Car appreciation... the aesthetics, the engineering, etc

I mentioned coil packs because they were a problem on older Meganes.

Got an OBD2 reader? I have one and can lend it to you. ah see you have bought one.

See if there is a code and then clear it. See if it comes back.

Before changing anything, confirm that everything with a fault code is connected properly, and contacts are all clean.

Two hour drive home, stopped at the petrol station to fuel up for tomorrow (leaving at 4am for the airport). All the pumps busy so pulled up on the "wrong" side. Hose wouldn't reach, moved car - cranked over very lazily, odd. Hose would now reach, but the nozzle angle wouldn't go in. Balls. Jumped back in car - barely cranked. Now alarming.

Drove to a different petrol station - filled up with no drama. Turned key - long pause. Finally spins and catches. Not a good omen for 4am when the car is stone cold.

It's on charge now, and the amber light has turned green. I pulled the cover off and this is what I found - note the original Mercedes part number:

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Car was registered Jan 2007 - reckon the odds are on the battery being rooted, or is this more likely alternator?

Mine is an 07 car and I changed a rooted battery early in the year

https://www.machinemart.co.uk/p/clarke-cbat1-12v-automotive-batteryalternator/

pick one of these (or similar) up and you'll have an answer, I have a cheap one like this that works well and sorted my battery drain issues

I'll grab one when I get back, good idea.

I've got a spare battery that I bought for the 911 which I never fitted - it's a 750A/74Ah Bosch S5 007.

The battery in the Mercedes is 760A/100Ah, is the spare Bosch close enough to spin the big V8 in the Mercedes over or is it too small?

I think the terminal poles may be a different size

Car has been on the charger for 3.5 hours, fingers crossed it starts tomorrow morning or I’m going to have to get two weeks worth of luggage in a 911 at 4am.

4am should be fine for getting an taxi on short notice , no?

Bound to be loads of cabs at that time of night as no one else will be using them

you'll need to book the aa to start it for you when you get back?

Entertainingly I land at 4pm on Friday and then take off again for Utah at 09:00 the next morning, so I don’t really have time to sort this out. I’ve put the spare battery in the boot and may end up swapping it in Heathrow T5 parking.

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Just about to take the bags down - will she start?

Fired on the first spin.

^ Take note Star Wars. This is how you end a saga.

Haha

I was on the edge of my seat...

I like to think that you all live lives that are a little bit richer due to my adventures, glad to have helped you this morning.

We just landed in Geneva.

Flat on the return leg then? 😊

New battery in boot, do keep up!

Hah. Snap. I'll be landing in 7 hours.

Hi Mates, My Dad living in France enjoys his convertible 9.3 Saab so much, but his driving left seat has to be restored. He thinks clever to get from England a left passenger a leatheranthracite gray seat in good condition...
Thanks in advance for helping me in this investigation.

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