Not Charging - Non-MB - Page 2 - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

Shawn T. W. · #16 10-15-2009, 09:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by binder123

Those Leece-Neville alternators are pretty universal, you can get them at about any truck dealership. My experience (over 24 yrs in the school bus business- I'm a dealer) has been that at least one of the major truck OE dealerships (Int'l, Freightliner, Volvo, KW/Pete) will have that alternator on their monthly flier for between $200 and $300 for a brand new unit- not rebuilt. Typically the aftermarket suppliers like NAPA and Carquest are higher, but I don't know why. Last month, the local Freightliner group had them for $279.

As far as the rest of the bus being "junk", the 2005 Internationals (IC Corp actually) were a completely new model. This was the first school bus to have a fully multi-plexed electrical system, as well as the first generation VT365 engine, and the originally troublesome Meritor "Full-Power" hydraulic brake system. The 2005 and early 2006 IC Corp BE200 buses are some of the most troublesome school buses in memory, especially compared to the 2004 models which were some of the best buses ever!

Here's the good news though. IC Corporation has fixes for all of the known problems these buses have, and in most cases a "service-driven" dealership can perform these upgrades at no cost to you, even before the problem occurs. They call it "Uptime Policies". Items covered by this policy include (off the top of my head): brake rotors with rusted tone rings, EGR valves, EGR coolers and seals, Turbochargers, VVT actuators, IPR valves, brake system ECU.

I'm sure that the bus has been a royal pain, but our experience has been that the buses actually become the reliable units that International is known for, when these uptime repairs are finally done. We've had good results anyway, and we deal with about 600 buses per year.

It's been no different with the 2008 Freightliner/Thomas C-2s, and the 2004 Bluebird Visions. They all had tons of problems with the new models.

Good Luck, and let me know if I can help!
Russ

Most of that I know, but nobody had a alt on sale . . . the problem we have found it that our "local" Intl dealer whom we bought the bus from is 100 miles away in Tucson, we are in the boonies! (Zip 85625) So we waste 16 man hours to take the bus in for our "free" warranty work, and it has been taking 3-4 weeks to get the bus done, and twice in the last year since I have been with the school, we went to pick up the bus, and had to turn around and take it back for them to fix it right!

I had to fight with them this past spring when we had the egr go on it, they tried to tell me that because we had green coolant that it had voided the warranty on the engine! $1800 later . . . (Yeah I paid cuz I wanted the bus back) I finally was able to show them Intl paper work which said that it came from the factory with either red or green, depending on which plant it was made in! They also tried to tell me that the red has a higher boiling point, which is not true! I got them to admit that they owed us our money back, and they cut us a check!

What's your fix for those cheesy seats? we have a handicap bus, so we can have a combination of chair strap downs & seats, the seats use those little funny bolts which the heads break off every year, and the frames need to be re-welded every year, those frames are made out of really thin steel!

We have air brakes . . .

Diesel911 · #17 10-16-2009, 02:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shawn T. W.

Hey! How did you find that?

I searched and couldn't find it, and when I called them they couldn't find a cross reference, but they called someone of their suppliers and came up with it!

I went to thie site:http://www.napaonline.com/

When the page opens on the left side about mid way down is: Search NAPA Catalog Using PartsPRO SE Click on that.

That takes you to the next page. At the top Left of the page in the Search Box I Entered the International Alternator part number that was in your photos of the Alternator.

Below the Search Box are 3 choices. Key word, Part Number (they mean the NAPA part number) and the last choice Interchange.
I selected Interchange and got that info on the Alternator.

The Interchange thing does not always get you what you want as often they have several items that will come up because different makers are using the same part number or they simply do not have the item number on file.

It also works with some Mercedes part numbers.

I think it is funny that NAPA does not know how to work their own system!

Shawn T. W. · #18 10-16-2009, 08:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Diesel911

I went to thie site:http://www.napaonline.com/

When the page opens on the left side about mid way down is: Search NAPA Catalog Using PartsPRO SE Click on that.

That takes you to the next page. At the top Left of the page in the Search Box I Entered the International Alternator part number that was in your photos of the Alternator.

Below the Search Box are 3 choices. Key word, Part Number (they mean the NAPA part number) and the last choice Interchange.
I selected Interchange and got that info on the Alternator.

The Interchange thing does not always get you what you want as often they have several items that will come up because different makers are using the same part number or they simply do not have the item number on file.

It also works with some Mercedes part numbers.

I think it is funny that NAPA does not know how to work their own system!

Once again the voice of EXPERIENCE comes through! The main reason I like this forum so much, I knew somebody would be able to help me!

I like Napa don't get me wrong . . . but, sometimes . . . it seems that there is a disconnect there . . . atleast they knew who to call to get me what I needed, AutoZone called around, but still was not able to help!

