hey all.

I'm in a bit of a bind, I just drove to Columbus Ohio from Brooklyn, and the last hour or so of my ride I was getting a really strong sulfur smell. When I finally parked it was AWFUL.


So the battery is overcharging, I could hear the fluid bubbling and steam was coming out of a small hole in the battery, plus...the terrible smell.

I was thinking I could disconnect the alternator and just drive in a straight shot, but I'll lose too many electronics right?

I have limited tools, and I need to drive back to NY on the 27th. And now its Christmas so options for help are limited.

Any advice so I don't actually explode? I'm in a real bind here

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1985 300D Surfblau "Blueberry" 250K R.I.P
1984 300CD Manila Beige "The Banana" 238K R.I.P
1984 300TD Cypress Green "Olive" 390K (M.I.A.)
1982 300D Orient Red "Steak" 195K
1985 Euro 300TD Lapis Blue “Pancake” 200k KM
1982 300D Light Ivory “Butter” 183k
1984 300TD Black “Pepper” 55k

Maybe the voltage regulator is shot?

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1998 Ford Escort ZX2 5 speed - 279,000 miles My Daily

1992 Mercedes 300D 2.5 202,000 - Pure junk
2000 Mercedes E320 Black - 136,000 miles - Needs repair

Don't forget to grease the screw and threads on the spring compressor.

Thank you, I'm going to go poking around with my voltmeter in the morning to see what I can figure out.


Any ideas for making it back to NY without catastrophe?

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1985 300D Surfblau "Blueberry" 250K R.I.P
1984 300CD Manila Beige "The Banana" 238K R.I.P
1984 300TD Cypress Green "Olive" 390K (M.I.A.)
1982 300D Orient Red "Steak" 195K
1985 Euro 300TD Lapis Blue “Pancake” 200k KM
1982 300D Light Ivory “Butter” 183k
1984 300TD Black “Pepper” 55k

Which car are you driving?

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2004 F150 4.6L -My Daily
2007 Volvo XC70 -Wife's Daily
1998 Ford F150 -Rear ended
1989 J-spec 420SEL -passed onto its new keeper
1982 BMW 733i -fixed and traded for the 420SEL
2003 Volvo V70 5 Speed -scrapped
1997 E290 Turbo Diesel Wagon -traded for above
1992 BMW 525i -traded in
1990 Silver 300TE -hated the M103
1985 Grey 380SE Diesel Conversion, 2.47 rear end, ABS -Sold, really should have kept this one
1979 Silver 300D "The Silver Slug" -Sold

Looks like your only option is to buy an alternator at Autozone and install it there, possibly a battery too if it's cooked. I believe if you go in the morning the part will arrive in the afternoon.

They have tools obviously, to me it beats having a mechanic upcharge you on the alternator AND hit you with labor.

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1998 Ford Escort ZX2 5 speed - 279,000 miles My Daily

1992 Mercedes 300D 2.5 202,000 - Pure junk
2000 Mercedes E320 Black - 136,000 miles - Needs repair

Don't forget to grease the screw and threads on the spring compressor.

They're all identical under the hood with the exception of the wagon with it's SLS suspension.

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1998 Ford Escort ZX2 5 speed - 279,000 miles My Daily

1992 Mercedes 300D 2.5 202,000 - Pure junk
2000 Mercedes E320 Black - 136,000 miles - Needs repair

Don't forget to grease the screw and threads on the spring compressor.

This may work.

1) drive during day time.
2) start the car if the battery is still holding charge.
3) then disconnect the alternator cable.
4) you should not lose any electronic gauges if the battery holds charges.
5) you would deplete the battery eventually so may be get a spare battery first.
6) the battery light would stay on.

Good luck.

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Not MBZ nor A/C trained professional but a die-hard DIY and green engineer. Use the info at your own peril. Picked up 2 Infractions because of disagreements. NOW reversed.

W124 Keyless remote, PM for details. http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/mercedes-used-parts-sale-wanted/334620-fs-w124-chasis-keyless-remote-%2450-shipped.html

1 X 2006 CDI
1 x 87 300SDL
1 x 87 300D
1 x 87 300TDT wagon
1 x 83 300D
1 x 84 190D ( 5 sp ) - All R134 converted + keyless entry.

