This is a diesel VS gasser question. I would rather change spark plugs even though glow plugs don't need to be changed as often. Spark plugs in my 230CE are so easy to change. I changed them today in 5 minutes. I timed myself. This included checking the gaps and torquing them to spec. They're also way cheaper than glow plugs. I paid $5.60 for a set of 4 Bosch plugs. Glow plugs are a PITA. I've changed them on a 617 and 603. Maybe glow plugs are like that because you don't need to change them often but even nowadays some spark plugs are good for around 60K miles. Glow plugs also cost around $10 to $12 each.

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DJ


84 300D Turbodiesel 190K with 4 speed manual sold in 03/2012

Its about a draw for me and depends on the car. Modern FWD V6 cars no they have life time plugs in the rear 3 cylinders!

In the RWD MB world it is about a draw. Up until recently they all used copper plugs that need to be changed every 20k-30k, as long as they are easy to get at they are cheap enough. ($2.50 each) The more modern engines like the M112 and M113 only need plugs every 100k or so, but they also have two plugs per cylinder and I bet they cost $5 each or more.

For example a spark plug change on an XJ8 costs a fortune. I think the plugs run $15-$20 each times 16. Thats one of the reasons why I would buy a MB V8 over a Jag, at least MB uses $2 plugs.

The more modern diesels with afterglow burn through glowplugs faster, and the modern gas engines make plugs last a very long time. Its a draw in my book.

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1999 SL500
1969 280SE
2023 Ram 1500
2007 Tiara 3200

I'll go with the glow plugs, but I don't own a 60x. I find it pretty painless on both the 616 and 617. I hate doing spark plugs (or anything else) on my Jeep because it's such a POS something breaks every-time I touch it. Besides, you don't have to gap GPs.

The SP's I got today were already gapped to .8mm.

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DJ


84 300D Turbodiesel 190K with 4 speed manual sold in 03/2012

I'd rather change Glow Plugs than spark plugs. On my Subaru, it's a real pain to change the spark plugs, it tooks me over 2 hours to change the plugs and ignition wires. When I had the 300CD, it took like 30 minutes max to change out the glow plugs...

Cause there's only one cheep make yourself wire holding them together

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5 speed '91 190E 2.6 320,000 mi. (new car, fast, smooth as silk six, couldn't find any more Peugeots)
5 speed '85 Peugeot 505 2.5l Turbo Diesel 266,000 mi. (old car, fast for a diesel, had 2 others)
5 speed '01 Jetta V6 (new wifes car, pretty quick)
5 speed '85 Peugeot 505 2.2l Turbo Gas 197,000 mi. (wifes car, faster, sadly gone just short of 200k )
5 speed '83 Yamaha 750 Maxim 14,000 mi. (fastest)
0 speed 4' x 8' 1800 lb Harbor Freight utility trailer (only as fast as what's pulling it)

I'd have to put my vote in the spark plug box since the vehicle I'm thinking of is my bimmer with a straight six so all the plugs are on the same side and very easily accessable. The GP's on the 617 weren't that bad once I removed the injector hard lines. I dropped one of the nuts that held the wire in place and luckily the local hardware store had the right size. I bought 15.

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Seth

1984 300D 225K
1985 300D Donor body
1985 300D Turbo 165K. Totaled. Donor Engine. It runs!!!
1980 300SD 311K My New Baby.
1979 BMW 633csi 62K+++? Dead odo

Spark plugs are evil evil evil! Repeat after me .."spark plugs are evil"

I would rather not change either one, but I would have to go with the glow boys.

Gasoline smells terrible and I despise any thing that runs on gasoline. I am looking for a small diesel to convert my weedeater over so I dont have to smell that stinkin exhaust.

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1981 300D 147k
1998 VW Jetta Tdi 320k
2001 Dodge Ram 2500 141k
1979 300D 234k (sold)
1984 300D "Astor" 262k(sold)
Mercedes How-To and Repair Pictorials
I love the smell of diesel smoke in my hair

Changing spark plugs on a GM FWD 6 cylinder?

Changing spark plugs on a Dodge Caravan FWD v6? AHHH. You can't even see the rear ones! they're "in there" somewhere!

The front ones are also super hard to reach.

Needless to say, the rig is runnin' its original plugs at 78k, and its beginging to show it..... They are supposed to be changed at 60k according to the manual........hmmm...

Glow plugs are only bad if they are on a 603, or are stuck, which ours were on the 83, but mine came out readily.

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-diesel is not just a fuel, its a way of life-
'15 GLK250 Bluetec 118k - mine - (OC-123,800)
'17 Metris(VITO!) - 37k - wifes (OC-41k)
'09 Sprinter 3500 Winnebago View - 62k (OC - 67k)
'13 ML350 Bluetec - 95k - dad's (OC-98k)
'01 SL500 - 103k(km) - dad's (OC-110,000km)
'16 E400 4matic Sedan - 148k - Brothers (OC-155k)

it's a toss-up for me the bug is a bit of a pain but i don't have to remove as much stuff to change my SPs compared to my GPs

BTW Brandon314159 that pic LOL

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Jason Green
1977 240D AUTOMATIC the Beast
1974 Super Beetle



Suppose you were an idiot. And suppose you were a member of Congress. But I repeat myself.
- Mark Twain, a Biography

I don't care what kind of plugs they are, except for spark plugs being cheaper. What I care about is how much time/flesh I sacrifice in replacing them. I'd rather change the spark plugs in my Saab 99 than the glow plugs in a 602. I'd rather change the glow plugs in a 617 than the spark plugs in a 3.8L Taurus. I did the rear rear bank plugs in the Taurus with the head off the engine, and put Bosch Platinum in. Never touching them again. I'd even prefer the 602 over the Taurus.

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'79 300SD W116
'86 190E 2.3-16V W201
'92 300D 2.5 W124
'99 E320 4MATIC S210

Totally Depends on the car. We had a V6 gasser with 3 rear plugs that took serious contortions to remove, but I've skinned a few fingers working out glow plugs from my 300D too. My old Ford Escort, reliable junker that it was, took no time at all to replace spark plugs.

Got to say my opinion is Glow plugs though, just because they are cooler.

Ben

I'll only keep a car for 100k miles, during which I can get away with not replacing either. =)





-John =)

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2009 Kia Sedona
2009 Honda Odyssey EX-L
12006 Jetta Pumpe Duse
(insert Mercedes here)

Husband, Father, sometimes friend =)

Brandon ;

Tell us what you really think !

It all depends on the vehicle ~ I hated those 70's GM V-6's but I can swap 'em out in any old V.W. Beetle faster than you can assemble the tools needed ....

Are we supposed to change the G/P's on a regular basis ? my '78 still has the original typ series wired loop typ G/P's , it starts fine but I was wondering.....?

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-Nate
1982 240D 408,XXX miles
Ignorance is the mother of suspicion and fear is the father

I did then what I knew how to do ~ now that I know better I do better