eclipsed

I have found the exact same part # 13884 for the bosch in 5 of the national parts retailers (napa,autozone,carquest,advanceauto,oreilly). SOme show front and back pictures and all say internally regulated as well as 120 amp.

What does the Valeo have that makes this the choice? Ill check in after knuckle busting in a unheated garage getting the thing out.

Thanks

kjb55

The 'real' Bosch alternator, either new or reman by Bosch, will begin with an 'AL' as part of the part number.

From your list, only Napa and CQ (through World Pac) can easily get the 'AL' true Bosch unit. Valeo does not do much IAM business in the USA, and the Valeo unit is most likely only available from the dealer as an OES part.

Bosch had regulator trouble due to an environmentally friendly sealing glue that was introduced that contained excessive moisture. Under severe underhood temp conditions, that moisture content would boil and damage the regulator internally.

This has been corrected and all supply has been clean for 18+ months.

eclipsed

Awesome info. Found both today at Carquest Distribution center. The alternator cases are different, the Valeo (reman) was thinner in depth which would have definately made reinstall harder if the bosch was used.

Now the crappy part. Sometimes when the case is split to rebuild the insides, one of the 2 sides is rotated out of posistion leaving the mounts or the connections out of place where they were before.

Luckely mine was only 1/4 off so the cables just barely reached. I thought I would have to wait for another one to come from 2 days away. I have been stranded in another city from home and was using a family members driveway to do the work in 30-40 degree weather, as well as buy tools to get the job done.

I am not a wealthy person and have to repair myself. Probably bought more car than I should, but being a gear head makes you do silly things

TemjinX2

if you install it yourself..dont forget to write diy..good luck.

eclipsed

1st. Disconnect battery and get a trickle charger on it. Best way to kill an alternator is constantly dying batteries caused by seat modules.

2nd. Pop off engine cover and remove passenger intake just past the air box.

3rd. To remove the air pump behind passenger light. use a 10mm socket with extentions, they are in a triangle pattern, straight down from the top. Wiggle out pump and the hose attached to it. There are lots of hose clips holding these hoses in place, be patient in releasing them as they will likely break if your aggressive like me.

4th. Use the same 10mm and remove the pump bracket that was under it. 2 are visisble from the top and a hidden one behind the heat exchanger to I/C supply tubes. its on the side of the frame rail.

5th. I pulled off the HE to I/C hoses right at the 2 I/C tubes as they duck under the supercharger. (tip) use some sort of locking pliers to pinch off the tubes close to the end to prevent loss of coolant. Also keep these tubes higher than the reservoir and use zip ties or wire to tie them off to the side out of the way.

6th. Attached to the coolant reservoir is some kind of pump/cylinder in a snap on holder. push it down and out, this gives more room to get the alternator out.

7. Use a star socket to turn the belt tensioner and pop off the belt from the alternator. You now have easier access to the bottom star bolt of the alternator.

8. Do the bottom bolt 1st and the t-50 torx top bolt 2nd (why did the use 2 different bolt heads? how can smart engineers be so dumb. Use a long wood stick or prybar to rock the alternator loose, straight to the side.

9. I then turned the alternator pulley downward to have real easy acces to the 13mm positive cable nut, then rotated it so to pop the push on connector off. The alternator is dead so I recommend also taking off the black housing cover (qty 2 7mm bolts) Here is where the wrestling match begins. I have no wisdom here, twist pull and turn till it comes out.

10. Big tip to get the new unit back in. There are little sleeves that should be squeezed back into the alternator brackets. I found pictures from FairfaxC32 posts back in 2006.

9. reinsert alternator in reverse order. If you took off the back cover on the new unit be EXTREMELY careful not to bang anything getting it back in.

Sorry I have no pics to show but ther are pics from FairfaxC32 posts.

ElSupremo

This is pretty common. When they rebuild them they don't always go back to the original timing on the case. Just undo the 3 or 4 screws that hold the case together, rotate it to the timing you need, then screw it back together. There isn't a seal, and the internals won't fall out. It's perfectly safe.

eclipsed

I tried but I couldnt get the pulley nut off as the parts store used a impact and my limited resources couldnt break it loose. Usually during disassembly they mark the two halves of the case with a scratch awl or a steel punch as reference marks.

ElSupremo

MB must be different, then, because I've never had to take the pulley off to do it, just the back cover. The Bosch and Valeo alternators I've had on my BMW's have all been that way, same as on all the U.S. made cars I've had.

ohlord

$193 warranty,roadside,included and free shipping from autohausaz.com.

TemjinX2

have you tried using a breaker bar or is there no room for one?

kjb55

This should NOT be common in the remanufactured world of alternators. My recommendation is that anyone looking for a replacement alternator stick with an OES Valeo unit or a OEM Bosch unit available through either OES or IAM channels with an 'AL' part number.

kjb55

Be very careful using a breaker bar. You need a safe and secure way to keep the alternator from turning.

If this unit has a clutching pulley - you shouldn't be switching or reusing the pulley. Source a unit that includes a NEW clutching pulley.

TemjinX2

so any updates on the how the bosch is holding up? My alternator basically just went out tonight and i wanted to see if the bosch will work. I've been doing the research, are there any other differences other then the casing size? Searching the internet looks like both alternators output about 120amps.

splinter

Sorry to hear about your alternator.

