[W126 Coupe] 1982 380SEC - started but won't stay charged
Dean Slone
daslone at saber.net
Fri Jun 19 03:10:18 EDT 2009
I have had a battery break a plate and go from excellent to zero in an instant. I had a battery act like it was dead and the only problem was corroded terminals (this after I carried the d..n thing over a mile to the parts store. Those things are not light.).
Before you just buy a new battery, call ahead and ask if the store can test your old battery. I wouldn't buy a new battery from someone who couldn't test my old one for me. After testing your present battery, if it tests bad, then that is the time to buy.
Word of caution ... take the old battery out of the car and drive it to the store in a vehicle that you believe will get you there and back home again. No sense getting stranded by driving a car with battery that wont hold a charge.
----- Original Message -----
From: Ernest Stephens
To: Mercedes Coupes Mailing Lists
Sent: Thursday, June 18, 2009 10:23 PM
Subject: Re: [W126 Coupe] 1982 380SEC - started but won't stay charged
Night before last I experienced 2 batteries going out at the same time on my Ford Diesel Excursion. I was trouble shooting a trailer wiring harness for running, turning and brake lights when everything went dead. After recharging the first battery over night the charger was still showing a 2 amp charge rate; I realized that the batteries were past their life expectancy even though they still looked new. Earlier this year I bought one of the most expensive batteries on the market for my 58 Vette and it lasted less than 2 mos. Apparently the battery did not like sitting doing nothing because the same thing happened to it's replacement. I bought the battery at a Costco store and Costco not only has good prices but a no hassle return policy. I now have the third battery working successfully. Point here is that batteries have their own personalities too. Try a new or borrowed battery first, you can save yourself some time.
Good luck,
steve
PS: I bought 2 replacement batteries for my Excursion at Wal-Mart, they have good batteries, excellent warranties and of course good prices. Costco had a better deal on the battery that I bought for the Vette however. The battery in my 560 SEC is a Sears Diehard but I think that Sears is too expensive and in this economy I say shop it.
----- Original Message -----
From: Mark Foster
To: 'Mercedes Coupes Mailing Lists'
Sent: Thursday, June 18, 2009 10:40 PM
Subject: Re: [W126 Coupe] 1982 380SEC - started but won't stay charged
Hi again,
In the event I need to buy a battery, is there anyone on this forum (
possibly in Canada ) that might know where I can get a replacement battery
for a 1982 380SEC other than the Vancouver dealer?
Thanks,
Mark
-----Original Message-----
From: mbcoupes-bounces at mbcoupes.com [mailto:mbcoupes-bounces at mbcoupes.com]
On Behalf Of Jay Hirsch
Sent: June 18, 2009 9:09 PM
To: Mercedes Coupes Mailing Lists
Subject: Re: [W126 Coupe] 1982 380SEC - started but won't stay charged
Mark,
Unlike a 57 Chevy or 57 Mercedes any car from the 80s on up draws a
lot of volts even when just sitting.
Alternators do not go bad from sitting.
I have had batteries that give off false information.
If you have another car that you could take the battery out of
would be the simplest way to go for a test.
You could also take the car for a good ride with the "old" battery
of an hour and see what happens when you try to restart...at home in
the driveway
keep cruisin
Jay
On Jun 18, 2009, at 11:22 PM, Mark Foster wrote:
> 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.
>>>
>>> __________ NOD32 4164 (20090617) Information __________
>>>
>>> This message was checked by NOD32 antivirus system.
>>> http://www.eset.com
>>>
>>>
>>> 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.
>
> __________ NOD32 4169 (20090619) Information __________
>
> This message was checked by NOD32 antivirus system.
> http://www.eset.com
>
>
> 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.
__________ NOD32 4169 (20090619) Information __________
This message was checked by NOD32 antivirus system.
http://www.eset.com
The MB Coupes Website!
W126 SEC Mailing List
Postings remain property of MB Coupes, L.L.C.
E-mail message checked by Spyware Doctor (6.0.1.441)
Database version: 6.12640
http://www.pctools.com/spyware-doctor-antivirus/
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The MB Coupes Website!
W126 SEC Mailing List
Postings remain property of MB Coupes, L.L.C.
E-mail message checked by Spyware Doctor (6.0.1.441)
Database version: 6.12640
http://www.pctools.com/en/spyware-doctor-antivirus/
E-mail message checked by Spyware Doctor (6.0.1.441)
Database version: 6.12650
http://www.pctools.com/en/spyware-doctor-antivirus/
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://www.pairlist.net/pipermail/mbcoupes/attachments/20090619/e5b4dec1/attachment.htm>
More information about the MBCOUPES
mailing list