London John
New Member
**BUMP** Hey Conor! I hope you're still around wrt this forum - I was wondering if I might pick your brains please?
I've recently (2 months ago) got myself a used 2010 e350cgi coupe. It runs beautifully, with 87K miles, but has a sketchy service history over the past few years: it was a company lease originally and was therefore serviced by a Merc main dealer until 2014, but from then on I just have some invoices for indy-shop services to around 2018, then nothing since then...
I've always done as much of my own maintenance & servicing as I can, and I've already done a lot on this car. One thing I'd like to do is the spark plugs - the last actual record I have of them being replaced is in 2015 (at 38k miles). And given that Merc's recommended service interval is 45k miles or 4 years, it would appear that a) it's unlikely that the plugs were replaced again after that first replacement, and b) they're now clearly overdue for replacement.
Even though the engine runs beautifully (save for some lifter tick...) and throws no fault codes at all, I'd still err on the side of changing the plugs so that I know they're new and in keeping with Merc's own service intervals (though if anyone has views on whether those sorts of service intervals can safely be significantly stretched if the engine is running fine - or indeed whether it's very important to stick to those Merc intervals for plug changes - I'd be very interested to hear them!).
So...... I'd like to change my plugs myself if possible. As you're obviously well aware (and as many who don't have CGI versions of the M272 are not), special tools are required to a) remove the HT lead boots and b) remove the plugs themselves. I was wondering therefore, from your own experiences:
1) Did you get the boot puller tool in the end? If so, is it intuitive as to how you use the tool? It looks to me as if something like an extension bar would need to be attached to the tool in order to get it to reach all the way down to the end of the boot.
2) Would something like these tools (though they're made for VW/Audi engines) be potentially usable in place of the Merc tool: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/123179520472 or https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/133766250188
3) Is a standard slimline 12-point 14mm spark plug wrench (ie without an integrated universal joint, as per the Merc tool) sufficient to get the plugs out, or do you need something which looks like that Merc tool with the universal joint?
4) How did you solve the problem of crud potentially falling down into the cylinder when the spark plug is removed? I was thinking that one way might be to remove the boots first (but leave the spark plugs in place), then spray degreaser down each hole, agitate well with a long-handle brush, then carefully spray out all the dirt and gunk with a hose or pressure washer. Then dry down as much as poss, using rags and a hairdryer or heat gun. But if you found a workable and effective method of your own, I'd love to hear what you did.
5) If you feel that the Merc tools (or tools which look very similar to the Merc tools) are a definite requirement for the job, and assuming that you now own those tools, would you be open to the possibility of posting them to me (I'm just Northwest of London)? Obviously I'd pay postage both ways, plus a reasonable "rental" fee!!
Cheers - and I hope you're still around!
John
(And if anyone else who's done the plugs on a CGI version of the M272 happens to read this too, I'd love to hear back from you as well!)
I've recently (2 months ago) got myself a used 2010 e350cgi coupe. It runs beautifully, with 87K miles, but has a sketchy service history over the past few years: it was a company lease originally and was therefore serviced by a Merc main dealer until 2014, but from then on I just have some invoices for indy-shop services to around 2018, then nothing since then...
I've always done as much of my own maintenance & servicing as I can, and I've already done a lot on this car. One thing I'd like to do is the spark plugs - the last actual record I have of them being replaced is in 2015 (at 38k miles). And given that Merc's recommended service interval is 45k miles or 4 years, it would appear that a) it's unlikely that the plugs were replaced again after that first replacement, and b) they're now clearly overdue for replacement.
Even though the engine runs beautifully (save for some lifter tick...) and throws no fault codes at all, I'd still err on the side of changing the plugs so that I know they're new and in keeping with Merc's own service intervals (though if anyone has views on whether those sorts of service intervals can safely be significantly stretched if the engine is running fine - or indeed whether it's very important to stick to those Merc intervals for plug changes - I'd be very interested to hear them!).
So...... I'd like to change my plugs myself if possible. As you're obviously well aware (and as many who don't have CGI versions of the M272 are not), special tools are required to a) remove the HT lead boots and b) remove the plugs themselves. I was wondering therefore, from your own experiences:
1) Did you get the boot puller tool in the end? If so, is it intuitive as to how you use the tool? It looks to me as if something like an extension bar would need to be attached to the tool in order to get it to reach all the way down to the end of the boot.
2) Would something like these tools (though they're made for VW/Audi engines) be potentially usable in place of the Merc tool: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/123179520472 or https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/133766250188
3) Is a standard slimline 12-point 14mm spark plug wrench (ie without an integrated universal joint, as per the Merc tool) sufficient to get the plugs out, or do you need something which looks like that Merc tool with the universal joint?
4) How did you solve the problem of crud potentially falling down into the cylinder when the spark plug is removed? I was thinking that one way might be to remove the boots first (but leave the spark plugs in place), then spray degreaser down each hole, agitate well with a long-handle brush, then carefully spray out all the dirt and gunk with a hose or pressure washer. Then dry down as much as poss, using rags and a hairdryer or heat gun. But if you found a workable and effective method of your own, I'd love to hear what you did.
5) If you feel that the Merc tools (or tools which look very similar to the Merc tools) are a definite requirement for the job, and assuming that you now own those tools, would you be open to the possibility of posting them to me (I'm just Northwest of London)? Obviously I'd pay postage both ways, plus a reasonable "rental" fee!!
Cheers - and I hope you're still around!
John
(And if anyone else who's done the plugs on a CGI version of the M272 happens to read this too, I'd love to hear back from you as well!)