If it's a diesel, it doesn't even need the battery to run, once it starts. I'd say just put a new battery in (if you have to drive at night) and disconnect the alt.

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Milan Brown 1979 240D, rebuilt OM617.952 turbo diesel, rebuilt 722.315 transmission (my only daily driver)

Instagram: @maximed93

Try to buy a voltage regulator. This is what they look like:

https://www.pelicanparts.com/catalog/SuperCat/3391/MBZ_3391_ELCHRG_pg1.htm#item2

I bought one when I changed the alternator on my car (a"98 e300) last year. There was one already on the rebuilt alternator, so I didn't need it. I haven't figured out how they fit on the car, but they do mount on the alternator, Try NAPA and AutoZone. Get a new one if you can; however, they may have a core sitting around from when someone turned in an old alternator after buying a rebuilt. It would likely have a voltage regulator on it.

Make sure battery has water,there are ways to open and add water,use distilled

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1999 w140, quit voting to old, and to old to fight, a god damned veteran

Thank you so much everyone.

The battery is about 3 weeks old if it isn’t shot...

This is the 195k mile 300d, my lowest mileage purchase and I just swapped the trans and starter this past week.

I’m telling myself it’s not a lemon, but it’s really testing me.

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1985 300D Surfblau "Blueberry" 250K R.I.P
1984 300CD Manila Beige "The Banana" 238K R.I.P
1984 300TD Cypress Green "Olive" 390K (M.I.A.)
1982 300D Orient Red "Steak" 195K
1985 Euro 300TD Lapis Blue “Pancake” 200k KM
1982 300D Light Ivory “Butter” 183k
1984 300TD Black “Pepper” 55k

See if there are any starter generator shops in your area or an auto parts store that has a regulator. It is a lot easier to change the regulator than the alternator, it is held on by two screws on the back of the alternator. Many German cars use the same one.

VENT the area before working on it! The gases coming out of the battery are highly explosive.

If no regulator is available, then my vote is to drive during the day with the alternator unplugged. Confirm that the brake lights, turn signals etc. work with it unplugged, they should.

If the alternator is unplugged and the smell persists the battery is probably bad.

Good luck!!!

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"Rudeness is a weak man's imitation of strength" - Eric Hoffer

Disconnect the alternator BEFORE you start the car. Once the car is running, the only draws are the headlights and electric fans. In this weather, the electric fan won't even come on. So if you drive during the day, you will be able to make it all the way home without the alternator.

And put your climate control fan to LO or turn the system to 0 (off) to conserve power. You should have enough ram air (natural flow from driving that forces air through the system) to keep you warm.

Obviously no stereo or other unnecessary loads. But as others have said, these cars require no electrical energy to function once started so you should be good on just battery to get home. Think like Apollo 13, those guys lost their fuel cells 3/4 of the way to the moon and had to make it all the way home on battery. They were cold and uncomfortable but they made it.

Voltage regulator is very easy to change, two screws on back of alternator. Can be done from the bottom while the alternator is in place, if you can get access.

(Go to Walmart and get a set of Rhino Ramps and a pair of wheel chocks.)

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The OM 642/722.9 powered family
Still going strong
2014 ML350 Bluetec (wife's DD)
2013 E350 Bluetec (my DD)

both my kids cars went to junkyard in 2023
2008 ML320 CDI (Older son’s DD) fatal transmission failure, water soaked/fried rear SAM, numerous other issues, just too far gone to save (165k miles)
2008 E320 Bluetec (Younger son's DD) injector failed open and diluted oil with diesel, spun main bearings (240k miles)

1998 E300DT sold to TimFreeh
1987 300TD sold to vstech

Well now I feel badly for complaining at all

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1985 300D Surfblau "Blueberry" 250K R.I.P
1984 300CD Manila Beige "The Banana" 238K R.I.P
1984 300TD Cypress Green "Olive" 390K (M.I.A.)
1982 300D Orient Red "Steak" 195K
1985 Euro 300TD Lapis Blue “Pancake” 200k KM
1982 300D Light Ivory “Butter” 183k
1984 300TD Black “Pepper” 55k