300SD 1980 NEWLY PURCHASED w/PROBS
 

I just bought a 1980 300SD with 129K miles.

It seems to run pretty good, but the battery light will not go off, the windows go up and down real slow and the right rear window will go down, then not go back up.

The battery went dead the other day and stranded my wife. She was driving for about an hour. Parked and within 5 mins of turning the 300sd off, she attempted to restart it and it was dead.

Simple jumping allowed an immediate start.

What can be wrong?

Also, this car has been sitting for some time, and shifts hard until it warms up. What should i have checked out additionally?


Thanks

Gene

Welcome to the gang!
Check your alternator.

yep, sounds like alternator.

Also read up on this forum all you can search out about vaccum leaks, windows, and door locks. These all use vaccum opperated switches. The transmission does too. Common problem for these older ones to have problems due to vaccum hose and pump issues. From what I've read its just lots of little work to fix it all. Not hard.... just a lot. Not realy expensive either.

It looks like it had a new alternator on it
 

the AAA guy told me it had a new alternator on it. Is there a regulator? Is that in the alternator?

I'm 99% sure the regulator is in the alternator.(right guys?)
I guess next would be the wires. Look for broken or loose connections. Also, check your battery cables. Don't know how many jump starts I've given to people that had badly corroded battery terminals. And make sure the belt to the alternator is in good shape and tight. A slipping belt can cause all kinds of havoc. Have your battery tested with a load meter too.

First how old is the battery? If it is over a couple years old get a new one. How about the cable ends? Diesels need a solid connection to the battery. You can put a battery checker on the battery while the car is running to tell if the alternator is charging. The regulator is inside the alternator on the back, but can be changed with the alternator on the car. Two screws and it is out. The brushes are on the regulator and these were out. About $20.

Got to go change my alternator. Bearing is bad! Still charging though.


:D

A similar thing happened with my 300SD a little while back.

Seems my glow plug indicator bulb was burned out so I was unaware that I was driving around with a stuck glow plug relay!

This will drain your battery pretty quick. I had replaced my alternator before I figured out what the real problem was.

Voltage Regulator
 

I has a similar experience with my 79300SD. I noticed that the Battery light did not iluminate when I turned the key to position 2.

My alternator was replaced 1 year ago...turns out that the voltage regulator was faulty. Replaced and all is well!

JUST LEFT RENATOS in OC
 

I saw with my own eyes a new alternator, new regulator, new battery, new servo, and new starter.

someone was chasing this before. Renato says the alternator is bad, but it is shining like a new toy.

I did notice many vacum lines missing on top of the engine. Could the new bosch alternator be bad? Obviously the mexican holding this thing for the deceased owner replaced lots and gave up.

Check the plug at the alternator -they sometimes corrode.
Try spraying the window tracks with silicone .
Change trans filter and fluid.
good luck

Also never met a mexican I didn't like.

Get a multi=-meter and start checking voltage. Battery should read 13+ with engine running above idle. If not, problem somewhere in the charging system. Start with the alternator and work into the system from there. It is possible to have a bad new alternator, but with all those new parts, could be a broken, disconnected or corroded wire somewhere.

Mexicans do excellent work in my neighborhood. If the handiwork is bad, the phrase is: "Should have hired a Mexican."

cant find the mexican
 

I speak spanish, and meant the mexican thing as sort of a joke.

hope noone was offended.

Thanks for the advice, gonna check it now.