Glowplug Nightmare
11-29-2003, 01:49 PM
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Location: Washington DC / No. Virginia; and Cape Cod, MA
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'71 280SE
Glowplug Nightmare
One of my glowplugs needed to be replaced this week. They're original, and at 80K miles, I wasn't that surprised or concerned.
My independent mechanic could only remove one of the six. So, after I paid him for his time, I bit the bullet and took it to the dealer.
The tech at the dealer had more success - he got out four of the six. He showed me that there was a 1/2 inch of carbon buildup below the threads of the plug, which had hardened and esentially siezed them in place.
So, now my head is at the machine shop, waiting to have the #2 and #6 plugs removed.
The dealer tells me that this is not so unusual!
Sounds like poor design to me. What the dealer can't tell me is what the life expectancy of the part is, nor what the recommended replacement interval is.
Did M-B really think it was acceptable to have to remove the head to remove a glowplug?
Anyone have any experience/insight on this?
Regards,
Ed
My independent mechanic could only remove one of the six. So, after I paid him for his time, I bit the bullet and took it to the dealer.
The tech at the dealer had more success - he got out four of the six. He showed me that there was a 1/2 inch of carbon buildup below the threads of the plug, which had hardened and esentially siezed them in place.
So, now my head is at the machine shop, waiting to have the #2 and #6 plugs removed.
The dealer tells me that this is not so unusual!
Sounds like poor design to me. What the dealer can't tell me is what the life expectancy of the part is, nor what the recommended replacement interval is. Did M-B really think it was acceptable to have to remove the head to remove a glowplug?
Anyone have any experience/insight on this?
Regards,
Ed
11-30-2003, 11:46 PM
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E320 CDI
Thanks for the heads up. Mine is going to go in soon for some warrenty work so i will make them pull all the glow plugs and check them. Thanks for that info before i end up with a machine shop bill.
