Help us help you. By posting the year, make, model and engine near the beginning of your help request, followed by the symptoms (no start, high idle, misfire etc.) Along with any prevalent Diagnostic Trouble Codes, aka DTCs, other forum members will be able to help you get to a solution more quickly and easily!
1.8V on the alternator case would generally suggest a bad block ground. But lets be clear about your measurements. How exactly were your leads connected during each measurement? Was your meter set to AC voltage, or DC?