Chirping sounds more like bearings than brushes (though anything is possible).

You can remove/replace the regulator with the alternator still installed.
Fairly easy, remove the two screws and 'tilt' the regulator out to clear
the brushes (The brush springs should lean the regulator in the right
direction to guide the tilt).

If the brushes are shot, replacement is fairly easy if you have a medium to
large soldering iron and know how to use it (the tiny little circuit-board
types may not be able to heat the connection up enough to melt the
solder... if you can't get the old brushes to melt off, you won't get the
new ones on without a bigger iron).

Good luck!

Tim

At 08:02 AM 9/29/2005 -0700, roger sisler wrote:
>I am getting this  intermittant chirpping , ecpecially when cold. At first
>I thought it was wheel bearings in the rear. Then I figured it was my new
>(10 hours to replace) water pump  about to go south. Finally I snuck up on
>this noise this morning and discovered not a nest  of little birds, but a
>bird like sound coming from the rear of the alt.  There is this  bird like
>chirping coming from the rear of the altenator though. The voltage at my
>new auxillery battery is 13.25 V. I think it is suposed ot be about 13.5 ,
>or 14 volts. Could this be the end for the brushes? I see that the voltage
>regulater is ez to remove. Can this be done with the altenator still
>installed?I see that vendors sell new brushes forabout $3. the Bentley
>says that these can be resoldered on. Is this a good way to go?
>
>
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