Intake Line removal on '82 300CDT for glow plug replacement
 

I've read that in order to remove and replace glow plugs on my '82 300CDT that I should remove the intake lines first...having tried to squeeze my hand in there...and even breaking a u-joint wrench, I'm ready to to do this. I'm a total newbie, so can anybody give me suggestions on where to start to remove the intake lines? Any precautions?

Thanks,

David

Take a 17 mm high quality open end wrench. Be careful in your placement on the fitting. It takes a good amount of force to loosten them and tighten them. Once you get the hang of it it is not too hard. You will have to loosten the little brace brackets to get them off the injectors and the pump, and I usually can loosten them and remove them all still fastened together.

Tom W

OIC... Injector lines...

yeah, what tom said. be SURE they are hand threaded on BEFORE you put a wrench on them when re installing! and it's easier to put the Injection pump end on first...

yea.. Injector lines...

you remove the intake on the om6XX series

You'll find disagreement on the issue of whether you need to remove those lines to remove the glowplugs. I find leaving the lines in place and using gear wrenches an effective means of removing and replacing glowplugs.

To loosen the nuts on the injectors and the Injection Pump, I use a
17mm flair nut crows foot wrench. using a straight 17mm open end
wrench doesn`t always fit or have the space to swing or turn.

I have replaced the plugs w/o removing the fuel lines.

I agree on the gear wrench. these things are real handy.
Use a little anti siez on the threads of the glow plug when installing.

when installing the wires and nuts, do not over tighten. If you drop one
of the little nuts, you will never find it. I have no idea where they go. :rolleyes:

Charlie

Make sure you stuff some rags down between the IP and block and oil filter housing and block so that when you drop the nut/wrench/glowplug, it won't go far. You will almost certainly drop something.

Me too.
On #5, I removed a clip on the throttle linkage, and moved the small hose out of the way.

on #5 my mom came and used her smaller hands. LOL normally is dad helping on the car. but that time is was a job for the MOM

Thanks. I think I'll try to remove plugs without removing intake lines first...So, a gear wrench with long socket to reach the nut on the plug? I can barely get my hand in there, and the gear wrench won't rotate or grab. What size socket should I use on the plug?

Thanks for all your input.

One tool you might want to get for this and it makes it so much easier- A medium depth 12mm socket with a built in swivel. It's the perfect fit for all 5 glow plugs.

cool...12mm socket medium depth...another trip to autozoo...I have gear wrench, but there's not enough space to take advantage of the gears.

Shouldn't need a socket. I'm not even sure there's enough room to use a socket. A standard box end gear wrench is what I use. You have to choose the right angle of approach to get it to swing, but it works on all of them.

gearwrench makes a set of gear sockets... the 1/4" set is amazing and perfect for this.
get them.

LOL, cool, glad things worked out!
I did cramp up, and drop that 8mm gear wrench in the engine bay somewhere, bought another one, the first one shook out a few days later, as I found it on the garage floor.