Warning Lamps Mystery - W124

angst

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Could the warning lamps not going on when key is turned be related to battery not being charged when running?

It seems I was running on battery for some time on a long journey without the battery lamp going on to show it wasn't charging.

When breakdown arrived, we found the warning dashboard lamps didn't go on when portable battery used. Or rather they sometimes did then went off again.

Fuses seem OK.

Breakdown garage left me with advice that cars are a mystery.

Mine is a 1989 260E
 

Alex Crow

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yes, this is a clear case of alternator trouble. on your car the brushes can be very quickly replaced without removing the alternator, this will usually cure the issues.
 
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angst

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yes, this is a clear case of alternator trouble. on your car the brushes can be very quickly replaced without removing the alternator, this will usually cure the issues.

Thanks very much, I'll get the Haynes manual out!!
 

television

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Yes as Alex on this,,only around £14 from any Bosch outlet
 
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angst

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Yes as Alex on this,,only around £14 from any Bosch outlet

Well the main dealer quoted £6 something so I suppose he means each!

Thing is, can't see how they come out of the voltage regulator - Haynes says to replace the voltage regulator if the brushes need replacing.
 
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angst

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The main dealer can't locate on the phone which voltage regulator goes with my chassis number - the voltage regulator with brushes already in do attach easily with 2 screws as you and Alex pointed out.

Can't see how the brushes fit in though. Or come out!
 

television

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If no more replies I will look to see if any info on this,,but 124 stuff is limited in the way of info
 
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angst

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Is 1/4 inch brush enough?

If no more replies I will look to see if any info on this,,but 124 stuff is limited in the way of info


thanks - I've found an ex bosch dealer who called Bosch and the regulator is available under a different part number.

However, after cleaning the brushes everything seems to work. The brushes were about 1/4 in. sticking out. Is that enough ?- Haynes lied when it said the minimum length was given specifications.

Still curious as to how the brushes actually come out - I'd ordered them from the main dealer who could find the brushes but not the regulator as it seems there's a few different types only identifiable by Mercedes code which is not on the Bosch part.
 

television

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I think that your brushes are on their last legs,,though the brushes run on slip rings a little more pressure is required
 

w124nut

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I had my alternator regulator pack on my 1994 E320 changed recently. It is a Bosch product reference number 0021548506.

I asked my local indy to change it as the car is 16 years old and I have no record that it had been changed previously, so really it was preventative maintenance on my part.
 

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When the brushes wore out on my 190E 2.6 ( same engine as OP's car) I obtained a pair of brushes from my local Bosch agent for about £1.50 .

It was then a simple matter to remove the regulator pack and desolder the old brushes , clean up the hole with a small drill then solder in the new brushes and refit regulator pack to car - all in half an hour's work and a tenth of the price of a regulator pack or , at a guess , a hundredth of the price of a new alternator .
 
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angst

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I think that your brushes are on their last legs,,though the brushes run on slip rings a little more pressure is required


Ok, I'll order a new voltage regulator from the ex Bosch dealer (as neither a current Bosch dealer nor the main dealer could help on the phone!).

Car should run I believe ok till then.

I'd like to know though how so much muck could get inside where the voltage regulator comes out!!
 

television

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It just gets carbon dust inside,,and this does not give a problem
 


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