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Problem solved with new voltage regulator.
I noticed the warning lights along the bottom of the instrument cluster were flickering.
The specific lights are the Service, Battery, Parking Brake, Brake Failure and Bulb Failure lights. They seemed to flicker brighter when at low RPM (idling) and less when driving. The Battery light seemed to flicker brighter than the others and is the one most visible when driving. Oddly at some RPM and in some gears all the lights go out.
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Postings indicated that this was very likely a failing voltage regulator (or worn out brushes in the alternator). Posting indicated that cars at 150K miles would have worn brushes.
One posting mentioned that there is a special electrical device (diode?) on the old voltage regulator (BOSCH #1 197 311 008) that is not on the replacement (BOSCH #1 197 311 028). This was reportedly why the lights flicker. This electric component is missing on the new part.
Another posting indicated that the warning lights flicker was due to the alternator not putting out enough charge so the battery was feeding the wire when the alternator output dropped to low - causing the flicker.
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Note the BOSCH numbers are changing with some frequency. During my search they were overlapped between 1 197 311 022 and 1 197 311 028. Also note the manual says it is supposed to be a 0 197 311 008 and it was a 1 197 311 008.
And not thank you to the factory for stripping the bottom screw head and requiring me to remove the alternator to get leverage on the screw head with a slot wrench.
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On returning home from the drive I aborted, due to the flickering lights and I had a 12.5+ charge on the battery. I had crisis to manage and had to drive the car. After a 4+mile drive it was down to 12.4 and after another 2+mile drive it was down to 12.38.
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The car now starts immediately and it does not take 3 turns of the starter before the engine fires. This extra work on the part of the starter has been going on for several years and the voltage regulator's worn brushes are suspected as contributing to multiple starting failures over the last few years.
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