R230 (SL500) Spark plug change

[Orb the Impaler]

I note that on the last invoice from MB that they specify that my 2002 SL500 (55000 miles now) needs new plugs and it states 360 UK pounds. Which is a lot.

Has anyone done these themseves? I can get the parts at trade price, but how difficult is plug access? Will I need to do something like drop the engine?

I'm pretty handy and have an extensive toolkit, so hopefully I can do this and save a few £££ - always important in these hard times

 

[television]

No reason at all why you cannot change them, its fiddly but not too bad on room, lever the caps off rather than pull then you cannot damage the coil packs. An open ended spanner is good for this across the top of the engine, why not wait a bit, the book says 60k but what the heck why not 65k

 

[Orb the Impaler]

Thanks Malcolm

I'll probably do them in the next month or so simply because I'm "resting between contracts" at the moment and it keeps me busy.

When I saw the note on the invoice (£363.31 to be precise) I assumed that this astronomical amount was because there was some horrific procedure involved.

I'm just going to price up the plugs now....

Argh, it's 2 plugs per cylinder. Are both plugs the same, or is one different, a la Alfa Romeo?

 

[television]

Thanks Malcolm

I'll probably do them in the next month or so simply because I'm "resting between contracts" at the moment and it keeps me busy.

When I saw the note on the invoice (£363.31 to be precise) I assumed that this astronomical amount was because there was some horrific procedure involved.

I'm just going to price up the plugs now....

Argh, it's 2 plugs per cylinder. Are both plugs the same, or is one different, a la Alfa Romeo?

All the same, check Ebay prices. Last week a post came in where MB wanted to charge £250 for changing 6 plugs

 

[Orb the Impaler]

All the same, check Ebay prices. Last week a post came in where MB wanted to charge £250 for changing 6 plugs

I saw that

In fact if I extrapolate that.... £12.50 x 16 = £200 just for the plugs... assuming £100 labour + vat that is, near enough, £363.00.

I'm in the wrong job....

 

[Quick Silver]

I saw that

In fact if I extrapolate that.... £12.50 x 16 = £200 just for the plugs... assuming £100 labour + vat that is, near enough, £363.00.

I'm in the wrong job....

I've just changed my plugs boy it's cold out there ! plugs Bosch H8DCO X 6 @ £11.55 EACH TOOK ME 1 HOUR 10 MINS with a cup of tea to warm the cockles. Got the plugs from Euro car parts and tightened to the correct torque £250 my arce .

 

[BlackC55]

They are not difficult to replaced and remember there are 16 of them1

 

[Orb the Impaler]

I've just changed my plugs boy it's cold out there ! plugs Bosch H8DCO X 6 @ £11.55 EACH TOOK ME 1 HOUR 10 MINS with a cup of tea to warm the cockles. Got the plugs from Euro car parts and tightened to the correct torque £250 my arce .

£11.55 each! Ouch! I'll need to be getting that price down a lot since I need 16 - so that's £184!!!

All I need to know now is the plug types.

 

[television]

I will put up the types soon

 

[Quick Silver]

£11.55 each! Ouch! I'll need to be getting that price down a lot since I need 16 - so that's £184!!!

All I need to know now is the plug types.

This is for a 300 sl129 1990 model to which I was quoted by a local mb garage£250 labour + the cost of the plugs + VAT. This is the post that television was refering to.Therefor the cost was £69.30 inc vat + 1hour 10 mins of my time out in the cold as against well over £250 + plugs +VAT. I posted here just so that you could see the savings.

 

[television]

http://www.benzworld.org/forums/r129-sl-class/1410595-special-bosch-spark-plugs-until-12-a.html

 

[television]

http://cryptiksouls.co.uk/mercedes/plugs/index.html

 

[television]

MB say that it is best to remove the coil parks to avoid damage to them when changing the plugs.

On the 113 engine, the plugs are torqued to 25Nm

 

[Orb the Impaler]

Thanks all.

Your Google-fu must be strong - I couldn't find an article on changing them (mind you I was looking for R230s).

I should be able to fabricate the 17mm long spanner no probs.

 

[Quick Silver]

Thanks all.

Your Google-fu must be strong - I couldn't find an article on changing them (mind you I was looking for R230s).

I should be able to fabricate the 17mm long spanner no probs.

Useful is our Malcom , just found a part for my Bosch washer dryer off that site that I've been trying to get for ages !

 

[television]

Useful is our Malcom , just found a part for my Bosch washer dryer off that site that I've been trying to get for ages !

Anything to keep the threads clean ;-)

 

[kth286]

Quick Silver

You seem to have overpaid an awful lot for those plugs at £11.55 EACH !!!!!!!!!!!!!!

They are listed at Inchcape Mercedes at a retail price of £2.53 each, and they will even give you a 10% discount, reducing price to £2.28 each.

They also offer to post them to you.

Bosch H8DCO is the correct plug.

Perhaps you have been given the ones with an "R" in the designation.

If so, they are totally wrong for your car (if you value your computer) as they will be the resistive plugs.

Where did you get them from?

 

[Quick Silver]

Quick Silver

You seem to have overpaid an awful lot for those plugs at £11.55 EACH !!!!!!!!!!!!!!

They are listed at Inchcape Mercedes at a retail price of £2.53 each, and they will even give you a 10% discount, reducing price to £2.28 each.

They also offer to post them to you.

Bosch H8DCO is the correct plug.

Perhaps you have been given the ones with an "R" in the designation.

If so, they are totally wrong for your car (if you value your computer) as they will be the resistive plugs.

Where did you get them from?

Twit ! I should have said £1.55 (euro car parts) I have an account there and misread the invoice which included stuff for my Taxi's too , I must be getting like Malcom :roll: Phew ! that had me worried just been out to the garage to check and they are the right ones (No R) . I can sleep easy now.

 

[Orb the Impaler]

I've just changed my plugs boy it's cold out there ! plugs Bosch H8DCO X 6 @ £11.55 EACH TOOK ME 1 HOUR 10 MINS with a cup of tea to warm the cockles. Got the plugs from Euro car parts and tightened to the correct torque £250 my arce .

hought I'd best update my progress on this: got the latest spec Bosch Yttrium plugs from GSF - 16@£3 each

Fitting them wasn't really a very pleasant experience - well removing them actually. The terrifying squeal as each one came free And as for getting the plug caps off!!! Putting the whole lot back together was a doddle.

At least I wasn't cold as I've got a space heater

So I did the plugs and air filters and probably saved myself in the region of £350 which is excellent. Next day I did a run from Manchester to Richmond (ie. London) and back doing 85mph motorway all the way and (including the city driving) got an average 28.5mpg. Result!

 

[television]

hought I'd best update my progress on this: got the latest spec Bosch Yttrium plugs from GSF - 16@£3 each

Fitting them wasn't really a very pleasant experience - well removing them actually. The terrifying squeal as each one came free And as for getting the plug caps off!!! Putting the whole lot back together was a doddle.

At least I wasn't cold as I've got a space heater

So I did the plugs and air filters and probably saved myself in the region of £350 which is excellent. Next day I did a run from Manchester to Richmond (ie. London) and back doing 85mph motorway all the way and (including the city driving) got an average 28.5mpg. Result!

Good one,, I wonder if they come out easier on a hot engine, at least it would keep you warm