W210 E300D vs. E300TD - your input - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

Jeremy5848 · #13 12-17-2010, 03:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pimpernell

I have a 96 E300d, and have owned it for over 3 years now. The car has 217,000 miles on it, and does not burn a drop of oil. Mileage around town here in heavy traffic is about 26-28, and 34-37 on the highway at 65-70 mph. It is a little slow off the line, but once up to highway speed it is a really fantastic ride. Nice thing about the non-turbo is the fact that its a little less complicated to maintain. One issue that you need to be aware of with this model engine is the glow plug problem issue. They can be a pain to change out, and can break off in the head of too much force is used to try an loosen them up. Good luck with whatever model you decide upon.

The Pimp has a good point. OM606 glow plugs have a long reach because of the DOHC head design. Consequently, there is a lot more glow plug body to get carboned-up and stuck in the head. [See attached photo comparing OM603 and OM606NA glow plugs.] I have not had a problem but others have had glow plugs break off in the head.

The received wisdom seems to be (a) pre-soak the threads in Kroil or PB-Blaster or whatever your favorite lubricant is, and (b) gently work the plug in and out, adding more lubricant from time to time, until the plug comes out. Some have found that extraction is easier with a warm (not hot) engine. When you replace glowplugs, put a little of your favorite anti-seize on the threads. Note that this should not be perceived as a "warning" but rather as a "need to know."

Pimpernell's fuel economy is better than mine, for what reason I do not know. My average in mostly city driving (3 years, 25,000 miles) is 26.9 MPG with a high of about 32 MPG. This is mostly on B20 biodiesel and occasionally D2 if we're on the road and can't find anyone selling biodiesel.

BTW, even at 273,000 miles, the engine uses no oil between annual changes [Mobil-1 5W-40 TDT].

Jeremy