From: owner-diesel-benz-digest-at-digest.net (diesel-benz-digest) To: diesel-benz-digest-at-digest.net Subject: diesel-benz-digest V1 #659 Reply-To: diesel-benz-at-digest.net Sender: owner-diesel-benz-digest-at-digest.net Errors-To: owner-diesel-benz-digest-at-digest.net Precedence: bulk diesel-benz-digest Tuesday, October 16 2001 Volume 01 : Number 659 Forum for Discussion of Diesel Mercedes Benz Automobiles Derick Amburgey Digest Coordinator Contents: Speaking of alternators... Re: Speaking of alternators... Diesel Benz Digest Home Page: http://www.digest.net/diesel-benz/ Send submissions to diesel-benz-digest-at-digest.net Send administrative requests to diesel-benz-digest-request-at-digest.net To unsubscribe, include the word unsubscribe by itself in the body of the message, unless you are sending the request from a different address than the one that appears on the list. Include the word help in a message to stag-digest-request to get a list of other majordomo commands. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Sun, 14 Oct 2001 17:42:40 -0500 From: Jim & Barb Hoffman Subject: Speaking of alternators... Ok Folks... I'm going to have my alternator rebuilt this week. I know that it *may not* be the alternator that is causing me the problems but I'm sure it's time for a rebuild anyway. Here's my plan: 1. Get the alternator rebuilt at the local rebuild shop. 2. New alternator belt. 3. Clean the connections on the ground strap from the frame to the engine. I'm a little concerned about problems people have had with ignition switches and such. Soooo many failure points on this silly thing. Hopefully the battery will not go dead in a few days after all this... Questions: Does anyone know what voltage I should be reading at the battery when the engine is running and battery is being charged correctly by the alternator? I don't think I can measure amperage with my little meter. Does anyone have the *proper* removal instructions for the alternator? I figured I had to loosen the belt first with that *threaded thingy* (technical term) that seems to control belt tension. But must have turned it the wrong way as it started to bend the rod AND bracket! Opps. Strange thing was the belt was getting looser! ???? ;) TIA!! Jim/ Jim Hoffman Oconomowoc WI '83 240D ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 16 Oct 2001 03:36:00 -0500 From: Jon Filina Subject: Re: Speaking of alternators... Jim wrote: > Ok Folks... I'm going to have my alternator rebuilt this week. > I know that it *may not* be the alternator that is causing me > the problems but I'm sure it's time for a rebuild anyway. Here's > my plan: > 1. Get the alternator rebuilt at the local rebuild shop. > 2. New alternator belt. > 3. Clean the connections on the ground strap from the > frame to the engine. > Questions: > Does anyone know what voltage I should be reading at > the battery when the engine is running and battery is being > charged correctly by the alternator? I don't think I can > measure amperage with my little meter. Your alternator should be charging about 2 volts above the reading of the battery before you start your car. 13.8 volts is the figure, I think. I say "2 volts" because my old meter had gotten senile and the 2 volt rule had held true... > Does anyone have the *proper* removal instructions for > the alternator? I figured I had to loosen the belt first with > that *threaded thingy* (technical term) that seems to control > belt tension. But must have turned it the wrong way as it > started to bend the rod AND bracket! Opps. Strange > thing was the belt was getting looser! ???? ;) Can't help you here, but Alec, Dan or John can surely lead you down the primrose path... As for having the alternator rebuilt. Is the shop you are going to use experienced with the Bosch alternators??? I had a Bosch alternator rebuilt by a local shop here in the great metropolis of Burleson, Tx, only to find out they, apparently, thought "Bosch" made great beer.... After a few trips back to them to get the situation corrected they finally fixed my alternator to the point that it lasted a year. When it failed again, I installed a rebuilt from McParts... If I'm too late answering you, which wouldn't surprise me..., unless you have 100% confidence in this shop, buy a "factory" rebuilt alternator, install it and be done with it! As for the weird peculiarities concerning the electrical system on our W123's, the power to the ignition on our cars goes through the headlight switch. A loose connection on the headlight switch will give indications of either bad grounds or a bad ignition switch. If you really want to make sure the system is up to snuff, pop the headlight switch and tighten the connections. It took my mechanic and I about 3 months to come to this conclusion.... Jon '81 240D "Mathilde" 287,??? The EverReady Bunny has nothing on her.... ------------------------------ End of diesel-benz-digest V1 #659 *********************************