Have them test the rebuilt Alternator before you leave the store. Knowing that the rebuilt one works will help you if you still have a no charging problem after it is installed.

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84 300D, 82 Volvo 244Gl Diesel

Sage advice that is....but im already home with it. my parts counter can test stuff right there anyways. so here's to hoping. its the bosch rebuild, at least its not an autozoo special.

dd

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'85 300D, 'Lance',250k, ... winter beater (100k on franken-Frybrid 3 Valve Kit)
'82 300D, 'Tex', 228k body / 170k engine ... summer car
'83 300TD Cali Wagon 210k, wife's car

It was indeed the alternator. Replaced the alternator yesterday with a lot of help from forum member Paul66ct. Started up last night and its charging at 14.2V.

Two people makes the alternator job so much easier. Having someone on both top and bottom makes lining up the bolts much less of a pain.

A non pictorial write-up:

.5.) If you are like me, you know something is very wrong electrically - like you have no power to anything :-) . You know you can run the engine, but will not be able to start it again without a jump. Put car on ramps. Of course you can always jack it up high later on. I like the ramps for this job.

1.) Come to the conclusion that it is indeed the alternator (troubleshooting discussed earlier). Order a new alternator....take you current battery out and charge it. You need to start with a freshly charged battery, and not a jump (so says the Bosch alternator pamphlet).

If you are hankering for more power than the 65A alternator provides (bio/WVO heaters, big stereo, ground-effects lighting etc.) - this is the time to look into it. There are other threads on 115A alternators. I stayed with the 65A.

When buying, if possible, have counter guy check the rebuilt alternator to make sure it works.

Also realize this isn't a bad time to change all of your belts if they need it.

2.) Remove air cleaner assembly. I think this helps a lot and is completely worth the 10 minutes, although its not totally required. Cover the air-cleaner oil return and turbo intake with a clean rag or plastic bag. No sense getting stuff in either of these areas.

3.) Loosen the two alternator bolts (one is a long bolt, the other is a nut on the other end of the adjusting bolt) and the the third alternator bracket bolt that lets the bracket swing around. This is easiest with a short 3/8" ratched. All bolts are 17mm.

4.) Loosen the 13mm belt tension adjusting nut enough to get the belts off the pulley. No more than that though, see next step.

5.) You now need to remove the infamous $42 tension adjusting bolt. On my 300D's there is a metal tab that must be bent back allowing the nut to move out of the slot, allowing removal of the entire bolt. Move the bolt out and up, then down around the tab. Removal is with the bolt adjusting thread pointing at the right front wheel.

6.) Remove the electrical connection on the back on the alternator. Check for corrosion. Clean with a thin file or sandpaper, then blast with contact cleaner. Let dry while finishing the rest.

7.) Remove the bottom bolt - the alternator will now drop out.

8.) Now its time to switch the pulley and fan assembly. Spray PB blaster on the 22mm bolt holding the pulley one. Heat it if needed. An impact wrench would be best here - we used a breaker bar and a screwdriver jammed into the fan. It worked after much heating and PB laster. The pulley will not come off easily - a gear puller would be the easiest. Paul got it off using two screwdrivers as levers, and a mallet for persuasion. Lots of PB blaster was used.

9.) Install pulley and fan on to new alternator. Tighten 22mm bolt. We used blue loctite on it.

10.) Put alternator back in from the bottom. First install the bottom bolt, leave loose.

11.) Next install the adjusting bolt. the hardest part of the enitre job is getting the bolt in and through the long tubular spacer that came out when you removed it before. This takes a couple tries. We lined up the psaced from the other side using a random bolt to hold it in place. With Paul holding/moving the alternator from the bottom, I fished the bolt through from the top.

12.) Tighten the bolts until they are almost tight, then back off a couple turns. Put the belts back on.

13.) Bend the metal tab back on the adjustment bolt area. Some will be inclined to dremel it off. I used a pair of large channel-lock pliers to bend it back. Be mindful that the tab cannot touch the moving belts.

14.) Tighten the belts with the adjusting nut. If you have a belt gauge tighten the belts to 30nm for a near new belt, or 20-25 nm for a used belt. Or 'tight enough' if you don't have a belt gauge. Note, if you need to change all of your belts, this isn't a bad time.

15.) Tighten the 3-17mm bolts to lock the alternator in place.

16.) Re-attach electrical connection.

17.) Reinstall the air cleaner assembly. Be sure to line the oil return line up...

18.) Reinstall your freshly charged battery into the car. NOTE: make sure you installed the battery AFTER the alternator's electrical connection. You can damage the diodes in the new alternator by doing it the other way around.

19.) Re-check. Tools all out, electrical connections solid, etc.

20.) Start car. Check battery terminals with voltmeter set on DC. if you have ~14V at the terminals of the battery you have yourself a working, charging alternator again. Congrats!

21.) Optional: Help your friend in garage bay next to you change spark plugs on Subaru WRX. Realize how nice it is to work on an old, spacious engine bay.

22.) Dont forget to return the core alternator.

Thanks for all of the help! and again thanks to Paul66ct who had done this before...

dd

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'85 300D, 'Lance',250k, ... winter beater (100k on franken-Frybrid 3 Valve Kit)
'82 300D, 'Tex', 228k body / 170k engine ... summer car
'83 300TD Cali Wagon 210k, wife's car