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What a car! But heavy snow/wind killed my alternator.

3K views 37 replies 8 participants last post by  Torkil 
#1 ·
Towing out a snow trapped BMW 528i felt good! She was looking sceptical towards me when i slowed down, as did the other dude who had stopped, but i didnt spin a wheel towing it out :grin

Now, we had a winter storm and i headed out at midnight to a smaller island, the car was the most perfect winter car i have been in, absolute amasing.

I was alone on a road with uncleared snow in quite strong winds, over a small bridge with deeper snow builded up because of the wind, yet following the speed limits felt good, so little dramas!

Sadly the day after the alternator died(i think), dash went red with a "battery charge" and a battery symbol with a dotted negative contact.

Now i bought a used bosch 115A, a new 95A AGM battery, and a serpent belt(if that what it is called).

I have read the stickies for alternator and battery replacement; no key in ignition first and foremost.

What i wonder is; when i gonna reconnect the new battery, can i hook up a 12V light in parallell to the cars system to avoid a power surge, or is it safe enough to do this if i follow procedures?

I was thinking perhaps a 12V load in parallell would draw the surge, and not the cars electronics?

Thanks!
 
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#2 ·
...What i wonder is; when i gonna reconnect the new battery, can i hook up a 12V light in parallell to the cars system to avoid a power surge, or is it safe enough to do this if i follow procedures?

I was thinking perhaps a 12V load in parallell would draw the surge, and not the cars electronics?...
I don't think you have to do anything like that. I recently replaced my battery and I simply removed the old one and hooked up the new one. Key out of the ignition, of course. And, you will have to sync up the windows, etc. And I recall I had to turn the steering wheel to full lock right and left to reset something as well.

Fred
 
#3 ·
Thanks!

I cant wait to get my car working again, the resync will be a first for me.

Only potential issue i can foresee now is that my left front window is botchy, and the sunroof may make some large cracking noise at the end of its rail. So i hope a resync procedure wont make these worse. But those are still "minor" stuff anyways.
 
#4 ·
By the way did you check the voltage regulator on the alternator before replacing?
 
#8 ·
I didn`t, my mechanic said the belt is probably toast aswell(it really was), and i knew the battery aswell was gone so i just went for the cheapest, working condition alternator i found. I thought i could mend the one i take out and have as a spare if i need.

I once had a 1991 W124 E200D and i replaced only the VR and it was the alternator that failed, and i lost a job because i got late that morning, so with that in mind i wanted this one replaced "as a unit".
 
#9 ·
Yes alternator, i looked a new ones first, there was a sale with both 115A and 150A alternators, 60% discount so the price was very good, but i decided to put those money elsewhere on the car.

Btw Kaj, i saw a picture you posted of youre car outside the house walls, and what a car you have! Very shiny! It seems overall you Americans have less mileage / year ratio, and also have a deeper care for youre cars, than here in the Arctic. Why that is, i don`t know. But really cool watching how the cars look "overseas".
 
#6 ·
The 115A is an alternator. It seems to be a pretty rare option, most places only stock the 90A alternator. I've got a 115A alternator on my C220, it was an extra option, along with an extra large battery. If my 115A ever goes, I'd probably just replace it with the 150A version that came on the W202 AMG cars.
 
#13 ·
I was just curious about the VR, because I recently got stuck in the mud in wet weather (in my s500) and then I got the battery charge signal. When I took off the VR it actually fails visual inspection. It is conceivable that the VR could be dying and you have alternator damage, but I was having difficulty connecting alternator damage with the amount of water that would have got on the alternator with me.

Don't blame you for replacing the whole unit just wondering diagnostically what's going on.
 
#16 ·
Yes i am also wondering whats going on, i saw the plast protective thing outside the wires from alternator was destroyed, so i must look closer and see if it is any insulation damage to the wires, that might have caused it, but the red warning went away and came back and i guess a short circuit would have blown a fuse, yet it might not have, and is part of the problem.

But with all new now, especially battery, i will have a better look at the alternator. The used one i bought looked kinda old and i am not sure i have done the right thing, but if it blows i gonna buy a brand new one. If my old cant be repaired cheaply.
 
