If anyone has a shop manual for this vehicle I would appreciate knowing the basic method recommended for removing the alternator -- meaning from the topside or from below. Either way it appears significant other items will have to be removed in the process, but it would be good to know the easiest.

Thanks,

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Okiebenz

I've removed the alternator on a 2000 C280 and the hard part was getting it back in. There was not much more then releasing the belt and unbolting it.

If you are just renewing the voltage regulator, this can be done with the alternator in place. I've done this on a 1991 300CE and 1999 C280.

Haven't done it myself, but Bentley manual says to drop it from underneath

Disconnect battery, Detension belt, disconnect wires going to alternator, remove two bolts (usually 13mm) holding alternator in place. Installation is reverse of removal (thanks Haynes). Universal alternator replacement guide.

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http://i193.photobucket.com/albums/z...-RESIZED-1.jpg
1991 300E - 212K and rising fast...

Thanks for the responses. John M. - does Haynes also indicate removing from below?

Thanks,

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Okiebenz

For what help it may be to subsequent readers of this thread, I used the following steps to remove the alternator tonight:

Working from bottomside, I removed the small air duct which runs beside the air pump as well as the mounting plate for that duct. Then from the topside I removed the entire air filter housing, both the top and the bottom, which rests in push-in type retainers not requiring any nut/bolt removal. That gives adequate open visual and physical access to the harness nuts at the alternator as well as the two alternator mounting bolts. The large harness nut (13mmm) and the top bolt (17mm) are best accessed from topside and the small harness nut (10mm - box-end access only, no socket) and the bottom bolt (17mm) are best accessed from the bottomside. Once the alternator is loose, it can be taken out between the air pump and the frame member after a few trials to find an orientation that will let it pass through.

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Okiebenz