I have a 1981 245. It has an external voltage regulator. However, it lacks the wiring between the voltage regulator and alternator. Hmmm...I wonder if it has an internal regulator? What would an internal look like? Do I need a voltage regulator? I've been driving with it in this condition for a year. The reason that I am asking these questions is to find out what might be causing my car to stall or the radio to turn off and then back on, now and again. So, if anyone wants to help me out, thanks.
Rob
Steam Spring

Chris' description seems to apply to a lot of these older 240's - our 81 arrived into our family with an external regulator sitting on the inner fender panel with no wiring connections, and an internally regulated alternator charging merrily away. It may be that the internally regulated alternators are now the std replacement when the OE goes south.
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Bob (son's 81-244GL B21F, dtr's 83-244DL B23F, 'my' 94-944 B230FD; plus grocery-getter Dodge minivan, hobbycar 77 MGB, and a few old motorcycles)

Hi Rob,
The alternator has been switched for the newer, internal regulator type at some point. It's integrated into the brush pack on the back side of the regulator, a sort of elliptical beige bit with a raised black centre, held on to the alternator with two phillips screws. It wouldn't charge at all without the regulator. It's likely that your problem lies either with a bad ground to the chassis/block or with bad contacts between the fuses & fuse holders. Remove the fuses (keeping track of which amperage went where) and clean the ends of the fuses, and the contacts on the panel with a wire brush or emery cloth. Apply some dielectric grease to the contacts, and try again. This area is a notorious cause of intermittent electrical faults because the ends of the fuses are so prone to oxidation.
-Chris
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Chris, Dartmouth NS Canada 70 M-B 280SE, 83 245DL, 84 244 turbo, 90 780 turbo, 92 VW Golf

Thanks much Chris. I took all the wires off most of the fuses/whatnot and cleaned the blades. Everything seems to work fine now. Thanks.