#19 ·
Right, mission accomplished. I didnt do anything after connecting battery, ecept started the car and off i went for chicken takeaway for me and mechanic! :grin

I have that orthopedic front seats with inflatable air and "that" feeling starting the car up, contra "the loaner" Volvo S40, omg i so love this car! :grin

I gonna look into the syncronisation of the different things asap. I havent seen anything about the steering whel tilt, that is electric aswell as my front seats, does every single thing drive by a electric motor need resync? When i read the sticky, i am pretty sure it only mentioned windows, sunroof, steering wheel left/right full lock, and seats full front and headrest fully down.

But as i wonder i didnt see anything about steering wheel tilt?
 
#21 ·
Right, it is cold, raining, icy & messy roads right now and still dark days, so i gonna save the resync procedures for a sunny day. I am just so glad to have it running again. Everything was how i wanted it anyways!

Now i gonna look on ebay for new headlights. Glasses so foggy the yshine like a halo, and other cars seems to be annoyed by that, aswell as i dont see very well with them on wet tarmac at dark nights.
 
#23 ·
It is the M112 V6. When i bought it i was "sure" i bought the inline six M104, and it wasnt untill a few days later i realised it was the V6.

I wasnt focusing as mutch as i should but it didnt really mean anything to me wichever it was of the two.

I was so happy with the car as a whole, i have never had anything like this before, actualy i never had a car with airbaigs or traction control before, so this was for me quite a upgrade and a special car.
 
#24 ·
I must add that i am very happy i got the V6 and not the Inline 6, because i guess it is a stronger engine at lower revs and the Inline 6 might have promoted the more heavy foot syndrome, also know as lisence devourer.

The V6 is aluminium and it warms up faster aswell, wich is good up here.
 
#25 ·
V6 by the design give you nicer torque curve, but I6 is heck easier to work on.
Still I am buying MB for last 20 years becouse I got tired of doing engine work on VW.
The biggest engine job on dozens V6 MB I bought for family was ... motor mounts.
The inline 6 in W124 needed head gasket and even with simpler engine it was quite a big job. Too much stuff they put on those cars, not to mention 48 bolts holding straight head.
 
#27 ·
I spend most of my life in different service/repairs and my logic is that cheaper parts make sense for DIY, while not much when you pay professional.
For example you need new kitchen faucet. You can buy $300 one or $80 one.
If you DIY the cheap one and it fails after 2 years, you are down only $80 in 2 years, but if you paid $200 labor, that makes $280 for only 2 years of service.
That beside that those top of the line kitchen faucets come with lifetime warranty and I only wish car parts had the same.
MB parts do have lousy warranties. Only 2 years on batteries, when I have 90 months on cheaper Bosch.
Aftermarket air suspension not only comes much cheaper, but actually do have lifetime warranty (although I was skeptic about it after reading fine print).
With alternators it is pretty simple logic >>>> The only really wearable are brushes and Voltage Regulator cost in the range of 5% of new alternator. That is straight pointer for me.
 
#32 ·
Yes in everyday life after i got the car i kinda found out the same. I must sometimes wait untill i get help to fix the car, but i always get help, and i help him alot with his other cars, and after reading about the alternator in sticky, i thought that one i might potential be able to do myself one day after been helped with it once, and my mechanic said that when we was done; "Now you know how to..."
 
#29 ·
When each engine can have different design, on I6 I have been replacing VR and MM without disassembling anything else.
On V6 it usually takes disassembling major components, like alternator or exhaust.
On V6 Bluetec even unbolting alternator would not allow me pulling it out of engine bay. But I was able to turn it and replace VR without making it 2-days job.
On V8 on other hand, just to get to CPS require lifting the car and disassembling inner fender.
 
#33 ·
There are used parts and used parts.
You take 15 years old window slider from W210 and it is crap.
You take the same exact part from 25 years old model and it will last lifetime.
That is why my 9 yo Bluetec has clips and grommets 25 yo.
But don't spend time to put used brushes into your car. Just like used tires - they will not last.
 
#34 ·
Spark plugs in M112 are serviced every 100k...though I took out OEM spark plugs from my 98 ML320 that had 207k. So unless you're noticing performance drop, MPG loss or misfire, ignore the spark plugs...they are nowadays replaced only when necessary.
 
#35 ·
Thanks!

MPG is ok i think, i havent measured it yet tho. Missfire i was listening after that the other day, the engine is very quiet but i think i could hear some that sounded like it. I was thinking if it is the original plugs with 357.000km on em they definitivt should be replaced.
 
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