alternator?

hey all

ive got a question. in the form of a story... or something like that.

this afternoon i jumped in my 76 galant to drive home. i turned the ignition to on and all seems fine. turn further and the car starts like a charm, but the charge light stays on. now when the ignition is on before starting the motor, the charge light isnt on, car still starts fine, and charge light is on while engine runs.

its never happened before. i managed to get a very brief talk with a friend in and he said that its most likely to do with the alternator. light on while engine on means alternators not charging. all he had time to say was to check that the wires on the alternator were connected. all is good. well... yeah. being fairly new to cars (aiming to change that!) i dont even know what the alternator looks like! i have a fair idea of what it might be, but i want to be sure. there is a green wire hanging around what i think the alternator might be, that looks like it was attached to something, but i cant be sure where. standing at the front of the car its a cylindrical shaped 'thing' behind the battery. would this be the alternator?? if this is the case, that green wire might be my problem. does anyone know what to hook it up to? (is it an earth wire?)

if im looking in the wrong direction completely can someone point me in the right direction?

cheers

ha! I wasn't even looking at the alternator. now that I know what it is... It looks fine. Just some demented diodes or worn brushes or something. my battery isnt flat yet so maybe its the diodes.

u have a 76 Galant? any pics? i wish i owned an oldy like that.

=]

if only i had a camera! pics i will have eventually! it only deserves it!


the guy i got it from, who's now an older bloke, pretty much built it himself on the chrysler line 'coz he worked there. 'coz of that it also had factory servicing etc all its life! chassis is perfect apart from some little dings where the guy bumped his garage coming in or out on one occasion each (was going blind!)! its only done 136,000 on the clock, original engine, never even travelled really far, yadda yadda. beautiful! the sparkling hubs, the perfect 70's lime green... i think i'll go and give it some tlc!

even more choice coz i got it for au$750.