Alright folks, so I have a reman bosch alternator ready to be installed but today i decided to investigate why the battery light doesn't illuminate at all when I turn the key on. Pulled the cluster and swapped the bulb for one of the other known working bulbs that matched it. Guess what... still doesn't illuminate!

O.K. ~ at the plug going into the back of the alternator are two wires, one is very skinny and blue ~ if you ground it with the key on the dashboard light should (must) come on when you turn the key on .

If it doesn't there's an OPEN circuit and now you get the fun (?) of tracing it .

__________________
-Nate
1982 240D 408,XXX miles
Ignorance is the mother of suspicion and fear is the father

I did then what I knew how to do ~ now that I know better I do better

Update!

So I replaced the alternator with a remanufactured bosch unit and fired up the car..

everything seems to be functioning correctly! When I check the battery with the car off I get around 12.75 volts and with the car running I'm getting approx 14.25 volts.

Only thing is.. the battery light still doesn't illuminate when I turn the key in the ignition.

Is it possible the PO did something to eliminate the light? I know they replaced the alternator once and battery 5 times to try and solve the issue.

Thanks everyone for all your help!