how often is it recommended to replace glowplugs, is the replacement procedure straightforward? bryan

You WILL get several differing opinions, but if I were you, I would replace my glow-plug ONLY when one of them fails. At such time, I would than replace all of them. The others, (4 or 5 Depending on your model) are sure to fail shortly after.

Glow-plug life is not milage dependent, nor time dependent. Their useful life is mostly determined by two factors, (a) the number of cold starts, and (b) the ambient temperature at the time. The lower the ambient temperature, the longer they stay on. Hence all of the glow-plugs in the same car, will have a similar longevity. Thats the reason to change them all when one of them goes.

Phil

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'95 E300 Diesel, 264,000 Miles. [Sold it]

Depending on your model... if you have a 617 motor like I do, I recommend removing the IP lines to the injectors to ease GP install. It would make install about 60-90min as opposed to nearly 3 hours reaching around the IP lines. That's if you have pretty big hands like I do. I simply can't get around stuff.

It's not a hard swap, just takes a decent amount of time.

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I'm not a doctor, but I'll have a look.

'85 300SD 245k
'87 300SDL 251k
'90 300SEL 326k

Six others from BMW, GM, and Ford.

Liberty will not descend to a people; a people must raise themselves to liberty.[/IMG]

To me, GP's are like light bulbs, to be replaced individually when they fail. I lost my first GP and didn't know it, thought I needed a valve adjust. When I lost the second GP the car would only start after a long run up on the starter, the first one was still burned out. I ordered 5 new ones, changed the burned out ones and 3 are still on the shelf for a rainy day. The ones I had to change were no treat, #1 was tough, #5 was a b*tch. #2, 3 and 4 seem like they are no problem and may leave them to see if they cause problems or not. Checking them is a simple test to ground from the start relay plug.

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Doug
'83 300SD "Old Gold" 170,000 mi.
'82 380SL "Green Machine" 190,000 mi.

Some days you're the pigeon, some days you're the statue... I'd rather be the pigeon!

When to install them is one question....

When to buy them is another... and the answer is NOW... put them into your glove compartment or some place safe... then if they fail you on a Sunday morning when the Dealer is not open.. or if this is the same car you would need to drive to get the parts you are " prepared"...

Good advice! You don't want to spend 2 hours starting your car with a pot of boiling water and a hair dryer just to get to the parts store to buy a GP. Its faster to pull and replace one than it is to go through that hassle, so buy a set now and just keep them around, you'll need 'em eventually.

In terms of 'when', I'm in favor of the 'wait till one fails, then replace the set' method. I had one fail, then I replaced it, then a week later, another one failed, then a week later, another one. I would have saved time by just doing them all at once when the first one failed.

peace,
sam

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"That f***in' biodiesel is makin' me hungry."

1982 300TD Astral Silver w/ 250k (BIO BNZ)
2001 Aprilia SR50 Corsa Red w/ 5.5k (>100 MPG)

I did mine in 1 hour with the line in place....on my 617.....but I did skin my knuckles up doing it...and I DO have large hands.

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Proud owner of ....
1971 280SE W108
1979 300SD W116
1983 300D W123
1975 Ironhead Sportster chopper
1987 GMC 3/4 ton 4X4 Diesel
1989 Honda Civic (Heavily modified)
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Section 609 MVAC Certified
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"He who fights with monsters might take care lest he thereby become a monster. And if you gaze for long into an abyss, the abyss gazes also into you." - Friedrich Nietzsche

I'm sure this has been covered but what makes them (GP's) so difficult to get out that it takes 1 1/2 hrs to change.. ( I ahve not done mine yet)
is there a pre soak or special way to remove them ?
Curious to know.. opinions or links appreciated..

The thing that helped me out the most was a 12mm gearwrench.. they can be had at your local sears, or sometimes even the local car parts store.

I an pull the glow plugs out in about 10 minutes, and it takes me another 10 to get them back in.

I never remove the IP hard lines, and I have bigger hands than anyone I know.

Try and get your hands in there with a wrench....then all will be made clear.....

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Proud owner of ....
1971 280SE W108
1979 300SD W116
1983 300D W123
1975 Ironhead Sportster chopper
1987 GMC 3/4 ton 4X4 Diesel
1989 Honda Civic (Heavily modified)
---------------------
Section 609 MVAC Certified
---------------------
"He who fights with monsters might take care lest he thereby become a monster. And if you gaze for long into an abyss, the abyss gazes also into you." - Friedrich Nietzsche

One major tip...

FILL that stupid space between the engine and the IP with towels... the place directly below where you will be working...

Anyone who replaces glow plugs one at a time has never owned a 603 or 606! Getting to the stupid things is a job in itself on a 603, so all 6 should be done at the same time.

Now the 606 is a different animal, they are fairly simple to get at but have a habbit of breaking off. If I owned a 606 I would remove the plugs and ream the holes once a year. I would replace those every few years, or when they fail because they are somewhat simpler to get at.

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1999 SL500
1969 280SE
2023 Ram 1500
2007 Tiara 3200

!always! put either something under the glow plugs or have a magent with a string on hand and be working over concrete, because the da#$ little nuts that hold the electrical leads onto the glow plugs have a tendency to fly off down into the black hole between your injection pump and engine block. I had to go to Home Depot to buy new ones...they had none of that size except ones which lock (have soft plastic strip after threads). I guess I'll have a good time putting in new ones eventually... Also, if one of those falls in the grass, you're done, because they blend right in with the dirt. It's funny how the simplest jobs always wind up taking the longest.

Thats the best advice on here. especially when you drop the small 8mm nuts!

Its about a 20 minute job. Be sure you have a reamer on hand when you do it.

tools needed: 1/4" ratchet with long extension, swivel joint and 8mm socket.
3/8" ratchet, long extension, 12mm medium depth socket with built in swivel (13mm socket needed also if your reamer is 13mm)
a 12mm doesn't hurt to have if you can't get to the plug behind the canister housing.

job is pretty simple with these tools, no muss no fuss!

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1980 500SE/AMG Euro
1981 500SEL Euro
1982 380SEL
1983 300TD
1983 500SEC/AMG Euro
1984 500SEC
1984 300TD Euro
1986 190E 2.3-16
1986 190E 2.3
1987 300D
1997 C36 AMG
2003 C320T 4matic

past: 1969 280SE 4.5 | 1978 240D | 1978 300D | 1981 300SD | 1981 300SD | 1982 300CD | 1983 300CD | 1983 300SD | 1983 380SEC | 1984 300D | 1984 300D | 1984 300TD | 1984 500SEL | 1984 300SD | 1985 300D | 1986 300E | 1986 560SEL | 1986 560SEL/Carat | 1987 560SEC | 1991 300D 2.5 | 2006 R350

OM 603 nuts are captive on end of GP wire, and can't fall off. No rag needed!

Best Regards,
Jim