voltmeter. He then somehow fried the instrument cluster, possibly by attaching the "killer tach wire". I have the car back home now, and can't get a reading past 12.8 volts. The gas gauge, temp gauge and clock work in the cluster, but the speedo and odometer do not. I took it apart, and see a couple of burned items on the circuit bard that is in the speedo housing (not the temp. compensation board). I have checked/cleaned all the other connections that I can think of, including the wires to the 25A fuse on the fender, and everything else seems in order. I had the alternator bench tested and it checks out, also. I am looking to get a replacement cluster, but am curious if the cluster itself has an effect on the alternator recharging the battery. Anyone know or have other suggestions?