Good info from ScottW911 and boohooramblers in this thread….https://mbworld.org/forums/c32-amg-c...ally-last.html

TemjinX2

thanks john...informative post like usual.

Darcati

My valeo alternator just gave up with my wife coming home from work, thankfully she only had to travel 7km to get home running on battery power. Local stealership quoted $2100AU for a new replacement. Auto electrician found the windings were open circuit and needed to be rewound (cost $500-$600AU). Emailed EuroPartsAmerica and a guy called Ruben took my order with no hassle or delay.

Quite annoyed that my harmonic balancer just went before Christmas, replaced it with a LET 185mm version (Thanks Jerry). Now the alternator failed considering these were $160,000AU new!!!!!!!! in Australia with only 75,000km it disappoints me how these parts fail with such regularity going from other forum members.

On top of all this the SC bearing is rumbling away like the old cartoon character "Mutley" so a parts order with C3P isn't too far away. I may have burned it to the ground if I didnt love driving the damn thing so much!!!!

Cheers from Down Under

TemjinX2

i decided just to play it safe and ordered the valeo. I really wanted to retrofit a nippon, but i need my car working asap.

kjb55

Since there is some misinformation in this thread, and it has been referenced in the linked thread of a similar topic, here are the correct details:

C32's came equipped with either a Bosch or Valeo alternator as original equipment. Rating for either is 120 amps. Either alternator can be replaced with each other, as they are interchangeable. The failure rate referenced above for Bosch units was related to the regulator, which has a production clean date in 2005. The devil, as they say are in the details... so here goes. Valeo doesn't play in the IAM, so in order to get a 'real' Valeo, you need to source it from the dealer, or an outlet that sources from the dealer. When I say 'real', I mean a Valeo core rebuilt by Valeo. There are many rebuilders that can source core and rebuild the unit, but that brings into question OEM specs and components. Just because you buy a unit from your local parts retailer and it says Valeo on the case - it is highly unlikely that Valeo rebuilt it.

The Bosch scenario is different. Bosch is well established in both the IAM and OES distribution channels. Bosch supplies both channels (OES, IAM) with the exact same unit, remanufactured by a Bosch remanufacturing plant to the original equipment specification using the original equipment components. You can go to your local dealer or IAM outlet and get the same unit - BUT - (here's the details again) the IAM unit must be part number AL0787X, with plant code 095 or 788. This insures that it is a core that Bosch rebuilt and supplied. If you go to a local retailer and buy an alternator XYZ, open the non-Bosch branded box, and find a unit that says Bosch on the core - THIS IS NOT THE SAME OEM SPEC and COMPONENTS, same as for Valeo above.

C55's came equipped with a Bosch alternator as original equipment, rated at 150 amps. Same Bosch verbiage from above applies, except the part number is AL0819X.

Some bogus information from the post is:

There is a defined life for an alternator, but it is in hours not miles. Taxi cabs are a good example of high miles and hours. To say how long a given alternator, or practically any automotive component should last, is impossible nor a valid question.

Bosch unit won't work.... not enough voltage.... ALL WRONG. C32s were dual supplied by both manufacturers. Both are 12v / 120 amp units. Both units can be used to service the vehicle. If you go to a retailer and buy one - you're going to get one or the other - rebuilders have consolidated the units. If a Bosch or Valeo unit was sourced and it didn't fit - then it was a mis-packaged unit.

Wagneralt.com has the OEM part. Not necessarily. Their catalogs state that OEM names and numbers are used as reference only. Their pictures clearly show OEM and knock-off parts. Look at page 7 of their W2008-09 catalog - you'll see three Bosch external regulators listed at the bottom. Only the right t

Tump43

kjb55 --

Thanks for your great information. One more question: Does the C55 Bosch alternator have a replaceable voltage regulator? or, does one have to remove the entire alternator and replace with a remanufactured unit? The voltage regulator on my C55 died at about 60k miles, but could be replaced with a new VR from under the car using only a stubby phillips head .

Thanks

TemjinX2

this is what i got in the mail today. Doesn't look like a reman unit to me. Since its made in france, I doubt they would ship old cores back to france, rebuild them and ship them back to the US.

kjb55

Yes, it does. The Bosch part number is F00M145350. The C32 VR Bosch part number is F00M145862 - but was never offered for sale in the US.

kjb55

Cores are shipped all over the world to be rebuilt, even Asia. Bosch to Germany as that is where the reman plant is located.

It is entirely possible that new units still exist in the marketplace, or remain in current production due to this alternator fitting up to 2006 C240s. It's also common to seed reman programs by supplying new units as reman, thus charging a core value and the collection of core to begin reman.

You purchased a 'real' Valeo unit - and in this case it's very difficult to distinguish a new from a rebuilt. If you had to pay a core charge - it still could be either new or rebuilt. Check the unit for ding marks in the casting, if you see any, it's usually a rebuilt as the cores get knocked around in barrels and shipping.

TemjinX2

i didnt get charged a core charge. the new looks new to me, no dings or anything.

long as it works its fine with me. My nippon one lasted 191k until i sold the car.

c32used

What does regulator in alternator look like?

ScottW911

It looks like an alternator.