I have a 84' 300SD. The other day the charge indicator light failed to come on when the ignition was in the 2nd position before start-up but the car started anyways. After driving the car approx. 10 miles or so, I parked the car for several hours and then the battery was completely dead. I charged the battery and the car started right up but again no charge indicator light. After driving a couple miles back to the house, the car sat overnight and then the battery was completely dead again. My local parts and info guy says it is the alternator, that it is faulty and leaving the circuit open when the car is shut off. Before pulling the alternator what should I check?

P.S.- I cannot find R&R directions in the factory repair manual CD-ROM. Any tips if I need to pull the alternator?

Don't tell me no can help me out here! I got one reply on the Diesel forum and that is it! Some one must have some info?!

The dash light carries the activation circuit for the alternator. Unplug the connector from the alternator and ground the small blue wire (term 61). With the key on the light should light. If it does you probably have a bad regulator/ brush holder. If it doesn't all the alternators in the world won't help you.

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

Thanks for the tip. I ground the blue wire, still no light. I will pull the inst. cluster and check the bulb.
I also posted this on the diesel forum and have been in disccusion with Jim and Brian.
Without rehashing all the discussions, I think the most pertinent is this:
If the alternator is disconnected there is no voltage loss on the battery
If the alternator is connected there is slow voltage loss (in 1hr. 12.04 volts down to 11.74 volts).
The brake wear light is also not lighting and in the wiring diagram I see they are on the same fuse, could they have been blown by a faulty regulator?
The low fuel level light also used to come on and now it is not. I don't see that it is on the related fuse. I am guessing one electrical problem can lead to many others.