My battery is dead. After jumping my car and driving around last night for about and our and a half the car is still dead this morning. The battery retained no charge. I'm about to go with a friend now to buy a new battery. Someone mentioned finding one with 900CCA so I will do that but I will need to know how to replace the old one safely. Can someone just tell me how to change the battery safely? thanks.

__________________
W126 1983 300SD 286,000 miles and ticking
Baby blue exterior Grey MB tex
Recent work:
Replaced air cleaner mounting brackets and heat shields
Replaced alternator, fan and power steering belts
Replaced positive battery terminal
Replaced negative battery terminal and cord
New Duralast Battery

My car needs work.

You should have your electrical systems checked out. The battery may just be dead, but the charging system may not be in good shape as well. Sears checks that stuff out when they change batteries. That's what I did with my 190D.

__________________
1984 190D 2.2 Auto 220k
2001 Jeep Cherokee Sport 70K
2004 Lexus RX-330 ??K
2005 Chrylser Crossfire LTD 6K

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adiaw83,

Remove the old battery by first disconnecting it from the car's electrical system. Then, there should be a single, or pair of mechanical retainer plates holding the ridge at the bottom of the battery to battery tray. Undo the two fasteners on the plates. The battery should now lift out. It weighs quite a bit so be careful. I have done this in a W126 in the Sears parking lot. Got the security guys at the mall excited, but not a problem.

Putting the new battery in was a chore because the replacement had some extra chunks of plastic that made it not fit correctly. The security guard lent me his utility knife to carve off a few, including the handle and its eyelets that were cast into the battery housing. If you get a battery designed to fit the car you won't have this issue. But installing is the reverse. Get it in, put the plates back to hold it so it does not rock around or come loose in an accident, and then hook it up. Your radio may have an anti-theft feature requiring you to enter a code to activate it once it is all together, but other than that there is nothing to it. Just get the polarity correct (negative on the outside, short little cable to the fender, positive on the inside and connects to a cable with other stuff on it, goes to the starter and so on.

Good luck, Jim

__________________
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)

thanks I've run into a problem though. The two bolts that are holding the battery in place have gook all over them and won't fit into the correct sockets. The size they are supposed to be won't fit and the size one bigger won't fit either. What should I too. one of the bolts also seems a bit rusty.

__________________
W126 1983 300SD 286,000 miles and ticking
Baby blue exterior Grey MB tex
Recent work:
Replaced air cleaner mounting brackets and heat shields
Replaced alternator, fan and power steering belts
Replaced positive battery terminal
Replaced negative battery terminal and cord
New Duralast Battery

My car needs work.

adiaw83,

Try soaking the bolts in WD-40 or Liquid Wrench or some other penetrating fluid. A wire brushing to clean the heads might make them fit the socket. Let the penetrating oil soak overnight, and apply the penetrant liberally. Good luck, Jim

__________________
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)

I applied the WD 40 last night and let it soak and When I went out there today I had no problem getting it off. I've taken out the old battery but I want to make sure I put the new one in correctly. Does the positive end or negative end of the battery connect to the ground?

__________________
W126 1983 300SD 286,000 miles and ticking
Baby blue exterior Grey MB tex
Recent work:
Replaced air cleaner mounting brackets and heat shields
Replaced alternator, fan and power steering belts
Replaced positive battery terminal
Replaced negative battery terminal and cord
New Duralast Battery

My car needs work.

adiaw83,

The negative terminal is connected to the short lead that goes to the fender/frame of the car. This is ground.

The positive terminal, usually with an orange or red washer/cover or some other visual feature besides just the large molded in "+" sign, is the one that goes to the longer, usually more complicated connection to power the car's electrical system.

Jim

__________________
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)

thanks

__________________
W126 1983 300SD 286,000 miles and ticking
Baby blue exterior Grey MB tex
Recent work:
Replaced air cleaner mounting brackets and heat shields
Replaced alternator, fan and power steering belts
Replaced positive battery terminal
Replaced negative battery terminal and cord
New Duralast Battery

My car needs work.

I just finished and everything is working fine now. thanks a lot for all the help. I'm gonna get the charging system checked out soon to make sure that wasn't the problem.

__________________
W126 1983 300SD 286,000 miles and ticking
Baby blue exterior Grey MB tex
Recent work:
Replaced air cleaner mounting brackets and heat shields
Replaced alternator, fan and power steering belts
Replaced positive battery terminal
Replaced negative battery terminal and cord
New Duralast Battery

My car needs work.

Great! Good luck, and don't delay your charging system check-up too long or you may "deep cycle" that new battery (drive it completely dead, then recharge it) which is not a good thing for battery life. Jim

__________________
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)

1984 300d Turbo 142,000
Remove The Neg Wire First The One Wire Going To Body Grn.
Next Remove The Pos Wire, To Install Pos First Next Neg Wire, Use
A Battery Post Cleaning Tool Brush At Any Auto Store