i have an 86 230GE when i bought it it didn't run or any thing i got i running, as of now it is pull start only. i was looking at the battery the fluid was below half in all the cells so i hooked it up to another battery the lights and starter worked. how can i test to see if its putting off a charge? i've taken out the battery and have been running it with out one so it must be making some power right?
i've put a test light on the loose wires and got nothing.
is there any way to make the starter and head light work with out a battery?
i don't want to buy a battery if i wouln't charge it please keep in mind this is a very bugeted project i'd like to keep from putting much money into it

 

take the battery and top it off with distilled water and put it on a charger and then see if it holds a charge, as for charging if it runs without the battery its charging some but you wont know till you have a battery in it to test the system. and when you hooked it up to another battery and had it running you need to take a volt meter not a test light and hook it up to the battery and see what the reading is. and without a battery the starter wont work

 

Take the other 12 volt battery which you used before to test the starter and lights, and hook it up, jumper cables will be ok. Get a base reading on battery voltage, before turning on the key. Use a digital voltmeter if posible. Now start the motor and at an idle, check the voltage, it might be about the same as the beginning voltage reading. Now rev it slowly up to about 5 grand, the voltage should rise with the rpms, and as long as its above the beginning voltage, the charging system is working. It should get over 14. volts to be really good. Now try it with the lights on,...it should still charge at 3000rpm and up.
Unlike an alternator, a stator needs rpms to put out meaningful voltage.

 

ill try those things but is there a way to make the head light work with out a battery?