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  #1  
Old 11-15-2003, 10:15 PM
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560SEL M117 electrical question

Hello

I was driving my car home tonight. I believe the alternator went out because the dash board lights turned on, then I drove about 30 miles to get home, all the lights dimmed while I was still on the highway. I fortunately turned on to the main street near my house, when the car just died on me, I coasted to the gas station. Fortunately I was able to pull it to safety.

My friend was following me and we jumped the car, and drove it about 30 feet down the street and it died again.

My brother came with the range rover and pulled me home.

Do you think it is the alternator? Is there a high output alternator that bolts on?

Thanks,


Edit: someone just informed me that it might be the voltage regulator, but I dont know.

__________________
Current Stable:
1994 S500 v140, 210k miles, white with grey.

Former Mercedes in the Stable:
1983 300CD Turbo diesel 515k mi sold (rumor has it, that it has 750k miles on it now)
1984 300CD Turbo Diesel 150 k mi sold
1982 300D Turbo Diesel 225 sold
1987 300D Turbo Diesel 255k mi sold
1988 300 CE AMG Hammer 15k mi sold
1986 "300E" Amg Hammer 88k mi sold (it was really a 200, not even an E (124.020)
1992 500E 156k mi sold
etc.
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  #2  
Old 11-16-2003, 12:54 AM
MikeTangas's Avatar
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Join Date: Apr 2000
Location: So. Cal
Posts: 4,430
How many miles on the alternator? Yes, I think you are having a little charging deficiency.

A regulator, or brushed, might do the trick and get you charging again, or it could be the belt, or it could be the alternator itself. At 179K miles it was a bad shaft bearing for me. I had the replace the alternator. I purchased mine from FastLane for about $151. A quick and easy installation.
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'73 280SEL 4.5 (9/72)- RIP
Only 8,173 units built from 5/71 thru 11/72

'02 CLK320 Cabriolet - wifey's mid-life crisis

2012 VW Jetta Sportwagon TDI...at least its a diesel

Non illegitemae carborundum.
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  #3  
Old 11-16-2003, 07:22 PM
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Probably 85k miles on the alternator. I will check to see if all the wires are connected, then i will look into the voltage regulator, then the alternator.

Thanks,
__________________
Current Stable:
1994 S500 v140, 210k miles, white with grey.

Former Mercedes in the Stable:
1983 300CD Turbo diesel 515k mi sold (rumor has it, that it has 750k miles on it now)
1984 300CD Turbo Diesel 150 k mi sold
1982 300D Turbo Diesel 225 sold
1987 300D Turbo Diesel 255k mi sold
1988 300 CE AMG Hammer 15k mi sold
1986 "300E" Amg Hammer 88k mi sold (it was really a 200, not even an E (124.020)
1992 500E 156k mi sold
etc.
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  #4  
Old 11-16-2003, 09:10 PM
hill's Avatar
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Location: Northern Calif Sacramento
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Quote:
Originally posted by omegabenz
Probably 85k miles on the alternator. I will check to see if all the wires are connected, then i will look into the voltage regulator, then the alternator.

Thanks,
Don't forget to have the battery charged and tested. A weak battery can cause alternators to burn out from heavy usage. Also the old style voltage regulators with points can weld themselves together damaging both the regulator and alternator.
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  #5  
Old 11-16-2003, 11:26 PM
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The battery is a near new optima starting battery.
__________________
Current Stable:
1994 S500 v140, 210k miles, white with grey.

Former Mercedes in the Stable:
1983 300CD Turbo diesel 515k mi sold (rumor has it, that it has 750k miles on it now)
1984 300CD Turbo Diesel 150 k mi sold
1982 300D Turbo Diesel 225 sold
1987 300D Turbo Diesel 255k mi sold
1988 300 CE AMG Hammer 15k mi sold
1986 "300E" Amg Hammer 88k mi sold (it was really a 200, not even an E (124.020)
1992 500E 156k mi sold
etc.
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  #6  
Old 11-16-2003, 11:55 PM
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Join Date: Aug 2001
Location: Evansville, Indiana
Posts: 8,150
Brushes worn out on the alternator, my 300D did the same thing last month, although I managed to get to Autozone and buy another battery instead of getting towed home (didn't like the one that was in there, although I should have kept it).

you can either replace the voltage regulator or get new brushes installed in it by any automotive electrical shop. Voltage regulator is in the back of the alternator, held in by two screws. Just unscrew and pull it out. You will notice that the two carbon brushes are only 3-4 mm long. New regulator will have brushes 15 mm long or so!

Once you have the new brushes installed and regulator replaced, it will charge again.

You probably didn't notice that the alternator lamp was glowing dimly, just enough to notice it at night.

Peter
__________________
1972 220D ?? miles
1988 300E 200,012
1987 300D Turbo killed 9/25/07, 275,000 miles
1985 Volvo 740 GLE Turobodiesel 218,000
1972 280 SE 4.5 165, 000 - It runs!
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  #7  
Old 11-18-2003, 02:29 PM
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Posts: 3,473
The voltage regulator has new brushes attached to it. Is this correct? See the picture, its from the fastlane picture.
Attached Thumbnails
560SEL M117 electrical question-f401039368bos.jpg  
__________________
Current Stable:
1994 S500 v140, 210k miles, white with grey.

