|
|
|
#1
|
|||
|
|||
Electrical smell, alt light
My 1985 300 TDT started making that burnt electrical smell this afternoon. The alternater idiot light also came on. I stopped for a few minutes, restarted, and drove home and the light never came on. There is still a slight smell, so something is deffinately wrong. I would like to attempt to fix this myself. Does this sound like the voltage regulater is gone?
Also, for a few months before this, the alt and brake idiot light would stay on after I stared the car at low idle until the engine revved up a bit. Thanks Peter |
#2
|
||||
|
||||
Take a voltmeter and check the voltage coming from the alternator. It does sound like the regulator could be bad. Voltage should go from the battery voltage (~12v) up to about 13.5v at idle and top out at 14v at say 2000 RPM
__________________
"I have no convictions ... I blow with the wind, and the prevailing wind happens to be from Vichy" Current Monika '74 450 SL BrownHilda '79 280SL FoxyCleopatra '99 Chevy Suburban Scarlett 2014 Jeep Cherokee Krystal 2004 Volvo S60 Gone '74 Jeep CJ5 '97 Jeep ZJ Laredo Rudolf ‘86 300SDL Bruno '81 300SD Fritzi '84 BMW '92 Subaru '96 Impala SS '71 Buick GS conv '67 GTO conv '63 Corvair conv '57 Nomad |
#3
|
|||
|
|||
I will check the voltage this afternoon. Does anyone know if a smell is associated with a bad voltage regulator?
I read the DIY on Diesel giant. It looks like the voltage regulator has two brushes on it. Are these the brushes that "pick-up" the electricity, or are there more brushes in the alternator? It seems like a really smart system were you can just change the small part. I can only imagine how many garages who don't know any better just change the whole alternator and charge the customer big bucks. |
#4
|
||||
|
||||
The regulator, which is mounted at the back of the alternator and comes out with a couple of screws, is indeed the place where the generated electricity is "removed" from the alternator and sent out to the "consumers" (as Mercedes calls them). It is possible that the regulator is the source of your burned smell.
A garage will charge you about $300 to change the whole alternator. You can change just the regulator for about $50.
__________________
"Buster" in the '95 Our all-Diesel family 1996 E300D (W210) . .338,000 miles Wife's car 2005 E320 CDI . . 113,000 miles My car Santa Rosa population 176,762 (2022) Total. . . . . . . . . . . . 627,762 "Oh lord won't you buy me a Mercedes Benz." -- Janis Joplin, October 1, 1970 |
#5
|
||||
|
||||
a smell from the alternator is unlikely to make it into the cabin of the car.
more likely, you have an electrical short somewhere in the cabin. My bet is blower motor associated... it's stinky when an electrical part overloads, and the blower motor is in the cabin.
__________________
John HAUL AWAY, OR CRUSHED CARS!!! HELP ME keep the cars out of the crusher! A/C Thread "as I ride with my a/c on... I have fond memories of sweaty oily saturdays and spewing R12 into the air. THANKS for all you do! My drivers: 1987 190D 2.5Turbo 1987 190D 2.5Turbo 1987 190D 2.5-5SPEED!!! 1987 300TD 1987 300TD 1994GMC 2500 6.5Turbo truck... I had to put the ladder somewhere! |
#6
|
|||
|
|||
Simple rule of electrical. If it smells it is getting hot. Feel various components or wires for excess heat. Occasionaly following your nose helps as well.
|
#7
|
||||
|
||||
Yeah Toast!!
I smell toast again. |
#8
|
||||
|
||||
Or following the smoke/fire.
|
#9
|
|||
|
|||
So I checked the voltage this afternoon.
Battery 12.6 Alternator at idle 13.6 Alternator revved 13.8 I took out the voltage regulator and the brushes looked a little short, so I will change that. I don't think the smell came from in the cabin. The AC was off and the back window was open and my son in the back noticed the smell first. I drove it for 25 miles today and it seemed fine? Smell seems to be gone. One thing I did notice when I was looking under the hood is there is a groove worn in the top of one of the belts that turns the alternator. Any more ideas? Thanks Peter |
#10
|
||||
|
||||
Yeah, replace that belt!
__________________
"I have no convictions ... I blow with the wind, and the prevailing wind happens to be from Vichy" Current Monika '74 450 SL BrownHilda '79 280SL FoxyCleopatra '99 Chevy Suburban Scarlett 2014 Jeep Cherokee Krystal 2004 Volvo S60 Gone '74 Jeep CJ5 '97 Jeep ZJ Laredo Rudolf ‘86 300SDL Bruno '81 300SD Fritzi '84 BMW '92 Subaru '96 Impala SS '71 Buick GS conv '67 GTO conv '63 Corvair conv '57 Nomad |
#11
|
||||
|
||||
are you sure it's a groove "worn" into the belt?
older belts have cords in them that can shred. if that's it, REPLACE that sucker... you better get power steering and A/C belts too... they all gotta come off to change that alt belt. I can't think of anything that would wear a groove in the belt, but if it is worn, get in there with a light and find what is hitting the belt.
__________________
John HAUL AWAY, OR CRUSHED CARS!!! HELP ME keep the cars out of the crusher! A/C Thread "as I ride with my a/c on... I have fond memories of sweaty oily saturdays and spewing R12 into the air. THANKS for all you do! My drivers: 1987 190D 2.5Turbo 1987 190D 2.5Turbo 1987 190D 2.5-5SPEED!!! 1987 300TD 1987 300TD 1994GMC 2500 6.5Turbo truck... I had to put the ladder somewhere! |
Bookmarks |
|
|