Re: Alternator -- 707HD chrys.
Your engine will either have a finned black aluminum box about 2 X 3 inches screwed onto the starter mount with three screws or it will have a 3 X 3 square finned red senelium rectifier.
You can put a VOM across the red terminal of the finned aluminum can and a ground and should see voltage.
For the seleniun rectifier, I think the center terminal is the pulsing DC. If your engine has a small aluminum can about 1 X3 inches, that is a trip regulator. check betweeen the red wire there and ground.
However, without a multimeter, you can still test. That elecronic ignition or battery and points ( if it still has them for ignition), uses a LOT of power. Simply disconnect the negative battery lead for a second while the engine is running. It won't hurt the electronic box and the engine will stall right away if the alternatior is not delivering power.
Practically speaking, if you start the engine and run it for about an hour on the water, if it will restart, the alternator has replaced the power used for the ignition and is working.
BTW: the engine in the avatar has a voltmeter on the dash. The voltmeter is about 1 volt off and reads lower than my vom. While running, the load from the electronic ignition and electronic distributor is so great that the meter reads 11 volts (actual 12) This is considered below the normal charging threshold. However, when stopped, even after extended running, the battery will read 12-12.5 on the dashboard voltmeter and 13-13.5 on the vom. The battery never runs down and the engine always starts.
