OM642 glow plug tip in cylinder
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Joined: Oct 2018
Posts: 228
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2005 E320, 2008 E320 Bluetec
OM642 glow plug tip in cylinder
It's my fault. I changed the glow plugs, and 5 out of the 6 came out easy but on one the tip broke off and stayed in. I tried everything to get it out the top but it seemed to be well and truly stuck so I just put the rest of the glow plug back in and kept right on driving. Well, the other day it decided to come loose while I was driving and now the engine runs like crap.
Two questions:
Assuming it's not already destroyed valves and/or the piston, what's the best way to get that dang thing out? I tried a magnetic tip grabber tool going thru the injector hole but it just catches on the cylinder liners and likely the glow plug tip too but every time I pull it out it falls back in. I'm about to take the intake manifolds off and see if I can get it thru the intake valves but if that doesn't work I'm going to have to take the heads off, which leads to my second question.
Can the heads be removed and replaced with the engine in the car? I've done this on my other W211 with the M112 V6 and I was able to keep timing by zip tying the timing gears to the timing chain and then carefully removing the heads but it looks like the OM642 is built a little different and I'm concerned about the chain going slack around the balance shaft. I'd rather not pull the engine, but if I end up having to anyway I'll just rebuild the whole thing. Hoping it doesn't come to that just yet tho, was hoping to ride a while longer on it without THAT major of a job.
Thanks!!
Two questions:
Assuming it's not already destroyed valves and/or the piston, what's the best way to get that dang thing out? I tried a magnetic tip grabber tool going thru the injector hole but it just catches on the cylinder liners and likely the glow plug tip too but every time I pull it out it falls back in. I'm about to take the intake manifolds off and see if I can get it thru the intake valves but if that doesn't work I'm going to have to take the heads off, which leads to my second question.
Can the heads be removed and replaced with the engine in the car? I've done this on my other W211 with the M112 V6 and I was able to keep timing by zip tying the timing gears to the timing chain and then carefully removing the heads but it looks like the OM642 is built a little different and I'm concerned about the chain going slack around the balance shaft. I'd rather not pull the engine, but if I end up having to anyway I'll just rebuild the whole thing. Hoping it doesn't come to that just yet tho, was hoping to ride a while longer on it without THAT major of a job.
Thanks!!
