3 years  ago I was struggling to sort out some nasty electrical problems with help from SteveJ. During the process i replaced the original VR wih a new one, in hopes that it would solve the problem or at least overcome some of them. Image attached.

Two weeks ago after driving at night I was left stranded with a dead battery. Cause? The new and improved VR was dead, so I pulled dug out the original and re-installed it.  Problem solved. Keeping all of my old parts from now on.

Edited April 17, 20169 yr by awconroy
image

It's not a bad thing over all.  Keeping receipts is something I didn't start until I was thirty.  I use them all the time now. Helps me know I'm not nuts.

4 hours ago, awconroy said:

Two weeks ago after driving at night I was left stranded with a dead battery. Cause? The new and improved VR was dead, 

Where'd you get the new one?  So the rest of us can avoid it.  I've read about some of the early solid-state VR's having problems but it seemed like they had them fixed.

older chrysler ignition modules are the same way. keep a spare in the glove box

11 hours ago, Zed Head said:

Where'd you get the new one?  So the rest of us can avoid it.  I've read about some of the early solid-state VR's having problems but it seemed like they had them fixed.

Rock Auto, but the receipt indicates it was a "Close-Out", so it may have been the last of that bunch. Lucky me.

 

Edited April 18, 20169 yr by awconroy

for those wanting to keep it old-school, i picked up a new replacement VR from oreilly's today.  i was somewhat suprised by this, but instead of being a SS board type, it uses copper coils and contacts.

http://www.oreillyauto.com/site/c/detail/IDI0/290155/02115.oap?year=1974&make=Nissan&model=260Z&vi=5142642&ck=Search_voltage+regulator_5142642_3934&keyword=voltage+regulator#itemDetailTab_

it worked out-of-the-box with no adjustment. at 2k rpm with the headlights off my meter stopped at 14.9v. probably more durable to boot.