After fixing some seriously rotten wiring adjecent to the grey connector plug on the fire wall, my alternator does not seem to be charging, nor is the idiot light on in the dash panel, with the key in position II. I have tested for continuity between the spade fitting on the red wire (idiot light circuit) at the alternator, and the end of the wire where it comes out from under the intake manifold, all OK. after cutting out the grey connection, the wire on the fire wall/ light side of the connector touched to the frame produces a healthy glow from the dash. Upon splicing these two together (basically just eliminating the grey connector and a inch of rotten wire), I get no Batt/Alt light from the dash in key position II, and when the spade fitting at the Alt is grounded to the frame (as suggested on this site) ALL the idiot lights come on. Is this normal?; I do not remember ALL of the lights at the bottom of the dash display coming on in key position II. So my question is, is there a circuit inside my alternator that is broken, some reason the dash light will not work, and the aslternator will not charge? Why does touching this red wire to the frame light up my dash like a X-mas tree? The start to this whole week long saga of a sad volvo, all the dash lights were flickering and dimly glowing, like they do when grounding out this wire, and then the batterey lost it's charege after a few more starts... alerting me to the charging issue. Any help out there, alternator experts?