HELP - Voltage drop - Gearbox problems!

[IceBoy]

Hi All,

Another problem with the w211 E320cdi 53-reg.

I've had every problem under the sun in the last couple of weeks.

Today the gearbox got stuck in 3rd and would not change. Nothing would make it change, even manual/triptronic changes.

The engine and gearbox had a full service last week and all was good.

Today, everytime you use kick-down the gearbox get stuck.

My local indy stuck it on STAR and no faults.

HOWEVER, there is a voltage drop whilst the car is ticking over!!!

Battery fine whilst engine off. 12.6V
When cranck - drops a little
When engine starts and is ticking over ok at 14.2v , after 30 sec the battery shows 11.2v

I know battery problems can give the gearbox a hard time but how can we trace this issue??

HELP
IceBoy

 

[Peter DLM]

Your Alternator might be screwed. I had similar issues.

 

[IceBoy]

The indy thinks it is the voltage regulator is problem?

As the voltage keeps fluctuating whilst the engine is running???

8-(

 

[Ted]

Battery fine whilst engine off. 12.6V

When engine starts and is ticking over ok at 14.2v , after 30 sec the battery shows 11.2v


You sure about this? - I would double check.

A 3v drop suggests to me that there is a serious drain. Even if the voltage regulator is failty/intermittent the voltage would go back to around the quiescent voltage of 12.6.


Doesn't sound quite right to me, or a large current drain.

 

[IceBoy]

Ted, sorry typo, it drops to 12.2 and then fluctuates.

 

[brucemillar]

Can you remove the regulator? On mine (Bosch) it was two screws on the back of the alternator. The brushes were shot on mine. Very cheap and simple repair.

You can get a cheap alternator, battery test box on ebay for £5.00 this uses LED's but will show if your alternator is not pushing out enough power.

Either way with the engine running you should have 14+ VDC so it sounds like alternator or regulator pack.

OH and when mine went AWOL I got all sorts of odd things happening with warning lights. Mainly the ABS light started flashing.

 

[grober]

I would be inclined to change the alternator regulator pack [ includes the brushes?] if its at all possible [ not very expensive in the scheme of things] followed if necessary by the battery--- I see you list the W211 as a "winter car" If its been sat around for relatively long periods without running this will not have done the battery any favours.

 

[brucemillar]

I would be inclined to change the alternator regulator pack [ includes the brushes?] if its at all possible [ not very expensive in the scheme of things] followed if necessary by the battery--- I see you list the W211 as a "winter car" If its been sat around for relatively long periods without running this will not have done the battery any favours.

GROBER

You correctly diagnosed mine on the forum last year. A great fix and cheap. Thank you.

 

[IceBoy]

Thanks All.

I will update you tomorrow.

Iceboy

 

[Ted]

Ted, sorry typo, it drops to 12.2 and then fluctuates.

Regulator pack it is then!!

 

[IceBoy]

OK....... all fixed.

The voltage regulator has fixed the issue with sticking gears!!

IceBoy