If I only knew...

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sineda

sineda

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This made me chuckle. A forum isn't a forum without bants!

I will get this sorted either way, by replacing the glow plugs because as Ned Stark once said, brace yourselves... winter is coming; or by part exchanging the B-Class for a 2008-2010 C-Class petrol.
 

Sylar

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Just to rub it in...... i have a Shogun Sport for rough, work, skip runs, snow and mud. I can change all the plugs in 10mins and that includes drinking a cup of tea whilst doing them. Last set i brought cost 10 pound of eBay!

Sorry in advance.....
 

Wighty

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Just to rub it in...... i have a Shogun Sport for rough, work, skip runs, snow and mud. I can change all the plugs in 10mins and that includes drinking a cup of tea whilst doing them. Last set i brought cost 10 pound of eBay!

Sorry in advance.....
I am guessing that the 10 Minuite quote should be taken with the same pinch of salt as a gentlemans bedroom timeframe boasts :)
 

Ken_R

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Using a small disposable BBQ below the engine in sub zero temps to pre warm the engine will aid starting (maybe :D )
I haven't tried this myself though .

Interesting approach. Back in the 60's, I worked with someone whose father was a vicar, and ex racing driver, and who had invented an 'oil warmer' for the then Austin 1100. Not sure why he did it but, he did. I believe most Fire Appliances have an inbuilt electrical 'oil warmer'.

Back in the 'old days' of diesel Commercial HGV's, in colder climes, it was not unusual for drivers, at the start of the day, to light rags under the fuel tank to avert the effects of the fuel 'waxing'. Nowadays, not so much of a problem as the formulation during the Winter months is now changed to prevent 'waxing'. I used to have the exact dates between which the formulation changes occurred, but wouldn't now know where to find it.:(
 

Sylar

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I am guessing that the 10 Minuite quote should be taken with the same pinch of salt as a gentlemans bedroom timeframe boasts :)

4 nuts off, pull rail to 1 side, plugs out, plugs in, rail, 4 nuts on...... nothing in the way..... 10mins max, promise you.
 

mercedes13156

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My old 2001 C Class 220CDi which lived outside had two glow plugs out at one point and it never failed to start on the first attempt over a long, cold Scottish winter> It was even buried three feet under a snowdrift and started first time, once we found it. Both of our A Class diesels started first time every time, regardless of the outside temperature.
 
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sineda

sineda

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My old 2001 C Class 220CDi which lived outside had two glow plugs out at one point and it never failed to start on the first attempt over a long, cold Scottish winter> It was even buried three feet under a snowdrift and started first time, once we found it. Both of our A Class diesels started first time every time, regardless of the outside temperature.
That's certainly reassuring. Thanks for sharing.
 

Submariner1

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This made me chuckle. A forum isn't a forum without bants!

I will get this sorted either way, by replacing the glow plugs because as Ned Stark once said, brace yourselves... winter is coming; or by part exchanging the B-Class for a 2008-2010 C-Class petrol.

The wife has an A Class, to change the starter motor you have to drop the engine out!
£1400. :(:(:( total design Lunacy ... they could have put a bolted access panel in the passenger footwell!
Luckily I found Sevan Motors ,.. an A Class specialist.
And you can't even see the Polybelt. :-/

In the future it will be C Class or above. I honestly cant classify A And B Class as Mercedes.
 

LostKiwi

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'93 500SL-32, '01 W210 Estate E240 (RIP), 02 R230 SL500, 04 Smart Roadster Coupe, 11 R350CDi
Smart Roadster needs (according to WIS) the subframe dropped for all of the following:
Water pump replacement
Alternator replacement
Starter replacement
Thermostat replacement

Water pump and thermostat can (with difficulty) be done without lowering the subframe.

The smaller the car the more awkward they often get...
 

