- Joined
- Sep 16, 2004
- Messages
- 1,145
- Location
- Leven, Fife / Northampton
- Car
- 2006 320 CDI Avantgarde . 1997 312d Sprinter
The o/h's little A150 was coughing and spluttering so she said and the EML had lit up. I put the MB11 on it, and it said fault cylinder 3. I checked the Actual values, and it showed "Brennspannungsdaur" --Burning voltage ----as :-
1....1.21 1...1.46
3....0.87 After new plugs 3...1.46
4....1.24 4...1.43
2....1.29 2...1.56
so I guessed a spark plug had started missing. She took it to a local garage to get them to change the plugs, and back she came with a completely unrelated DTC that was just uncleared written on the piece of paper I sent her with.
I went and bought 4 Spark Plugs and decided to fit them myself.
When I lifted the bonnet, it became apparent why then garage was not keen on changing the plugs as they were hidden from view completely. I had a quick look on youtube for some info and found out what a pig of a job it is replacing the plugs on the A Series. Hardly similar to an A Series Mini, which is 5 minutes and job done !
So, modus operandi. Firstly, I got it up on some ramps, so I didn't ruin my back doing the job. Out came the washer bottle and the air filter and electronics after disconnecting the connectors. First plug was out in less then10 minutes. What a state it was in, I could have driven a bus through the gap. If I had of had some feelers I would have measured them. New plug went in no problem. Next plug, moving from right to left, so I assume this is no.3? took a wee bit longer, it was tight and angled to the left. Similar condition. Next plug was a bit of a stretch, sliding my arm along the back of the radiator and using a mirror to see what I was doing. Spark plug cap was very tight, but I managed to get it off and plug out and new one in. I suppose an hour had now passed and it was 3 .1 to me. Now the farthest along plug on the right hand side, no.1 I presume , was unreachable, my arms were just not long enough. I tried removing the Torx bolts holding the Oil filler tube, there are 3 , one came undone, one snapped off and the other was not reachable. So that ended that bright idea.
After some deliberation, I decided that the only way forwards was was to remove the o/s headlamp. This needed 2 plastic retainers under the wing undoing and an 8 mm bolt taking out. I had already removed the headlamp bolts bar one and by undoing the front spoiler, I was able to pull it forwards and get a 10 mm socket onto the last headlamp retaining bolt. With the headlamp out, it was easy to access the last plug and get it changed. I had to replace all that I had taken off before I was able to start it up, and it sounded fine.
I put the diagnostic back on it, and it came up with the above ^ values for burning voltage. Cleared the EML and that did not reappear so job done. A gashed right arm and a bit of flesh gone from my left knuckles... aaahhh happy memories of pain from fixing cars. Not as bad as a sleeve full of hot rust when welding on a sill or some chassis section though.
So, these knackered plugs had not seen the light of day for years, I presume in this day and age a service does not include changing the spark plugs, especially when they are a PITA to do.
Apart from a V12 Jaguar, that I did years and years ago, these plugs must rate as one of the worst I have done. At least hopefully they will not need changing again very soon.
Steve.
1....1.21 1...1.46
3....0.87 After new plugs 3...1.46
4....1.24 4...1.43
2....1.29 2...1.56
so I guessed a spark plug had started missing. She took it to a local garage to get them to change the plugs, and back she came with a completely unrelated DTC that was just uncleared written on the piece of paper I sent her with.
I went and bought 4 Spark Plugs and decided to fit them myself.
When I lifted the bonnet, it became apparent why then garage was not keen on changing the plugs as they were hidden from view completely. I had a quick look on youtube for some info and found out what a pig of a job it is replacing the plugs on the A Series. Hardly similar to an A Series Mini, which is 5 minutes and job done !
So, modus operandi. Firstly, I got it up on some ramps, so I didn't ruin my back doing the job. Out came the washer bottle and the air filter and electronics after disconnecting the connectors. First plug was out in less then10 minutes. What a state it was in, I could have driven a bus through the gap. If I had of had some feelers I would have measured them. New plug went in no problem. Next plug, moving from right to left, so I assume this is no.3? took a wee bit longer, it was tight and angled to the left. Similar condition. Next plug was a bit of a stretch, sliding my arm along the back of the radiator and using a mirror to see what I was doing. Spark plug cap was very tight, but I managed to get it off and plug out and new one in. I suppose an hour had now passed and it was 3 .1 to me. Now the farthest along plug on the right hand side, no.1 I presume , was unreachable, my arms were just not long enough. I tried removing the Torx bolts holding the Oil filler tube, there are 3 , one came undone, one snapped off and the other was not reachable. So that ended that bright idea.
After some deliberation, I decided that the only way forwards was was to remove the o/s headlamp. This needed 2 plastic retainers under the wing undoing and an 8 mm bolt taking out. I had already removed the headlamp bolts bar one and by undoing the front spoiler, I was able to pull it forwards and get a 10 mm socket onto the last headlamp retaining bolt. With the headlamp out, it was easy to access the last plug and get it changed. I had to replace all that I had taken off before I was able to start it up, and it sounded fine.
I put the diagnostic back on it, and it came up with the above ^ values for burning voltage. Cleared the EML and that did not reappear so job done. A gashed right arm and a bit of flesh gone from my left knuckles... aaahhh happy memories of pain from fixing cars. Not as bad as a sleeve full of hot rust when welding on a sill or some chassis section though.
So, these knackered plugs had not seen the light of day for years, I presume in this day and age a service does not include changing the spark plugs, especially when they are a PITA to do.
Apart from a V12 Jaguar, that I did years and years ago, these plugs must rate as one of the worst I have done. At least hopefully they will not need changing again very soon.
Steve.