Burning out glow plug?????
 

Well I have had this problem where I burn out glow plugs at random... Most of the time it is after a long drive on the interstate, 200 or more miles....... I have tried different plugs, new coils, .. I was told to try the timer on the firewall...... I am not sure where or what that is, I have a repair book on the way.... My question is has this happened to anyone else? I have a 1971 220 Diesel.... Thanks

It is almost impossible to blow (GP's) glow plugs, within 200mi.

Maybe in 4 or 8 or 12 years, or 100K and up miles.................................

It sounds like your glown plugs are ON ALL THE TIME.........bet you had little smoke!

I would replace the GP relay.................good luck:silly:

Where is a good place to get parts? The dealer is to much $$$$

Here (fastlane - see link above), Junkyard and, if you have the guts, ebay.


Looks like it's $98 here for a new one. You can always try to pry yours apart and see if it just needs a good D-n-C.

What brand of GPs have you been using? Monarch, and Champion wont last long.

Have you upgraded to the pencil type or are you still running loop plugs?

A 220D does not have a GP (timer) relay. It is a manual system.

this is what I was wondering.

how long have you been driving this car? what is your starting procedure? from putting in the key, to driving away.
John

Loop style......Bosch

Put key in.......... Pull out knob to warm glow plugs.. wait for oarnge glow hold for an extra second or 2 TOPS!!! Pull all the way out to start..... If extreme cold I cycle through twice before starting...... I have been driveing the car 8 years!!!!!! Burns out different glow plug.. never the same....... and never in city or close range..only on interstate after 140 + miles... But not always.... Just at random!!!!! Been good for a while now..... But went through 5 sets of plugs in 7 months 2 years ago...... Seems to get better every year.... Just want to fix it!!! I have taken it to a few shops and no answers from them either... Thanks!

I believe I would try reaming out the carbon. The reamer for the loop type plugs is pretty spendy. Not sure if there is one on the tool rental list.

Also verify with a meter that the plugs are always off with the gorilla knob in the run position.

How do I check that..... Just a simple voltage test?

Yes. Connect a voltmeter to the glow plug circuit. Rig up the meter so you can see it through the windshield. Pull the knob to the glow position, meter should show voltage. Release the knob to the run position, voltage should go off every time. Basically, checking to make sure that the spring tension pulls the knob far enough that the voltage always goes off when the knob is released.

That is what I figured...Thanks....

give yourself an early Xmas gift and spring for a set of the "new style" GPs, you wont regret it, they make a BIG difference in starting.

Upgrade
 

Hey Colorado220D-

My first MB was a '71 220D! TomJ at Colorado Biodiesel is driving it around now . . . I had that car for about 8 years, it was great . . . now I'm rolling around in the 300D.

I always had cold start trouble with the 220D, mostly b/c I was lazy and didn't adjust the valves frequently enough. I did upgrade to the fast glow system . . . it was like $100 and worth every penny. Once you install it, you turn the key to number two and that element in the dash is replaced by a little light bulb, the bulb goes out when the plugs are hot. Not only did they put out a great deal more heat, it was easier to cycle through two or three cycles without having to pull on that knob the whole time. Once the engine was ready to go, you still pull the knob to start. I would order one up.

Eric

--------
1971 220D {Sold to TomJ}
1981 300D {154,000 when the ODO quit, its on my list}

Where do I get one? website/number? Any install pics? Did you ever have GP troubles?

Pencil type? What would I have to mod. to accept some?

No Mod Really
 

Order the kit from Fastlane, or any of the online parts guys. It comes with 4 glow plugs that are the pencil style, but have the wider bodies of the loop style so they'll fit your block. It also comes with all the other stuff you'll need . . . relay, indicator bulb, and most of the wiring. The only wire I had to come up with was a big one to get power to the relay. I mounted it on the driver's side fenderin the engine compartment. It was really pretty simple to do.

I only had issues with my plugs once . . . at which point I figured it made more sense to buy the kit than to replace the old ones with the obsolete plugs.

Ha ha
 

Thinking about it makes me miss the 220D . . . there was so much more room in the engine compartment to perform fixes like this. I just did the glow plugs in the 300D on Sunday and it took me all afternoon, just no room to turn a wrench. Of course, I should have researched a bit more first, I just read Brian's comment about pulling the fuel injector hard lines first, DOH!

You dont need the kit. I would order just the GPs and wires that go between them. I made them up using multi strand, #10 wire. You must disconnect the ground wire at the fwd end of the plugs and I went from a 50 amp strip fuse to a 80 amp. This was on a W123 so I'm not sure about the fuse set up on your car. The new plugs will only need to be used for 5 or 7 seconds. Oh, and you can discard those "resistor" wires the go between the GPs