WARNING...maybe, certainly an inspection point, 1985 300D Federal. - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

FRANKNBENZ · #1 01-20-2008, 06:29 PM

Squealing belts and rattling noise led me to the alternator on my newest used car, Silver Bullet. What I found folks might wish to put on their maintenance inspection lists:

1. Loose belts.
2. Adjustment nut device bending 5 degrees out of line.
(I decided to remove the unit, clean everything, check things out).
3. Lower (pivot) bolt sheared at threaded receiver (causing the rattling at idle).
4. Sheared situation caused the lower holes on the alternator "shroud" to oval. Will require replacement of the shroud bracket.
(Removed alternator).
5. Upper alternator adjustment stamped plate cracked or broken through in three places. Inspection caught this just in time for a MIG job quick fix.
6. Nub of the pivot bolt still stuck in the mount plate. Tight quarters above and below. Tried several techniques to remove, no luck.
7. Getting the alternator-to-engine mount plate out of the car is a big deal: four nuts on the plate face, one bolt behind the balancer (requires removal of fan, pulley, and fabricate of a tool from flat stock and a trimmed 17mm 3/8dr socket. This mount is aluminum, the inserts for the bolt threads a steel alloy.

Did everything I could think of to remove the nub of the threaded bolt end, to no avail. Taking it to a machine shop tomorrow.

While this is a pain, I have learned a lot. Buying that MIG welder and continuing to learn how to make specialty tools with it more than returned the $450 I paid for it. (Fixed the seat belt receiver guide on Sweetness with it in about 45 minutes).

Just suggesting therefore folks add this to their checklists for wonderful geezer diesels. Good luck on your projects.

Frank

PS. I'll be leaving 25 JAN, going to Pakistan to do some construction work for Uncle Sam. May or may not be able to access the forum, depends on INTERNET service in the places I'll be working.