Mercedes Benz Correct Battery for W113

[zoegrlh]

Has anyone purchased a new Mercedes Benz battery recently for your Pagoda?  I have just spoken to our local MB dealership parts department trying to find a replacement.  I currently have a MB A 003 541 33 01 that is kput.  Looking for new MB replacement battery.  Was told that A 003 982 31 08 is the replacement battery.  I then talked to Tom Hanson at the MB Classic Center to see what the classic center uses for replacement.  It is the A 002 541 87 01 26, and they have in stock, however they can't ship the  battery, because of federal law.  So again I went back to the local MB dealer to see if the A 002 541 87 01 26 could be ordered.  Was told that they are not available.  Just wanted feedback to see if anyone has purchased the A 003 982 31 08, and does it fit correctly.
Bob   

[rjmarco]

I ordered a Mercedes battery with this number 002 541 87 01 26 from the Classics Center back in 2013.  It took several months to get it from Germany and it was shipped to either me or my mechanic - can't recall which. 

I can tell you that in the first attempt to ship it to me, the package was found to be leaking by Fed Ex.  It became a haz waste issue which the Classics Center handled.  I did get a replacement but I can imagine that the Classics Center would now be reluctant to ship one. 

I do like the way the battery looks in my engine compartment and is a good fit.  Photo is attached. 

[zoegrlh]

Just wanted to let all of you know that my hunt for the correct MB replacement battery was a success.  rjmarco was correct, the A 002 541 87 01 26 is the correct replacement, as per Tom Hanson at MB Classic Center.  They have a few of these batteries on the shelf.  Problem was that they could, and would not ship this battery to customers.  Tom suggested I contact MB dealer near me to see if they could search inventories world wide.  As last Friday, they could not locate form MB distribution depots.  So I went on a hunt and started calling MB dealers on the east coast to see if their parts departments might have this battery.  After many phone calls. low and behold, I found one last one at the MB of Arlington, Va.  Drove up there yesterday to grab that battery before someone else got it.  My understanding is that the few only existing A 002 541 87 01 26 batteries are sitting at dealers that might have a stocked the betters for future sales to classic W113 and W111's.  If you are in need for this battery, I would suggest that you start calling MB dealers in your area to locate one.  Don't know what I will do years from now when I will again need a MB replacement battery.  I guess I am a bit finicky, but wanted my engine compartment to be total MB parts.

[Mike Hughes]

Hi Bob -

The Classic Center will not ship activated batteries direct to an individual (very likely because of the HazMat issue), but should be able to ship a dry battery to your local M-B Dealer Parts Department, which can then activate it.  I suspect the reason why M-B of Arlington had that battery in stock is because I had my 230SL in there for service after PUB 2017 and the tech may have seen the A 002 541 87 01 26 battery in my car that I had ordered through MB of Tysons a couple of years earlier.  I remember him commenting on it at the time.  M-B of Tysons had to get it from the Classic Center in Germany and it took a month or more for it to arrive.

[zoegrlh]

Hey Mike thanks, yea you are most likely correct. That parts man (Randy Nile) daw it in your car and decided to stock one. I am glad your car gave him the idea to order one. Also Classic Center has filled their dry batteries already, because I asked Tom if he could ship me a dry battery, said he had none dry. But I am a happy person now. Would have hated to put a Interstate battery in. Next time around might have to if Daimler Benz does not have these produced again.

[stickandrudderman]

There is a Mercedes sealed battery that fits. I don’t know the part number off hand.

[114015]

There is a Mercedes sealed battery that fits. I don’t know the part number off hand.

Colin,
Do you happen to have a pic of that battery?
Is it a modern looking one (like the Diehards or so) or old-fashioned with 6 water plugs on top like the 002 541 8701 26 ?

Any idea one of you how long such a battery holds? Only for three years or longer?
My 114015 has had a modern Bosch battery (Bosch Silver something) that was clearly not looking old-fashioned but it was good for >> 10 years ...


Thanks a lot!
Achim

[zoegrlh]

Achim,
The battery that I am replacing, A 003 541 33 01, was in my 280SL for 13+ years. It is the same like battery as my replacement, A 002 541 87 01 26, in size, looks (white), 6 white water plugs, terminals, etc. and was originally shipped dry, hopefully I can get 10+ years out of it. Someone told me these batteries were produced by Interstate for Daimler Benz.  I do agree with next battery down the road, if DB does not have these produced again, a Bosch, at least it's a German company that has many electrical parts on our SLs.
Bob

[Mike Hughes]

Hi Bob - 

You will find that, while the new battery is similar in appearance, it is slightly smaller than the old one.  Take a look at the photo Rich posted.  You may notice that there is a slight gap between the left side of the battery case and the inner edge of the original style battery hold-down frame.  This is because the A 002 541 87 01 26 battery is not quite as long (or wide, for that matter!) as the A 003 541 33 01 battery it replaced, which fit under the original style hold down frame exactly because that frame was sized for the ancestor of that battery.

