Can someone help? I need to drive my dart tomorrow
The easy check is to clip the positive lead of your voltmeter to the the regulator connection, and negative lead to ground. It should be the same voltage as the battery positive and the alternator output. If it is, then the problem is in the regulator. If its lower, then the problem is in the wiring.
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I know what you are trying to say but this does not explain things well
If you check this RUNNING and the problem is a VR that is "full fielding" the alternator, this test is meaningless. This is PARTLY why I always tell guys to check this way:
Leave engine OFF turn key to RUN
Hook one voltmeter lead to the VR IGN terminal, the other to battery POS post. You are hoping for a very low voltage zero would be perfect. Any voltage at this point will be ADDED to a properly working VR, AKA let's say you measure 1.8V in this test, and IF the VR is working OK, this means the charging voltage is gonna be about 14 + 1.8 or 15.8V
The kind of voltage the OP is seeing is likely NOT a VR problem "except."
I would look for............
Badly grounded VR
Wiring problem at the alternator field connections, IE the VR green wire grounded as in say, broken missing insulators in the brush holders
Maybe a completely failed VR.....with engine running, unplug VR and see if it quits charging.
DO NOT DRIVE the car with this situation. You will ruin or explode the battery, and burn up other parts like lights and electronics
