[W126 Coupe] 1982 380SEC - started but won't stay charged

[Mark Foster]

Jay,

The battery was about a year old before the coma set in.

I will check the resting and running voltage and report back.

Any thanks - Jay - Dick & An,

Mark

-----Original Message-----
From: mbcoupes-bounces at mbcoupes.com [mailto:mbcoupes-bounces at mbcoupes.com]
On Behalf Of Jay Hirsch
Sent: June 18, 2009 8:16 PM
To: Mercedes Coupes Mailing Lists
Subject: Re: [W126 Coupe] 1982 380SEC - started but won't stay charged

Alternators do not go bad from sitting
How old was the battery prior to the one year  the car was  in a  coma?
Buy a  new battery
Jay H
On Jun 18, 2009, at 10:59 PM, Dick Spellman wrote:


> Hi Mark,

>

> check battery resting voltage (engine off)...check battery voltage  

> with engine running..then report these two readings to list

>

> Regards,

> Dick

>

> Mark Foster wrote:

>> Hi,

>>

>> I suspect this is an alternator issue - but I thought I better ask  

>> the

>> expects in this forum.

>> My 380 SEC has not been running for about a year. I went out and  

>> started it

>> today and after a 20 minute jump it started but I had to turn the  

>> key a

>> number of times as it seemed as though it would not always catch. The

>> dashboard starting lights would illuminate but there was just a  

>> click sound

>> and then nothing. So I gave it a few more minutes - tried again -  

>> and this

>> time it started. I gave it a few minutes running, then shut it off.

>> Naturally it would not start again ( actually was surprised the  

>> old girl

>> started for me in the first place) so another jump and the same  

>> scenario -

>> clicks  - then finally it caught and roared to life. This time I  

>> let it run

>> for half an hour  - watching all the gauges ( seemed normal ) -  

>> then went

>> for a very short drive. Up and down my street - just in case ;-)

>> So I finally turned it off and - guess what? Nothing! The battery  

>> seems fine

>> as I had it on charge for a few days before attempting this. So, I am

>> guessing the next natural trouble shooting progression would be the

>> alternator?

>> Thoughts/comments greatly appreciated.

>>

>> Mark ( Vancouver - Canada )

>>

>>

>>

>> -----Original Message-----

>> From: mbcoupes-bounces at mbcoupes.com [mailto:mbcoupes- 

>> bounces at mbcoupes.com]

>> On Behalf Of kabed1980 at yahoo.com

>> Sent: June 17, 2009 5:14 PM

>> To: Mercedes Coupes Mailing Lists

>> Subject: Re: [W126 Coupe] Suspect OVP relay (update)

>>

>> When I finally got to my 560after 7 years of sitting not running I  

>> finally

>> got to u got it running bitter then new I had the run in with the  

>> alternator

>> same description Sent via BlackBerry from T-Mobile

>>

>> -----Original Message-----

>> From: "Iain Gunn" <igunn at bmts.com>

>>

>> Date: Wed, 17 Jun 2009 19:08:54 To: Mercedes Coupes Mailing  

>> Lists<mbcoupes at mbcoupes.com>

>> Subject: Re: [W126 Coupe] Suspect OVP relay (update)

>>

>>

>> Here, let me tell you another one that will throw you.

>> Speedometer starts bouncing all over the place, all gages start  

>> going erratic, everything starts shutting down, blower motor goes  

>> on to high heat.

>>

>> Think you're in the "Close Encounters of the Third Kind" movie?

>>

>> Brushes in the alternator, or alternator.

>>

>> Anyone got more for the new guy?

>> ----- Original Message ----- From: "Afzaal Khan.M"  

>> <afzaal53 at gmail.com>

>> To: "Vance Rowley" <vance.rowley at tiscali.co.uk>; "Mercedes Coupes  

>> Mailing Lists" <mbcoupes at mbcoupes.com>

>> Sent: Tuesday, June 16, 2009 9:04 PM

>> Subject: Re: [W126 Coupe] Suspect OVP relay (update)

>>

>>

>>

>>> Great!  fault diagnosed and  rectified.

>>> mak

>>>

>>> On 16/06/2009, Vance Rowley <vance.rowley at tiscali.co.uk> wrote:

>>>

>>>> Yes, at last, confirmed. Received my new OVP relay this morning  

>>>> and before

>>>> the delivery truck had driven away, I had the parcel ripped open  

>>>> and fitted

>>>> the relay. My thoughts as I was about to turn the ignition key  

>>>> was "well,

>>>> here goes" But as soon as I did, I could tell that this is it,  

>>>> as the engine

>>>> started immediately and the ABS/ASR warning lights went out. It  

>>>> used to take

>>>> around 10 seconds or more of the engine turning over to start  

>>>> with the old

>>>> relay. The engine was very smooth and no stumble or hesitation  

>>>> when revving

>>>> the engine. The idle was fine also.

>>>> I know that the OVP gets blamed for everything, but it looks  

>>>> like if you

>>>> have the 4 symptoms all at the same time.

>>>> 1. Takes a long time to start

>>>> 2. High Idle

>>>> 3. ABS/ASR warning lights remain on.

>>>> 4. Rough running of the engine.

>>>> Then it looks like the problem is almost certainly the OVP  

>>>> relay. Of course

>>>> it is possible that the fuse is just blown, but if that is OK  

>>>> (as mine was)

>>>> then a new OVP should be the next step.

>>>>

>>>> For those who want to have a go at repairing the relay, from  

>>>> what I have

>>>> discovered along with input from this group, it looks like if  

>>>> you get all

>>>> symptoms at the same time, then as long as the fuse, relay coil,  

>>>> contacts

>>>> and solder joints are OK, then the most likely culprit is the diode

>>>> connected between pin# 15 and the relay coil. It is unlikely  

>>>> that the zener

>>>> diode is the problem, as this would more likely blow the fuse if  

>>>> the zener

>>>> was at fault. If you get only 1 or 2 of the above symptoms, then  

>>>> a solder

>>>> joint (or more) would be most likely.But of course when you get  

>>>> only 1 or

>>>>

>>

>>

>>>> 2

>>>> of the symptoms, say for example the ABS warning light on, then  

>>>> it's

>>>> possible the OVP is fine and that the problem could be the ABS  

>>>> computer

>>>> itself. It's understandable that the OVP gets blamed for  

>>>> everything, but is

>>>> certainly the first thing to check.

>>>>

>>>> Thanks again to everyone who gave their input.

>>>>

>>>> Regards,

>>>>

>>>> Vance.

>>>> The MB Coupes Website!

>>>> W126 SEC Mailing List

>>>> Postings remain property of MB Coupes, L.L.C.

>>>>

>>>>

>>> The MB Coupes Website!

>>> W126 SEC Mailing List

>>> Postings remain property of MB Coupes, L.L.C.

>>>

>>>

>>

>> The MB Coupes Website!

>> W126 SEC Mailing List

>> Postings remain property of MB Coupes, L.L.C.

>> The MB Coupes Website!

>> W126 SEC Mailing List

>> Postings remain property of MB Coupes, L.L.C.

>>

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>>

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> Postings remain property of MB Coupes, L.L.C.


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