On my '71 220D I attached 3 loose wires to a single bolt. From looking at my schematic I am thinking I did wrong and there should be an attachment place, on the alternator, for each of these three wires. This may be why my car won't start.

I bought a Delco Gold battery at Sears yesterday and still no go on turning over the battery. As suggested I am going to focus on my starter... but that's another thread.

Could anyone tell me if I need to undo the 3 wires on the single bolt on alternator and find a proper place to attach them. Please hurry if you have an answer as I have someone looking at it for me this a.m. and WE could use useful info .
thanks
debbie

For the alternator to work properly the wires will have to be done right. BUT they don't have a thing to do with the car not starting!! Unless they are smoking, that is.

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Steve Brotherton
Continental Imports
Gainesville FL
Bosch Master, ASE Master, L1
33 years MB technician

A neighbor who is an electrical designer has looked at the car and tried to jump it off at the starter and it did turn over and over but it never did start. I don't have anymore options left, I can't fix all the possibilities and hope one of them is IT, so unfortunately, I will have to abandon the car. I believe the car could be a good car but this failure to start, according to the electrical expert, is electrical... he can't fix it, and there is no where else to turn. I'm unfortunately broke so I guess I'll try to take the bus home.

Does anyone in the Memphis, Tennessee area need a 1972 220D? If not, anyone know a charity that'll take it? or, can I sell it for scrap? Or to some one who can use a good car with a few problems? Cheap, if not free. I hate this but, I have absolutely no options left.

Debbie,

I hate to ask a bunch of questions at this time but when you are jumping the car by going directly to the starter what position was the pull knob on the dash?

With the new battery, do the glow plugs work?

Did you try to tow the unit and get it up to 35 mph or so and then put it in drive, once again with the glow plugs activated? I am having trouble believing the car ran before and fixing the brakes made the rest of the car fail. Sorry to hear of your frustration, and good luck, Jim

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Own:
1986 Euro 190E 2.3-16 (291,000 miles),
1998 E300D TurboDiesel, 231,000 miles -purchased with 45,000,
1988 300E 5-speed 252,000 miles,
1983 240D 4-speed, purchased w/136,000, now with 222,000 miles.
2009 ML320CDI Bluetec, 89,000 miles

Owned:
1971 220D (250,000 miles plus, sold to father-in-law),
1975 240D (245,000 miles - died of body rot),
1991 350SD (176,560 miles, weakest Benz I have owned),
1999 C230 Sport (45,400 miles),
1982 240D (321,000 miles, put to sleep)

You need to graduate from an electrical expert to a diesel expert since the only electrical thing a good diesel should need in the summer is a starter that functions.

While a 220D may not be worth the wages of a trained technician, it's hard to cry over something worth so little.

__________________
Steve Brotherton
Continental Imports
Gainesville FL
Bosch Master, ASE Master, L1
33 years MB technician