A quick diagnosis with a dead battery might be made easier if you could quickly determine if it's your stator or your R/R. Or will it be roasting if it's dead?

Not Sure

However, when mine died, it was still getting warm/hot. So I would guess that it'll always be warm, if it's making good contact with the stator.

Your local dealer might be able to bench test your R/R for you. Call them first to make sure they have that capability.

If you can get the engine to run, the stator should be at least warm.

In order to regulate the electricity it has to dissipate some energy. The only way to do that is through resistors, and that turns right into heat.

What i have found is that when rr's are going bad they overheat.