2000 320CDI injectors

[Mercedesstar]

Has anybody got any experience with these? Life expectancy etc. Rule of thumb is normally 80-100000 miles before changing them, does this apply to injectors in this type of engine? Any information greatly appreciated.

Thanks
Martin

 

[walsi]

Hi ya, who's rule of thumb says you need to change injectors at 80/100,000 miles. I would be gutted if it was true, my old van which had the 2.2CDI engine is over 300,000 and still on the original injectors and my present van which is the 3ltr V6 CDI is near 100,000. If i have to change the injectors i won't be buying another Merc

Martin

 

[Mercedesstar]

Fair comment, Martin, it is generally said injectors need replacing at 80-100000, but in your opinion this is not the case for Mercedes cars. Not that I think there`s anything majorly wrong with mine, but the owner before me, he had the car for 8 years, only did around 3000 miles a year, so if anything the injectors will be very sooted and clogged up. I am running Lucas and Forte in every tank of diesel at the moment, which has made an improvement and it keeps improving, but sometimes the sot is burnt onto the injectors and it is impossible to get them clean, which obviously gives less performance and worse economy. They can obviously be removed and cleaned, but often it is just as cost effective to fit new ones.

 

[walsi]

I could understand them been sent to a diesel specialist to be serviced but not replaced unless one had failed, on some vehicles you would be talking over £1000 for a set of injectors and it would be beyond economical sense to replace them. Most people can't run to that sort of expense in our present economic climate. I must admit i have only ever replaced them if they have a tip missing or have been clouted by a bit of foreign matter otherwise it would send them away and get them serviced.

Martin

 

[Risby]

Would using that better-grade diesel be good for my injectors????

 

[walsi]

But what do you mean by better grade diesel ?, it all comes form the same place and contains the same things

 

[Risby]

What is better grade diesel queries Walsi.... the diesel that Shell charges quite a premium for (and is whilly recommended by a well-respected motoring guru for a Sunday broadsheet)

 

[ringway]

I had all 6 replaced in my 320CDI (OM613).
Two needed replacing but because I like things to be spot on I figured the other four would fail and need replacing in the not too distant future.
£1250.00 at Mercedes Macclesfield.

I use Millers diesel additive in my vehicles to keep the injectors clean, which if bought in bulk is good value for money.

Our member Johnsco is the man to contact if you need the 5 litre containers of the stuff.

 

[BlackC55]

If there is nothing wrong with them why do you want to replace them. If it ain't broke....

 

[walsi]

If there is nothing wrong with them why do you want to replace them. If it ain't broke....

My thoughts exactly, must be using cheap diesel

 

[walsi]

Just copied this, it would appear that it is down to additives that are added to the tanker load after it has filled with diesel
If you actually go to any refinery (like Fawley, which is owned by Shell) and watch the tankers loading up, you will see they DO all load from the same bunker. It doesn't matter who the fuel is for, it actually does all comes form the same place. A Shell tanker will follow a Tescos tanker, which will follow a Morrisons tanker, etc. I know, because I've watched them...

However, the actual differences come AFTER each tanker has been loaded. Every fuel company has their own blend of additives, which is added to the tanker after loading the fuel.

It's those additives that make the difference - NOT the fuel itself.

EDIT - The additives are added at the refinery, after the tankers have loaded with fuel. Each company (Shell, Tesco or whoever) has their own blend of detergents, boosters, etc. It's solely that combination that changes the characteristics of the fuel you buy, depending on where you buy it.


So it might have something added to it or it might not but diesel is diesel were ever you get it, there is nothing other than shell who say there's is superior and the same goes for bp and everyone else. Around here the shell is the same price as tesco's so maybe they don't add it in Cornwall

 

[panason1c]

my injectors are all the originals and have so far covered 225k miles without being touched. (other than to renew the copper seals between injector and head)

 

[walsi]

Well there ya go

 

[panason1c]

When a tanker pulls into the loading bay at the refinary the loading amounts AND ADDITIVES are pre-determined by the nearby control room, the driver has no control over the amounts or grades of fuel per pot (other than connecting the loading pipes to the inlet valves of the tanker and then pressing a button to start the process). This also applies to the additives being added which are stored in separate tanks and then injected along with the fuel during loading, depending which company the fuel is for.........A shell tanker might load up in the same bay that an Esso tanker has just loaded from but one might have the additive injected along with the fuel and the other might not......it is from the control room that controls the whole process. Thats why to the observer, it looks as if they all load the same fuel, and they do except that some have the various types of additive.... and some dont.

 

[walsi]

So you could be paying 15p ltr more for 50ml of additive per tanker load

 

[panason1c]

So you could be paying 15p ltr more for 50ml of additive per tanker load

lol, i expect its more than 50ml, bearing in mind that each pot (from memory) holds circa 6000 ltrs

 

[walsi]

But ya never know, be a good scam if it was

 

[Mercedesstar]

Great with a good discussion. I use Shell fuel, by the way, by far the best fuel in my opinium, shame there for some reason is becoming less and less of their fuel stations. And quite right, why change something that is not broken. Thanks all