E320 CDI W210 Glow Plugs

[Gruffy]

Hi, Can anybody tell me the process to replace the glow plugs in my E320CDI? Is this a job thatg can be carried out by an average DIY'er or will i need to visit a dealer?

 

[maddog]

Hi, Can anybody tell me the process to replace the glow plugs in my E320CDI? Is this a job thatg can be carried out by an average DIY'er or will i need to visit a dealer?

i did mine in about 15mins, order glow plugs either from MB or from here www.sparkplugs.co.uk cost me about £60 for a set

Run car to heat up the engine, remove the plastic cover, squirt a bit of plus gas at the base of each glow plug and then go inside and have a coffee etc and wait until the engine cools, then using a small 1/4 drive ratchet with socket undo each glow plug in turn and replace, dont be tempted to use a massive ratchet as you may end up snapping a stubborn plug off and then you will be in trouble.

If a plug feels too tight give it another squirt of plus gas and move onto the next one.

If you are struggling or dont have a little ratchet get a garage to do it as it seems some people manage to shear off the glowplug.

I didnt have any problem but i have a good "feel" for such things after years of putting steel bolts in alloy engine cases on motorcycles

 

[malcolm E53 AMG]

As a matter of interest what symptoms occured and at what mileage?
My E320 CDi has done 44K.

 

[maddog]

As a matter of interest what symptoms occured and at what mileage?
My E320 CDi has done 44K.

For me the glow plug light used to come back on after the car had started and whilst the car still started fine it certainly starts better now.

Mine had done about 40k 2001 (Y)

 

[dogsbody]

Before you go mad, the engine management system puts on the glow plug light when it tests the resistance of the circuit. If out of spec because one ( or more) has gone. This it seems to do every 20 minutes or so while driving.

I would get a multimeter, and measure the resistance of each plug. If it has few Ohms resistance, then it is OK - if nothing then it needs replacing.

I would only replace those which fail because some seem to fail whilst other go on for ever. "Dont fix what aint broke"

I have a Perkins diesel engine in the boat which is 24 years old. Two plugs are original and two replaced ( one twice)

 

[ennio]

... but do fix it. The time when my glowplug warning light came on I asked M-B whether I should fix it or whether to wait for next service: they advised latter.

Starting got worse so I booked the car in anyway: found 5 faulty so I replaced all 6.

Whether I would have needed to replace all if I had replaced faulty first one I don't know: but it gave me a(nother) bill I wasn't expecting

 

[maddog]

Before you go mad, the engine management system puts on the glow plug light when it tests the resistance of the circuit. If out of spec because one ( or more) has gone. This it seems to do every 20 minutes or so while driving.

I would get a multimeter, and measure the resistance of each plug. If it has few Ohms resistance, then it is OK - if nothing then it needs replacing.

I would only replace those which fail because some seem to fail whilst other go on for ever. "Dont fix what aint broke"

I have a Perkins diesel engine in the boat which is 24 years old. Two plugs are original and two replaced ( one twice)

Do you only repalce spark plugs when they fail as well??

Replacing them individually is a false economy imo , £60 for the set and it took as long to change them as as it took to remove and replace the engine cover

 

[ACCA]

My 2000 E320 Cdi Estate glow plug light came on for about 20 sec when I started the engine up in the morning for the past few months. It has only done 46K miles! Unlike the symptoms described by other members, the light stayed off afterwards and did not reappear for the rest of the journey as long as the engine was still hot. Realised that this might mean failed glow plug(s) I took the car to Cornerstone Garage, an independent specialist in Ilminster, Somerset which replaced all 6 of them as it would cost the same to do just one. Six glow plugs cost ca. £73 ex VAT and the labour charges were for 2 hours which came out to £88 ex VAT. Although MB dealership would probably charge the same for the parts, I have obviously saved a great deal on labour charges. I notice that Gruffy asked if this job could be a DIY one. One word of warning. I was told by Cornerstone that one of the glow plugs snapped when they tried to unscrew it. They had to drill it out as a result which I reckon is not for the faint-hearted and perhaps requiring the right tool as well. I was shown what a glow plug looks like afterwards and the tubular thing doesn't look very strong to me.

 

[maddog]

they can snap if you arent careful, no excuse for snapping one though a decent fitter could feel if it was likely to snap