Self Repairing Glow Plugs!

[Ger D]

Last Monday morning She(98E300TD) was very lumpy after starting and my glow plug light came back on for about a minute. Once She warmed up as you'd expect, the Glow Plug light goes out and smooth running is restored.
I''m thinking "Need to replace a Glowplug this weekend" but by Wednesday, everything is back to normal!
Question; do Glowplugs get tempremental before the fail or is this more likely to be a GlowPlug relay starting to give up.
Where is the relay located so I can give it a once over?

Thanks in advance

 

[Ger D]

location of Glowplug relay e210

Simple question I would have thought.


Anyone?

Dieselman, Olaf, Pascal,...?

 

[dieselman]

Possible bad connection onto a plug.
Plugs don't normally heal.

You can check the plugs from the block connector on the n/s inner wing, just behind the ABS valve.

If the relay was down you would definately had a slow start and plenty of smoke.

 

[Ger D]

Thanks Dieselman, didnt mean to put you on the spot there,

I'll get to take a look, probably at the weekend, and let you know how things progress,

Ger

 

[Ger D]

Took a look, cant see anything out of the ordinary and the problem has not re presented. Think I'll put this one down to the gremlins.

 

[rooster 77]

im having roughly the same problem but cant find the relay any ideas

 

[Parrot of Doom]

The relay is a small plastic box mounted at the nearside wing, in the engine bay. It will have white lettering on the top, and a big electrical connector.

 

[sixpack]

Glow relay

Hi Ger,
My knowledge comes from a 1995 C250, but I think it uses a similar relay. To find it, follow the wires from the glow plugs, they usually go through a black plastic duct. All the cables (in my case 5) go to separate pins on a multi way connector into the relay. I assume that each then goes to separate contacts on the relay, so that the monitoring can see each plug separately. This means that one faulty contact on the relay stops one plug from heating. If you have an old ammeter (remember them ?), an easy way to test glow plugs, is to disconnect all the plugs, and connect the ammeter between battery plus and the plug contact. The reading shoud be about 12 amps or so, but should be similar for all plugs. My 5cyl engine gives easy access to the plugs but your 6 may not be as easy. Dont do what I then did, find the faulty plug and break it off trying to get it out. Starts OK on 4 though, even through the winter !

Hope this helps

Peter

 

[wireman]

Sixpack, you may risk cylinder bore / piston ring damage if you dont sort out that dud plug.
Runing with a cold cylinder may cause fuel wash, the oil gets diluted by un burnt fuel and the ring/cyl contact is unlubricated, this condition will persisist untill the engine warms up so be gentle with the throttle for the first few mins of runing.
That said I think it will take a long time for any trouble from the above to manifest itself. Fuel wash is a much worse problem in petrol engines.

 

[sixpack]

glow plugs

Thanks Wireman,

I never thought of that. I actually sold the car in December last year with 235,000 mls on it,after running it with the broken plug for about a year. I,m gentle on a cold engine anyway. The only difference was on a cold start it was a bit clattery, showing how effective the post start glow is when all plugs are working!. Absolutely superb engine though. Now I,ve got 270CDI, surprisingly it isnt as smooth as the old 250. As reported by others its a bit clattery at low throttle and light loadings. Sure goes though !.

Thanks for your interest

Peter

 

[dolmen]

I went to a new to me mechanic this morning for a service, and he broke a glow plug! he bored it out as much as he could, and ran the car for several hours to heat her up. On collection he said drive her for a few days and it should come out, I hope its gonna be that simple!