My 1966 data card states that the original battery was VARTA.  VARTA was a battery supplier to M-B for many years, right up until it was absorbed by Johnson Controls sometime in the mid 2000's.  When I acquired my Pagoda in 2003 it had a white case battery similar to your A 003 541 33 01 battery, complete with an official M-B part number label, except the case was still embossed VARTA in blue on the side.  I have no idea how old it was but when it expired a year or two later I replaced it with the A 003 541 33 01 battery with the Mercedes star embossed on the side.  Except for the Mercedes Star, it appeared in all respects to be manufactured by VARTA, right down to the molded details of the plastic case, top cover and caps, and even the spacing and physical appearance of the plates inside.  This battery was good for over 11 years, partially because I keep my collector cars on Battery Tenders when not in use.  For this reason I should expect similar life from my A 002 541 87 01 26 battery.

[KevinC]

I realize that this reply is not an answer to the question that was asked, but IMHO I found when sorting-out two W113's, stickershock lead me to looking at battery brands other than MB, especially seeing that Varta brand was NLA. I came to the conclusion that since there is so much "Bosch" under the hood, a Bosch brand battery might make sense. They less than $150 at of all places...Pep Boys.  While the Bosch brand name is part of Robert Bosch of Illinois (Subsidiary of Robert Bosch of Germany), I believe the batteries in the US are actually produced by Exide Technologies in US plants.

[zoegrlh]

In reply to Mike. I think you are correct about VARTA being the supplier to early DB batteries. And the A 003 541 33 01 could very well be a VARTA in sheep’s clothing. Anyway, the A 002 541 87 01 2633 is the “exact” same size as the A 003 541 33 01. It could well be produced by VARTA and not Interstate. I’m in the process of the replacement and just put both batteries side by side.  Yes they are a little shorter in length the that of the original VARTA’s. However if you center the battery under your hold-down frame it will not have the slight gap as in photos of rjmarco. I have seen a black battery, don’t know what company produces it, but the 280SL owner found on the Internet the old VARTA stick-on decals, and placed on his battery, even went as far as to paint the fill plugs yellow, it looked like an original from the 60-70s. And yes KevinC, I have a Bosch from Pep Boys in my SLK230 going on 5 years.
Bob

[Mike Hughes]

... if you center the battery under your hold-down frame it will not have the slight gap ...

That's exactly what I did, rendering the slight difference in length almost undetectable - plus the posts are a little less close to the inner edge of the original hold-down frame.  ;^)

[mazmonza]

     

          NOT ONE FOR THE PURIST

  I use this 

[mbpaul]

Just for information, Interstate makes no batteries.  Interstate sells batteries.  I think most are made by Johnson Controls.

[mrfatboy]

I'm with KevinC  on this one 😁

Bosch battery from Pepboys - $100
7 year warranty.

I then removed the Bosch decal and put on a old style Bosch decal that I got  from the "members only" section of our website.  Printed at fedex for a $1.

People always ask me where I got the battery😜😜😜

[Mike Hughes]

     

          NOT ONE FOR THE PURIST

  I use this 

Well, that is a 1960's style black case battery with yellow screw caps and a VARTA label.  I'd venture that most "purists" and concours judges would likely accept it.  Who supplies it?

[zoegrlh]

KevinC, mazmonza, mrfatboy,
I do like what you did with the Bosch replacement battery.  I have written down the Bosch part number for the battery, and will look for it when it's time to replace my newly installed discontinued MB battery.  Thanks
Bob

[zoegrlh]

mazmonza, did you get the VARTA decal for your battery from Authentic Classics?
Bob

[mrfatboy]

There are all sorts of battery toppers out there if you want to go crazy.  Google "vintage battery covers".

Here is just one example

http://www.tartopper.com/product/tartopper/

[mazmonza]

The battery is a Yuasa, if you open the Xerox attachment you will see the details.

I made the top from a piece of hard plastic, the tubes are plastic water pipe, and the yellow caps are from a battery manufacturer in the UK

Maurice

[Steve.k]

FWIW, while I was with my wife picking up her new A250, I asked the parts guy to look up the battery.  At first he wouldn’t find it and then he entered the part number without the 26 at the end and he got a hit.   I ordered it and it’s at the dealer now.   I’ll post a pic when I pick it up.   

[Delvis]

Hi Steve

Looking forward to your update.

Devlin
Vancouver,Canada

[Steve.k]

Devlin,

Sorry for the delay.  Here are some photos of the battery I recently ordered from my local MB dealer.   Hope this helps.    My Pagoda is in the upholstery shop getting some new leather at the moment so I haven’t installed the battery as yet.

[Delvis]

Thanks Steve.

just installed the same one in my 1970 Pagoda. order from MB dealer in Vancouver.

can't wait for good weather.

regards

Devlin.

[Mike Hughes]

Do you have the OEM style battery hold down perimeter frame and, if so, does it fit without any interference from the raised sections on the top of the battery?