210 glow plug

[jellafish]

Anybody used the kits for drilling out seized glowplugs that are advertised on ebay for about £100,i have been charged £50 a plug to remove,which mercedes contracted out to a specialist to do the work.

 

[bob6600]

You been charged or quoted?

Do you have starting problems or just the light on?

 

[runningman]

depends if your a confident DIYer. You must remember if you do it yourself and it goes wrong you could be in for a big repair bill. £50 a plug! how many need doing? If you give it to Mercedes, they will give you a guarantee it will be done right.

 

[guydewdney]

When we did our cars sone were siezed badly. It took about an hour, but very slowly increase pressure on the ratchet until it cracks. Then do it back up until it 'cracks'. Repeat about a million times squirting liberal wd40 on them.

 

[Dieselman]

Get the engine hot and keep it idling, they normally come out then.

 

[jellafish]

I have paid this in the past,thought i would do myself this time and have the drill out kit available,i am a confident DIYer who can tackle most mechanical work on a car.
Thanks for reply,glow plug light stops on longer than usual and car lumpy when cold starting.
MB dealers should change these on a regular service,however they would not do the work when i enquired

 

[jellafish]

Thanks for reply,me thinks the inlet manifold will have to be removed to access,have you changed these with the engine idling on a W210,i dont think my tools would access with the manifold still fitted.

 

[runningman]

inlet manifold has to be removed to replace the glow plugs, its an easy job. The 4 torqs bolts that secure it to the EGR housing are a bit fiddly and are accessible from under the engine.

 

[SilverSaloon]

you can run the car with the manifold off.

This is what i did when mine were stuck in - i'm no way saying this is the best way or an advised way - but worked for me...

Get it hot, remove manifold, run the car.

Try and unwind the glowplug wearing GOGGLES, THICK LEATHER GLOVES and be ready for it to "fire" when it shoots out. Spraying WD40 as you on onto the plug.

Basically fires out like a bullet. Dive out the way as you see it loosen up.... Ream the hole after before fitting a new plug with copper grease on the threads

 

[panason1c]

Try and unwind the glowplug wearing GOGGLES, THICK LEATHER GLOVES and be ready for it to "fire" when it shoots out. Spraying WD40 as you on onto the plug.

Basically fires out like a bullet. Dive out the way as you see it loosen up....

Reminds me of the 'good old days' before the 'health and safety' anoraks came along

 

[Olivier]

inlet manifold has to be removed to replace the glow plugs, its an easy job. The 4 torqs bolts that secure it to the EGR housing are a bit fiddly and are accessible from under the engine.

You can remove the inlet manifold without removing those four bolts.
There is a little allen key screw under the manifold at the rear that attach it to the engine, its easier to remove that single one the the four from the EGR body
You need to go under her tho to see it

Indeed make sure the engine it HOT! I screw it once thinking I could do it on a cold engine... I end up broking the glow in the head

 

[johnsco]

This is a job I have to do soon.

Olivier ... How are you mon ami ?
OK I hope.
Long time since I heard from you.

All this advioce is very-much appreciated.
I don't want any disasters !!

 

[Olivier]

Hi John,
I am fine, thanks They don't let me out very often you see

Bother with my Delica at the moment and thinking on getting another Merc for a while until the Deli get fixed, hence back here

The procedure is simple, take all the screw out the manifold, there is a 10mm bold on the side that hold a clamp, can be tricky to remove as tight space there...
Remove the 2 rubber pipes that goes in the EGR thingy.
Remove the Allen bolt from under the car. Its easier to see in the saloon then the Estate as the estate has extra piping on front of it, I think it might be the rear hydraulic suspension.

You can warm up the engine once the manifold is out, that will save your hands from the heat...

Once hot, see if you can unscrew them, if not, start the engine and try to unscrew them. Once you fell they are going you should stop the engine and see if you can unscrew them totally. If not repeat very carefully... You don't want to loose a glow with the engine running and you in front of it...
If they are totally unscrewed but cannot be removed after trying, (sometime it take persuasion and time) chances are that the carbon build up is holding them in very tightly too...
Then you need to be seriously careful there, put a rug around the glow plug ( Oh, do one at the time please, one out, then you can start the other) , close the hood, go in the car, start it and rev it.
This is dangerous, the glow will fly at high speed, hence the rag and the hood close...
I am not responsible for anything that will happen here, just to say...

You only do the above if its not broken in the head tho as if its broken this is a different story...

You might want to by a new manifold gasket, or just scrub the old one.
Also there is a large Oring in the EGR assembly that you may want to replace.

Then refitting is the opposite, with screwing the manifold from the middle to the edges.

Happy tinkering...

 

[johnsco]

Thank you for these words of good advice.
The glow-plug blow-out sounds scary.
Is there no chance of damaging the threads in the hole doing this ?
I have bought a new manifold gasket.
There is 215000 miles now on the car - So I guess the old gasket may be in poor condition.
Does anyone have a part number for the large O ring ?
Thanks again.
Bonne soiree.

 

[Dieselman]

The old gasket will be fine. The rubberised facing will come away as you part the manifold from the head, you can just scrub it all off and continue to use the stainless gasket.

 

[johnsco]

Thanks DM.
Good to know.

 

[jellafish]

johnsco i have the o ring part number it is A 606 997 06 45 ,this was bought at MB for my 1998 E300 TD estate,still to be fitted when i change glowplugs

 

[jellafish]

Thanks for all replies,running engine with manifold removed will be tried to keep hot.