Alternator belt broke. Put an old one on & it refused to stop squeeling.

[warning to all: I broke two fingers & lost the end of my middle finger in the fan trying to shut it up. I'm not joking.. I'm wearing finger splints & bandages & after a ride with the paramedics & numerous visits to the local hospital since last week, I have a still unhealed bloody & bitten-off hotdog for a finger --- it took a split second to permanently maim myself & I am usually a cautious person. Think of me & all those guys you've known with missing digits the next time you impulsively reach towards an engine while it's running. BTW we think my dog Petey ate the finger. End of sermon.]

A couple of days later, it cranked slow but started. I thought "belt slipping." Humbled & dismembered, I put some "belt dressing" on it with my good hand. Ran okay. Started & restarted throughout the day but the "as-seen-on-TV battery condition/charging system analyzer" plugged in the cigar lighter said "poor/fair" and the battery was dead by sundown. Got a jump start. Headlights were bright. Headed home & after about 20 minutes of driving it started losing power but would "limp." Then it "caught" and ran perfectly fine for a mile. Then it would only limp. Next morning, I put a fresh battery in but it won't start; even with the AMM disconnected. There is good spark at the plug I checked. No misfire or sputter.

I don't have a garage, I'm in pain & not used to working with one left-handed, so, I can't easily leap right in & start fixing things. I replaced the OD solenoid on another Volvo & it was frustrating & time consuming. I thought maybe I'd present the symptoms via my new 8-finger typing style & see if anybody has any clues. I'm going to ask someone to crank it while I look to see if the rocker-arms are moving.