Former Mercedes in the Stable:
1983 300CD Turbo diesel 515k mi sold (rumor has it, that it has 750k miles on it now)
1984 300CD Turbo Diesel 150 k mi sold
1982 300D Turbo Diesel 225 sold
1987 300D Turbo Diesel 255k mi sold
1988 300 CE AMG Hammer 15k mi sold
1986 "300E" Amg Hammer 88k mi sold (it was really a 200, not even an E (124.020)
1992 500E 156k mi sold
etc.
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  #8  
Old 11-18-2003, 03:04 PM
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Join Date: Apr 2002
Posts: 3,473
I think that maybe the alternator bearings went bad. I inspected the car just now in the day light. The alternator belt jumped off, and was sitting in the engine compartment. The belt is near new, but now it is hurt. One side of the belt looks deformed.

When I started the car to drive home the other day there was a weird sound, then all the lights came on. I just drove it home. I think the alternator is the problem, the whole alternator.

What do you guys think?

Thanks
__________________
Current Stable:
1994 S500 v140, 210k miles, white with grey.

Former Mercedes in the Stable:
1983 300CD Turbo diesel 515k mi sold (rumor has it, that it has 750k miles on it now)
1984 300CD Turbo Diesel 150 k mi sold
1982 300D Turbo Diesel 225 sold
1987 300D Turbo Diesel 255k mi sold
1988 300 CE AMG Hammer 15k mi sold
1986 "300E" Amg Hammer 88k mi sold (it was really a 200, not even an E (124.020)
1992 500E 156k mi sold
etc.
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  #9  
Old 11-18-2003, 04:02 PM
MikeTangas's Avatar
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Join Date: Apr 2000
Location: So. Cal
Posts: 4,430
Well now, since the difficult job of removing the belt is out of the way, reach in and give that alternator pulley a good spin.

Does it spin freely or even at all? Any noise?

Now turn is slowly and pay close attention to what you feel.

Do you feel any thing?

If the bearing seized that could easily thrown the belt, and of course the inside V will be burnt somewhat. If the bearing is just bad but the pulley turns you should be able to feel some sort of grinding as you turn the pulley. The bearing could even be bad enough to hear the grind. If everything feels good and the is no noise at all perhaps the belt wasn't properly adjusted or the lock nut for the adjusting star came loose.

Keep us posted.
__________________
Mike Tangas
'73 280SEL 4.5 (9/72)- RIP
Only 8,173 units built from 5/71 thru 11/72

'02 CLK320 Cabriolet - wifey's mid-life crisis

2012 VW Jetta Sportwagon TDI...at least its a diesel

Non illegitemae carborundum.
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  #10  
Old 11-18-2003, 04:07 PM
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Posts: 3,473
I spun it, but it felt ok, maybe a little noise. The belt has been on there for a good 6 months. The other belts feel pretty good. I have a tentioning gauge so I dont think I over tentioned the belt.

I will give it a good feel again in a day or so. Thanks for the replies.

If it spins good and has no play (feels like that to me), then what do you think happened?

I could take it off and have it tested.
__________________
Current Stable:
1994 S500 v140, 210k miles, white with grey.

Former Mercedes in the Stable:
1983 300CD Turbo diesel 515k mi sold (rumor has it, that it has 750k miles on it now)
1984 300CD Turbo Diesel 150 k mi sold
1982 300D Turbo Diesel 225 sold
1987 300D Turbo Diesel 255k mi sold
1988 300 CE AMG Hammer 15k mi sold
1986 "300E" Amg Hammer 88k mi sold (it was really a 200, not even an E (124.020)
1992 500E 156k mi sold
etc.
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  #11  
Old 11-18-2003, 10:12 PM
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Join Date: Aug 2001
Location: Evansville, Indiana
Posts: 8,150
Ah, but if you felt any vibration turning it, the bearings are shot, or as in the case of mine on the 220, the stator or rotor are bad and making contact. May only give a small "tight" feeling at one point in a revolution.

It should spin freely when you give it a twist, and keep spinning for a couple revolutions. If it stops as soon as you let go, the bearings are bad. ANY sound above a whisper of the brushes sliding on smooth slip rings means something is amiss.

Put the belt back on and get a stick long enough to put up next to your ear and safely touch the alternator. Start the car, put the stick on the alternator, then put the other end up to your ear (this is a mechanics stethascope, dirt cheap version). Anything louder that a faint sizzling or whirring sound means bad bearings. Knocking or clattering means stator/rotor interference.

If it's loud enough to hear without the stethescope, get a new alternator.

If it has bad bearings, or internal interference (or something stuck in it), the drag will eat the belt up pretty fast.

Peter
__________________
1972 220D ?? miles
1988 300E 200,012
1987 300D Turbo killed 9/25/07, 275,000 miles
1985 Volvo 740 GLE Turobodiesel 218,000
1972 280 SE 4.5 165, 000 - It runs!
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  #12  
Old 11-19-2003, 06:26 AM
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Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
Posts: 215
My local rebuilder (Bosch Agent) tested my alternator on the bench. It checked out perfectly, and he didn't charge me either!
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  #13  
Old 11-30-2003, 02:18 AM
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I just put on a belt I had laying around it was 5mm longer than the stock one, but I think its ok. I listened to it with a stethoscope and I didnt hear any irregular noises.

Maybe the belt just broke! It is about 6 months old though, I am a little puzzled.

__________________
Current Stable:
1994 S500 v140, 210k miles, white with grey.

Former Mercedes in the Stable:
1983 300CD Turbo diesel 515k mi sold (rumor has it, that it has 750k miles on it now)
1984 300CD Turbo Diesel 150 k mi sold
1982 300D Turbo Diesel 225 sold
1987 300D Turbo Diesel 255k mi sold
1988 300 CE AMG Hammer 15k mi sold
1986 "300E" Amg Hammer 88k mi sold (it was really a 200, not even an E (124.020)
1992 500E 156k mi sold
etc.
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