I would start looking at things like low battery voltage

You nailed it, Derek.

My first clue was when I went to start the car after work tonight and it barely cranked (and I mean barely. It was cranking less than one cylinder over on compression stroke per second -- and it started. (I keep that engine tuned!) My second clue was anytime I turned on any electrical accessory (lights, heater blower, even reverse-lights) the radar detector dropped out. The third clue was when I was almost home, the charge-indicator light on the dash (finally) lit up. My fourth clue was that I put a meter on the battery with the engine running and had 10.5 volts, and revving the engine made no difference whatsoever in the battery voltage (measured both directly on the battery and on the battery cable terminals). My fifth clue was that the battery voltage dropped to 8.5 volts and the engine started missing when I turned on the heater blower.

Gee, I wonder what the problem could be?

Well, I guess I could stop at NAPA on my way home tomorrow (I'll be on my bicycle) and bring home a new alternator. Think that'd help?

tanstaafl.

"There Ain't No Such Thing As A Free Lunch"