Thanx!

lutzTD · #19 10-16-2009, 09:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Diesel911

I think it is funny that NAPA does not know how to work their own system!

sadly, not funny and very common. they hire high school kids now. I used to be able to go in and ask for a part for an engine or drivetrain part and they would know what I needed. now without the VIN they are completely helpless. glad you got your part, maybe since its pretty common you can find a local alt rebuilder and have a spare on the shelf

#20 10-16-2009, 10:11 AM

Don't you have a local automotive electrical shop? They might be called Auto Electric, or Starter Alternator Regulator shop.

These guys specialize in such work and can probably do a good fix for a fraction of the cost of new.

babymog · #21 10-16-2009, 10:24 AM

You should go to the Prestolite site, select Leece-Neville, go through the selector guide, choose a J-180 mount 200a alternator with internal regulator, then buy that part somewhere online new.

There are many choices.

Diesel911 · #22 10-16-2009, 12:09 PM

I took a look at the Prestolite site: http://www.prestolite.com/ And, looked under Support.
And, found they have a Troubleshooting section:http://www.prestolite.com/pgs_support/trouble_shoot_1.php

Although the regulator was slightly different.

And, they have some sort of PDF training manuals that I am downloading one of the take a look at.

Diesel911 · #23 10-16-2009, 12:39 PM

Went to: http://www.prestolite.com/pgs_products/alt_search.php and entered the
Alternator part number from the picture of the Alternator and came up with the below pic.

I clicked on the Prestolite part number and found they have a spec sheet with links to Technical Bulletins
http://www.prestolite.com/pgs_products/specs.php?item_detail_id=19445&item=A0014863JBH&product=ALTERNATOR

Shawn T. W. · #24 10-16-2009, 01:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Diesel911

Went to: http://www.prestolite.com/pgs_products/alt_search.php and entered the
Alternator part number from the picture of the Alternator and came up with the below pic.

I clicked on the Prestolite part number and found they have a spec sheet with links to Technical Bulletins
http://www.prestolite.com/pgs_products/specs.php?item_detail_id=19445&item=A0014863JBH&product=ALTERNATOR

Yeah, I found that tech bulletin and went in to school after my lunch break yesterday, and was going to diagnose it, but by the time he got back it was "screeching" and I didn't want to mess with it anymore . . . there is a $100 core charge, so I'm gonna give it back to them . . . obviouslly the "screeching" was more than a regulator or brushes, which I was hoping was the problem, and I was prepared to fix that, but did not want to go deeper.

I did find that there was a alt repair shop in Tucson (100 miles away) but that it was gonna be a week or more to get it back . . . 400 miles of traveling didn't seem worth it, neither did shipping a 35 pound alt for that slow of service . . .

Anyways Napa should be calling me in a few hours and tell me it is in!

Shawn T. W. · #25 10-16-2009, 08:22 PM

OK, so now I'm confused

I put the new alt in and it does not make juice!

It is not EXACTLY the same as the old one as far as the wire connectors go, there is a stud on the new alternator that was not on the old one, it is had labeled as "ICM" I only removed the Positive & Negative wires from the old one, and put it on the new one . . .

We do have a "battery isolator" because we have two banks of batteries, the "running set" was the one being drained the most and was at 12.06v, the other battery runs a wheelchair lift and was at 12.58v, when I started it up the volts dropped . . . the more I reved it up (up to 2000 rpm) the more the volts dropped . . . went down to 11.34v!

If I put the meter on the neg and pos post on the alt it also drops as rpm increases!

What is going on? Did I get a dud? What is that "ICM" post for?

I did not have my camera with me, but I can go back down if it will help.

Also ended up shattering the cast iron shaft using a puller to get the puller off . . . Oh what a day!

kerry · #26 10-16-2009, 09:43 PM

'ICM" stands for Ignition Control Module. Can you disconnect the battery isolator and leave only the main bank hooked up and see what happens?

babymog · #27 10-16-2009, 11:03 PM

I'm guessing that the ICM stud needs +12v from the ignition switch to fire up the alternator.

Prestolite's website will have the manual online also.

Shawn T. W. · #28 10-16-2009, 11:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by babymog

I'm guessing that the ICM stud needs +12v from the ignition switch to fire up the alternator.

Prestolite's website will have the manual online also.

Ok, maybe tomorrow, I'll run a jumper over to it and see what happens!

Diesel911 · #29 10-17-2009, 12:57 AM

I have seen Battery Isolators go bad on 2 Campers and 1 Motor Home.

Seems like the weak link in the system.

Shawn T. W. · #30 10-17-2009, 08:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Diesel911

I have seen Battery Isolators go bad on 2 Campers and 1 Motor Home.

Seems like the weak link in the system.

Alright I'll bypass that 1st . . . Thanks!(Again!)