"Niquemarshall" (dominiquemarshall)
02/20/2014 at 12:33 • Filed to: None
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"Niquemarshall" (dominiquemarshall)
02/20/2014 at 12:33 • Filed to: None | 0
| 28 |
Ok so the plot thickens: I cleaned the battery terminals yesterday, and checked the ground I saw by the wheel well, car ran extremely well. Took it to the BMV to get tags, and it dies in the middle of the road on the way home downtown. Left it for 10 minutes, it starts back up. Dies again. Starts back up immediately. Seconds later SRS light comes on. I freaked out and turned off the car. This time it needs a jump. At first it would crank and eventually it stopped cranking. A friend comes to jump me, STILL won't even crank. Weirder, my friends battery drains out in the process. I bought a new battery and it started, but the battery light no longer comes on.
Agrajag
> Niquemarshall
02/20/2014 at 11:11 |
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Did you replace the voltage regulator?
HammerheadFistpunch
> Niquemarshall
02/20/2014 at 11:13 |
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I missed the first part of this, but have you checked your distributor? (assuming it has one) I had a problem with 2 cars that had cracked caps or the connections didn't have enough dielectric grease and evertime it got wet (even really humid) it would stall out randomly. Some times it would fir back up, sometimes it wouldn't.
thereisnospork
> Niquemarshall
02/20/2014 at 11:13 |
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An odd thought: A lot of cars have charging circuits runs through the battery light in the gauge cluster, not sure about BMWs specifically. If the light isn't there (or burned out) the car won't charge. Maybe you've got a flaky contact back there? If it doesn't turn on with the key 'on' but the engine not running that might be the source of your issues, or a an entirely separate issue if you are unlucky.
crowmolly
> Niquemarshall
02/20/2014 at 11:18 |
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SRS light came on? Must be something serious.
Joking aside, I'd take the alternator to get tested before you go any further.
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Niquemarshall
> Agrajag
02/20/2014 at 11:25 |
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Tried to but NAPA gave me the wrong part, or it didn't fit for whatever reason
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Niquemarshall
> HammerheadFistpunch
02/20/2014 at 11:26 |
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I haven't, I do recall accidentally breaking part of one of the wires, but I don't think that's the case... I'll check it though.
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Niquemarshall
> crowmolly
02/20/2014 at 11:28 |
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The alternator is testing low output, but it's relatively new. It's not even dirty, but it's something the PO installed
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HammerheadFistpunch
> Niquemarshall
02/20/2014 at 11:28 |
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in the first case, it was moisture getting into the cap and causing a short. It would dry and out and then start.
In the second case there was a sensor in the cap and the connector wasn't insulated with dielectric grease from the previous owner who replaced it. $.50 worth of grease and its fixed.
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Niquemarshall
> thereisnospork
02/20/2014 at 11:30 |
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It used to, but not since I put a new battery in. It's a 92 190e
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Niquemarshall
> HammerheadFistpunch
02/20/2014 at 11:32 |
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I'll definitely take a look. It's weird because the car loses power while driving, now the alt won't charge because there is no illumination of the battery light
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Agrajag
> Niquemarshall
02/20/2014 at 11:32 |
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It's an 190E right? Try these places.
http://www.pelicanparts.com/Mercedes-Benz/…
I definitely think it's the alternator or that voltage regulator.
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crowmolly
> Niquemarshall
02/20/2014 at 11:37 |
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How is your belt tension?
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HammerheadFistpunch
> Niquemarshall
02/20/2014 at 11:37 |
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Thats what happened to me, it would stall on the freeway, then fire back up.
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Niquemarshall
> crowmolly
02/20/2014 at 11:44 |
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Could be a bit tighter, but still turning the pulley. I do hear some jingling noise when I rev it. I can't tighten it because the knob broke off last time.
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Niquemarshall
> Agrajag
02/20/2014 at 11:48 |
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Here's how it looked when I removed it.
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Agrajag
> Niquemarshall
02/20/2014 at 11:58 |
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kinja'd
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Niquemarshall
> Agrajag
02/20/2014 at 12:05 |
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Here it is
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Agrajag
> Niquemarshall
02/20/2014 at 12:11 |
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Haha, twice now.
*pic of screen cap in case I got kinja'd
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Niquemarshall
> Agrajag
02/20/2014 at 12:28 |
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Let's try again.
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Niquemarshall
> Agrajag
02/20/2014 at 12:29 |
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Agrajag
> Niquemarshall
02/20/2014 at 12:34 |
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That looks okay to me. Could still be a failing alternator though. Maybe bring it somewhere that repairs them. They at least may be able to test it properly.
offroadkarter
> Niquemarshall
02/20/2014 at 12:35 |
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SRS is just airbag, so I wouldn't freak out over that immediately
You've put a multimeter on the battery with the car off then running to see what its doing? if its charging below 13.6V you have an issue
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Niquemarshall
> Agrajag
02/20/2014 at 12:46 |
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Only thing is, once I pop that belt loose I won't be able to tighten it again since I some how broke off the belt adjuster screw lol. Oh well.
MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner
> Niquemarshall
02/20/2014 at 12:47 |
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We had a similar issue on my wife's old Liberty I was losing my mind. Turned out it was a bad negative wire/terminal on the battery the replacement one I had installed from advance wasn't good enough.
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Niquemarshall
> offroadkarter
02/20/2014 at 12:48 |
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Yes; with the car at idle with nothing loading, it charges above 14v, but it never stabilizes... It constantly jumps between 14.1-14.7. With the load on, it dips to 12.2v.
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Niquemarshall
> MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner
02/20/2014 at 12:48 |
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I'm thinking it may be a bad ground too
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offroadkarter
> Niquemarshall
02/20/2014 at 12:49 |
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it drops to 12.2?
Yeah thats way to low, as said before look into the regulator. You don't have any belt slip right?
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Niquemarshall
> offroadkarter
02/20/2014 at 13:04 |
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I was going to change the VR, but my replacement part did not fit at all. This is the old one.