Red alert

robmc52

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Evening all, another little problem today.The alternator/battery warning light has started to flash up on the display today, appearing for a few seconds and then going out. It might be 5 or 10 minutes before it appears again.

After finding an excellent bit of advice on another thread about checking the voltage output via Comand, it seems the output is varying between 11.5 and 13.5 ish volts. Revving the engine doesn't seem to make any difference to the output, it stays around the 13 volt mark and then drops down a bit.

Is it dangerous to assume that the battery is still getting a big enough charge to keep it topped up whilst the warning light is only coming on now and again? In other words, can I drive it to the garage tomorrow without fear of it leaving me stranded on the hard shoulder?

Cheers
Rob
 

television

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A hard question,,, if you chance it everything possible turned off, air con,radio,heating, lights etc, how far are you going
 

Cole@MBS

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Just sounds like the normal reg pack in the rear of the alternator........
 

giuseppe

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Evening all, another little problem today.The alternator/battery warning light has started to flash up on the display today, appearing for a few seconds and then going out. It might be 5 or 10 minutes before it appears again.

After finding an excellent bit of advice on another thread about checking the voltage output via Comand, it seems the output is varying between 11.5 and 13.5 ish volts. Revving the engine doesn't seem to make any difference to the output, it stays around the 13 volt mark and then drops down a bit.

Is it dangerous to assume that the battery is still getting a big enough charge to keep it topped up whilst the warning light is only coming on now and again? In other words, can I drive it to the garage tomorrow without fear of it leaving me stranded on the hard shoulder?

Cheers
Rob
My warning come's up every time I switch on, car still keeps going.
 

brandwooddixon

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Ah the worries of these new fangled common rail diesels.
When I used to drive around in a Series III Land Rover diesel I didn't give two hoots about the battery.
Once it was started it just used to keep on going and to turn it off you pulled a handle that was connected to the fuel cutoff valve by a cable.

Seriously, difficult to answer. As Malcolm says, if you turn off all unnecessary electrical consumers and travel in daylight then you may be okay.
 
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robmc52

robmc52

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I've bottled out and used the wife's car. Hopefully I can have a look later today and find out what make the alternator is, it's water cooled by the look of it :shock:
 

brandwooddixon

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I would, but don't let on that you knew there was a problem, just suggest the garage of your choice to be relayed to.
 
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robmc52

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robmc52

robmc52

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WP_000481.jpg

Crappy phone pic, can anyone guess what type is under the dirt?
 

television

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I cannot, someone else may know, the details are on the other end I think
 
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robmc52

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The only markings I can see are stamped on the casting where one of the mounting bolts goes through, something like 230102 s? 24. Took a few more pictures though. It looks like a Delphi, the guy that sells the repair kit also does a rebuilt one for £145 which seems pretty good value to me.
 

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television

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Out trouble is the epc does not say what make :(
 
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robmc52

robmc52

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Out trouble is the epc does not say what make :(

I'm going to dismantle it tomorrow if I get the chance. Someone mentioned on another thread that it's possible to take the guts out without removing the water jacket, if that's so then I might be able to identify the innards and go from there.
 

television

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Thats right, we had the post from someone who rebuilt one, that was a first on here I believe , just a couple of weeks back
 

james93

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I recently rebuilt my delphi.

put it all back together and it was fine for a few days and now im getting an undervoltage message again... im thinking wiring now ... are bumps perhaps doing something somewhere
 
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robmc52

robmc52

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Almost got to the end earlier. Had a new unit delivered overnight from a rebuild merchant up North, I took the old one off in the end as I couldn't see anything well enough under the car, swapped it over, last job is to plug the connector in at the back and of course, it's a different socket. What a suprise:rolleyes:

It looks exactly the same except one of the locating slots in the new alternator socket is in a slightly different place. Now, what's the chances of picking a new plug up from my local stealership? Or shall I just commit bodgery on the old one? This fleabay ad http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Mercedes-...arts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM&hash=item27c99db394 has a picture of the socket, the single slot on my plug is on the left hand and now needs to be on the right if it's going to fit.

So near and yet so far, I'm getting fed up with driving the wife's Picasso around.

Bob
 
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television

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You can release the connections by releasing the catch with a pin that keeps the connections in or if you can change the locating pin all the better, not easy things to get from MB
 
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robmc52

robmc52

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I recently rebuilt my delphi.

put it all back together and it was fine for a few days and now im getting an undervoltage message again... im thinking wiring now ... are bumps perhaps doing something somewhere

I've removed the plug from the loom to modify it and noticed that both of the cables have had the insulation rubbed away where they enter the back of the plug. All that diesel vibration over the years I imagine. There could be a break or a loose connection anywhere in that bit of the loom that runs up the side of the alternator and past the turbo.
 

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