Thanks DieselBenz! BTW, I owned (and loved) a 91 300D 2.5T for years - it finally died from rust around the rear suspension but a fellow Forum member bought it and repaired it. I would have hated to see it go to the crusher. My present Benz (gasser) is certainly lacking in many ways.
Ok, so replacing just the alternator might do it. Hmmm.... I guess there's no way for the amateur to benchtest a VR?
Larry