V6Matty

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4 hours to do the glow plugs on an A/B class, an awful lot needs removing to get at then and after that they're down the back of the engine at an awkward angle, don't ask me how I know this :rolleyes:o_O
 
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sineda

sineda

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The wife has an A Class, to change the starter motor you have to drop the engine out!
£1400. :(:(:( total design Lunacy ... they could have put a bolted access panel in the passenger footwell!
Luckily I found Sevan Motors ,.. an A Class specialist.
And you can't even see the Polybelt. :-/

In the future it will be C Class or above. I honestly cant classify A And B Class as Mercedes.
I find that the first generation B-Class is a very basic / entry level Mercedes and you simply can't compare it to C, E, S class because, you simply can't. Nevertheless, coming from a Mark 5 Golf to this B-Class, you can most definitely feel the difference in class, comfort, interior material and style. However, going forwards I won't be buying a W245 B-Class again.

I reckon that the newer (2012 and on) B-Class can be classed as a true and proper Mercedes. Do you think they've revised all the bad things in the new B-Class (e.g. glow plugs issue)?
 

Steve@Avantgarde

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Forget about it...glow plugs in cdi engines aren't really needed.

Well thats not true. At all.

On Merc CDI engines, especially Euro 4 and above glow plugs are used for preheating fuel when starting but also when cruising at 70mph on the motorway. Diesel fuel has an optimum temperature to burn at so even if at speed with a warm engine, the fuel coming from a cold tank would need to be heated to give you the best fuel economy.

Thats why glow plug relays are no longer just time relays, they are small ECU's which are constantly in use. Which is why glow plugs burn out a lot quicker on CDI engines than on old mechanical pump diesel engines. But they are a factor on why a CDI engine can achieve a much higher fuel economy.

The type of poor advice given above is exactly why a forum can be a dangerous place.

The reason why these are such a pig to replace is because the engine in a B class in effect, lies on its side with the inlet manifold up against the bulkhead. £799 if they snap is actually a really good price as the last A class i did I had to remove the engine to get at them and the final bill was above £1000.

Its only cylinder 1 and 2 which are a ball ache. Cylinder 3 and 4 are fairly straight forward and even if they snap, they are still accessible to an engineer for drilling.
 

Submariner1

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I find that the first generation B-Class is a very basic / entry level Mercedes and you simply can't compare it to C, E, S class because, you simply can't. Nevertheless, coming from a Mark 5 Golf to this B-Class, you can most definitely feel the difference in class, comfort, interior material and style. However, going forwards I won't be buying a W245 B-Class again.

I reckon that the newer (2012 and on) B-Class can be classed as a true and proper Mercedes. Do you think they've revised all the bad things in the new B-Class (e.g. glow plugs issue)?

A really Simple test does the engine go front to back, like a real Mercedes or sideways?
 

mercedes13156

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The wife has an A Class, to change the starter motor you have to drop the engine out!
£1400. :(:(:( total design Lunacy ... they could have put a bolted access panel in the passenger footwell!
Luckily I found Sevan Motors ,.. an A Class specialist.
And you can't even see the Polybelt. :-/

In the future it will be C Class or above. I honestly cant classify A And B Class as Mercedes.


You don't need to take the engine out to change the starter motor. It's a bit awkward but it can be done in two hours. That's what my local garage charged me. The polybelt is a real bugger though. One our second A Class, the bearing in the idler on the cassette siezed and threw the belt off. That was a pig of a job and required the engine to be rotated backwards on its lower mounts. I was charged three hours labour on that one because the cassette bolts were difficult to access.
 

Submariner1

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You don't need to take the engine out to change the starter motor. It's a bit awkward but it can be done in two hours. That's what my local garage charged me. The polybelt is a real bugger though. One our second A Class, the bearing in the idler on the cassette siezed and threw the belt off. That was a pig of a job and required the engine to be rotated backwards on its lower mounts. I was charged three hours labour on that one because the cassette bolts were difficult to access.

Yes, After many quotes drpping the engine a little. Sevan changed it in situ cost £325 including a new geniune MB recond. starter .

Bad news on the poly belt as some say that or a polybelt pulley may be the issue :(
 


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