Glow plugs - expensive or what?

[paulfoel]

£15 each - bit steep....

Garage also told me that are a little awkward to get out sometimes as well and to change 5 we're looking at an hours labour.

Since I've got one dodgy plug, I was wondering if its worth changing just 1 or all 5 at the same time. Be a bit of a bummer if another went a few days later - another hours labour !

 

[panason1c]

I did mine recently, they cost £12 +vat each.
It's best to replace all of them at the same time and keep the old (good) ones as spares in case one of the new ones packs up prematurely, anyway, the garage would probably charge you a minimum hours labour even if they replaced only one plug.

 

[paulfoel]

I did mine recently, they cost £12 +vat each.
It's best to replace all of them at the same time and keep the old (good) ones as spares in case one of the new ones packs up prematurely, anyway, the garage would probably charge you a minimum hours labour even if they replaced only one plug.

They reckon one hour for one plug and one hour ten mins for all 5 !!!

So looks like a fair price they're charging me then....

 

[GordonTarling]

You can find the plugs easily on Ebay, though they probably aren't MB originals. Problem is that they appear to have a reputation for breaking off when you try to remove them, so paying an hour's labour for a garage to do them may be a sound investment.

 

[panason1c]

You can find the plugs easily on Ebay, though they probably aren't MB originals. Problem is that they appear to have a reputation for breaking off when you try to remove them, so paying an hour's labour for a garage to do them may be a sound investment.

Dont expect the garage to be liable for any extra work if a plug does break though.
As long as reasonable care is taken when attempting to remove the plugs they will not be responsible for any plug breakage and will probably warn you of the risk before they undertake the job.
As it happens, mine came out very easily. (CDI270)

 

[paulfoel]

Dont expect the garage to be liable for any extra work if a plug does break though.
As long as reasonable care is taken when attempting to remove the plugs they will not be responsible for any plug breakage and will probably warn you of the risk before they undertake the job.
As it happens, mine came out very easily. (CDI270)

Yeh. Garage did mention that they can be a bit awkward to get out. Glad I've left it to them now... Lets hope they can get them all out OK.

 

[Dieselman]

You can find the plugs easily on Ebay, though they probably aren't MB originals. Problem is that they appear to have a reputation for breaking off when you try to remove them, so paying an hour's labour for a garage to do them may be a sound investment.

The plugs only break on Cdi engines, not 250 turbos, as a rule. The older plugs are simply stronger.

 

[zerocool]

yeah I just snapped one in a sprinter head,gotta take the head off now to try and remove it!!

 

[Dieselman]

yeah I just snapped one in a sprinter head,gotta take the head off now to try and remove it!!

You can drill the inside of the thread and use a tap to cut out the rest of the thread if you can get access.
I guess on a Sprinter that might be difficult.

 

[zerocool]

yeah got the cylinder head off today,got the centre part ofthe glow plug out,
don't suppose you know what size thread it is do ya

 

[marcos]

A little trick my mechanic who does the van uses. Sprays large amounts of WD-40 or similar around the glow plug and leave it for two weeks and then change the plugs. He reckons since doing it this way they have all come out really easily.

 

[zerocool]

yeah good trick,unfortunatly when a van comes into our dealership for a service and glow plug light staying on,I have to change the plugs that day and not 2 weeks later,as much as I wish I had tried that trick now,I am paying the price for it

 

[Dieselman]

yeah got the cylinder head off today,got the centre part ofthe glow plug out,
don't suppose you know what size thread it is do ya

No sorry. Take a plug to a local engineering suppliers, they'll measure the thread.

It would also be interesting to try and esi-out remover tool.

 

[Madferrit]

I'm new to the whole diesel thing.. but is there any actual damage done if you don't remove/ change the glow plugs when the light begins to show on the dashboard? What exactly is the part for?

Thanks in advance

 

[zerocool]

it pre heats the combustion chamber on cold start ups,doesn't really do any damage but can cause hard cold starting if more than 2 or 3 fail

 

[Madferrit]

cheers ZeroCool... being a petrol head all my life i think i need to look at things slightly differently with my diesel engine

 

[Dieselman]

it pre heats the combustion chamber on cold start ups,doesn't really do any damage but can cause hard cold starting if more than 2 or 3 fail

Not on a direct injection engine. They are not really required and are there to ensure low emmissions during the cold start phase.