DY2
Senior Member
- Joined
- Sep 24, 2010
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- Age
- 41
- Location
- Bexleyheath, Kent
- Your Mercedes
- W211 2003 E320 Cdi Automatic
W211 Alternator removal – 2003 ‘03’ E-Class 320
I have done this recently, and thought I would do a write up or those who may come into this situation in the future.
I put a new battery in the rear of the car, as I was getting the “electric consumers switched off” malfunction appear. But this didn’t care my problem. Checking the voltage through the battery, it was clear the alternator was not doing its job of putting charge back.
I decided to put a new alternator in.
Just a note, I also replaced the drive belt and coolant, as you have to remove two water pipes to the water pump, and you’ll lose coolant.
On advice from others and their past experience. I always open the driver’s window fully, or have the spare key handy. I’ve heard plenty of stories regarding keys being locked inside the car when you reconnect the battery.
This is what I done:
Jack up the car, front driver’s side. Remove both of the under trays – This is to access the two bottom bolts on the alternator.
1. Open the boot, and disconnect the negative feed to the battery.
2. Open the bonnet, and passenger side, at the rear, undo the black screw and remove the pollen filter.
3. Under the pollen filter, you will see the smaller battery for the SBC, again, disconnect the black negative feed.
4. Take a sketch or a picture of the drive belt for when it comes time to put it back on
5. Undo and remove the black/ grey engine cover.
6. Remove the air intake pipe, by pinching the edge near the air filter then wiggling away from next to the radiator
7. Disconnect the electrical connection to the MAF, loosen the jubilee clip.
8. Remove the round circular pipe connected at the MAF, there is a small tube to pull, an electrical connector and another jubilee clip to loosen underneath, then pull this out.
9. Under the car, disconnect the two electric cables attached to the alternator. You can then, from the top of the engine pull this up and out of the way.
10. Loosen the jubilee clips holding the two pipes into the water pump ( I used cable ties to secure these against the SBC pump), this is where you will lose the coolant, if you can place a bucket or sort under the car to collect it. You will lose a few litres.
11. Below the two water pipes, is another black rubber pipe. Disconnect this and remove.
12. Now to remove the engine fan. This is need to give sufficient space to remove the alternator and get the new one in place. There are seven bolts and two torx screws to remove on the center crossbar. Lift up and fold over the crossbar, there is a cable underneath which can be loosened to allow the crossbar to fold over completely.
13. At each end of the fan, there is a clip - remove these using a flat headed screwdriver. Disconnect the electric connector at the side of the fan (passenger seat side). You will also have to move about some pipes at the bottom of the fan, I used extension bars from my socket set. You can then wiggle out the fan from the engine.
14. Move the tensioner pulley and use an allen key to lock the tensioner in place. Remove the drive belt.
15. Now you should have clear access to the alternator. There are 3 top bolts and two bottom bolts, use a 10mm socket bit or spanner to remove these.
16. The alternator can then be removed out the top of the engine.
17. Put the new alternator in place, lining it up carefully with two longer top bolts, then the bottom two bolts.
18. Once it is in place and secured, put on the new drive belt.
Then working backwards, reinstall all the parts removed. Once complete - refill the coolant tank. Reconnect the batteries (It may be wise to recharge them).
Hopefully, when starting the car, you should get no more warnings about the electric consumers switched off. Mine has been done a week now and no malfunctions.
I have done this recently, and thought I would do a write up or those who may come into this situation in the future.
I put a new battery in the rear of the car, as I was getting the “electric consumers switched off” malfunction appear. But this didn’t care my problem. Checking the voltage through the battery, it was clear the alternator was not doing its job of putting charge back.
I decided to put a new alternator in.
Just a note, I also replaced the drive belt and coolant, as you have to remove two water pipes to the water pump, and you’ll lose coolant.
On advice from others and their past experience. I always open the driver’s window fully, or have the spare key handy. I’ve heard plenty of stories regarding keys being locked inside the car when you reconnect the battery.
This is what I done:
Jack up the car, front driver’s side. Remove both of the under trays – This is to access the two bottom bolts on the alternator.
1. Open the boot, and disconnect the negative feed to the battery.
2. Open the bonnet, and passenger side, at the rear, undo the black screw and remove the pollen filter.
3. Under the pollen filter, you will see the smaller battery for the SBC, again, disconnect the black negative feed.
4. Take a sketch or a picture of the drive belt for when it comes time to put it back on
5. Undo and remove the black/ grey engine cover.
6. Remove the air intake pipe, by pinching the edge near the air filter then wiggling away from next to the radiator
7. Disconnect the electrical connection to the MAF, loosen the jubilee clip.
8. Remove the round circular pipe connected at the MAF, there is a small tube to pull, an electrical connector and another jubilee clip to loosen underneath, then pull this out.
9. Under the car, disconnect the two electric cables attached to the alternator. You can then, from the top of the engine pull this up and out of the way.
10. Loosen the jubilee clips holding the two pipes into the water pump ( I used cable ties to secure these against the SBC pump), this is where you will lose the coolant, if you can place a bucket or sort under the car to collect it. You will lose a few litres.
11. Below the two water pipes, is another black rubber pipe. Disconnect this and remove.
12. Now to remove the engine fan. This is need to give sufficient space to remove the alternator and get the new one in place. There are seven bolts and two torx screws to remove on the center crossbar. Lift up and fold over the crossbar, there is a cable underneath which can be loosened to allow the crossbar to fold over completely.
13. At each end of the fan, there is a clip - remove these using a flat headed screwdriver. Disconnect the electric connector at the side of the fan (passenger seat side). You will also have to move about some pipes at the bottom of the fan, I used extension bars from my socket set. You can then wiggle out the fan from the engine.
14. Move the tensioner pulley and use an allen key to lock the tensioner in place. Remove the drive belt.
15. Now you should have clear access to the alternator. There are 3 top bolts and two bottom bolts, use a 10mm socket bit or spanner to remove these.
16. The alternator can then be removed out the top of the engine.
17. Put the new alternator in place, lining it up carefully with two longer top bolts, then the bottom two bolts.
18. Once it is in place and secured, put on the new drive belt.
Then working backwards, reinstall all the parts removed. Once complete - refill the coolant tank. Reconnect the batteries (It may be wise to recharge them).
Hopefully, when starting the car, you should get no more warnings about the electric consumers switched off. Mine has been done a week now and no malfunctions.