- Hey scotty and the car community. I just installed a rebuilt alternator on my 1985 500sel mercedes the alternator started to smoke and sparks started flying out. What can be the issue ? Everything is installed correctly.
Are you 100% sure that you didn't reverse polarity on the connectors? There are some solid state electronics in alternators to turn the AC to DC, those may have fried.
Unless it's that or you've put it on with a ridiculous level of belt tension, somebody sold you a badly rebuilt alternator.
Have you tried turning the alternator by hand, with the belt off? Does it spin or grind?
I can't reverse the polarity since it's 2 different size o rings. Mercedes designed it so you can't reverse the polarity. The tension is the same as My previous alternator. And there wasn't any grinding noise when I was moving it freely. I always inspect parts before I install them. I. Bought the same alternator from the same alternator shop on ebay and it worked great. I guess they screwed up with this alternator.
Your alternator was obviously rebuilt on a Friday afternoon or a Monday morning. Hope you bought one with a limited lifetime warranty.
I guess they screwed up. It was a upgraded alternator for Mt car I bought the same one for my 1988 560sl and it worked like a charm. Thank God I can send it back.
Hey doc do you know what's causing that issue I'm sending the alternator back just curious to see what the issue could be
It was just probably rebuilt wrong, or just cleaned up and not rebuilt at all.