Parts Catalog Accessories Catalog How To Articles Tech Forums
Call Pelican Parts at 888-280-7799
Shopping Cart Cart | Project List | Order Status | Help



Go Back   PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum > Mercedes-Benz Tech Information and Support > Diesel Discussion

Reply
 
LinkBack Thread Tools Display Modes
  #1  
Old 06-09-2011, 12:27 AM
Colorado220's Avatar
Registered User
 
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: COLORADO
Posts: 631
What causes Glow Plug failure?

My 71 220D has had an issue for a long time. When I had the original loop style it would often burn out GP's on longer drives (Over 70 miles). Years ago I upgraded to the quick start pencil plug and now the #1 plug went out and the other 3 are fine. I am just curious what keeps causing this. Any hints???

Reply With Quote
  #2  
Old 06-09-2011, 01:25 AM
compress ignite's Avatar
Drone aspiring to Serfdom
 
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: 32(degrees) North by 81(degrees) West
Posts: 5,554
Bosch In Deutschland ? (So they can sell you New Ones!)

Something made of Metal that GLOWs 1200 degrees F,Multiple times AND it
Goes Bad?
__________________
'84 300SD sold
124.128
Reply With Quote
  #3  
Old 06-09-2011, 05:41 AM
t walgamuth's Avatar
dieselarchitect
 
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: Lafayette Indiana
Posts: 38,611
It does not sound like your pencil plugs failed prematurely. The old loop style on a 220 should last for a decade or so though unless there is somethig unusual going on. Were they Bosch plugs?
__________________
[SIGPIC] Diesel loving autocrossing grandpa Architect. 08 Dodge 3/4 ton with Cummins & six speed; I have had about 35 benzes. I have a 39 Studebaker Coupe Express pickup in which I have had installed a 617 turbo and a five speed manual.[SIGPIC]

..I also have a 427 Cobra replica with an aluminum chassis.
Reply With Quote
  #4  
Old 06-09-2011, 09:45 AM
Registered User
 
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Nova Scotia, Canada.
Posts: 6,510
Wrong spray pattern from an injector can cause repeat issues. Generally though I have just thought of glow plugs as light bulbs.

Many reasons for them to drop out unexpectably both self inflicted by quality issues and externally by the severe operational conditions.
Reply With Quote
  #5  
Old 06-09-2011, 10:30 AM
Registered User
 
Join Date: Sep 2004
Posts: 8,971
Quote:
Originally Posted by t walgamuth View Post
It does not sound like your pencil plugs failed prematurely.
Would not that depend on the exact meaning of "years ago?"

Quote:
Originally Posted by Colorado220 View Post
Years ago I upgraded to the quick start pencil plug and now the #1 plug went out and the other 3 are fine.
Was it three years or thirty years?
Reply With Quote
  #6  
Old 06-09-2011, 10:38 AM
Diesel911's Avatar
Registered User
 
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Long Beach,CA
Posts: 51,038
Quote:
Originally Posted by barry123400 View Post
Wrong spray pattern from an injector can cause repeat issues. Generally though I have just thought of glow plugs as light bulbs.

Many reasons for them to drop out unexpectably both self inflicted by quality issues and externally by the severe operational conditions.
X2 on the Injector Spray Pattern issue on the Filament/Loop type Glow Plugs.
Pic of what is in the Factory manual.

More normal issues are simply how you drive (does the type of driving you do build up more Carbon; like only low Speed City driving).

How, often do you need to use the Glow Plugs. A recently rebuilt Engine may not need much Glow plug use to get it going. A worn Engine may need several applictions of the Glow Plugs to get it started.
Attached Thumbnails
What causes Glow Plug failure?-life-glow-plug-1.jpg  
__________________
84 300D, 82 Volvo 244Gl Diesel

Last edited by Diesel911; 06-21-2011 at 12:24 PM.
Reply With Quote
  #7  
Old 06-21-2011, 02:00 AM
Colorado220's Avatar
Registered User
 
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: COLORADO
Posts: 631
It was about 6 years ago.
Reply With Quote
  #8  
Old 06-21-2011, 02:34 AM
Stretch's Avatar
...like a shield of steel
 
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Somewhere in the Netherlands
Posts: 14,461
Why do they fail?

The FSM makes reference to the length of time a glow plug is used. The newer W123 / W126 glow plug systems have a safety cut out facility to stop them from being on for too long.
__________________
1992 W201 190E 1.8 171,000 km - Daily driver
1981 W123 300D ~ 100,000 miles / 160,000 km - project car stripped to the bone
1965 Land Rover Series 2a Station Wagon CIS recovery therapy!
1961 Volvo PV544 Bare metal rat rod-ish thing

I'm here to chat about cars and to help others - I'm not here "to always be right" like an internet warrior



Don't leave that there - I'll take it to bits!
Reply With Quote
  #9  
Old 06-21-2011, 08:55 AM
Registered User
 
Join Date: Sep 2001
Location: central Texas
Posts: 17,281
The FSM says that carbon build up between their ends and the precombustion chamber can cause premature failure ( shorting out ) and suggest reaming it out as periodic maintenance. Many threads on how to do that properly with heavy grease to catch and remove the grease.... with warnings not to use the engine turning over or compressed air as that may send that carbon the wrong direction .. meaning stopping up the 7 tiny holes in the end of the precombustion chamber critical to fuel atomization...
The newer pencil type plugs can be glowed for 60 seconds straight according to the book....and should be at least 45 seconds if some factors are causing hard starting... like cold weather or lack of compression....or lack of starter speed...

Reply With Quote
Reply

Bookmarks

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is On
Trackbacks are On
Pingbacks are On
Refbacks are On




All times are GMT -4. The time now is 03:40 PM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.7
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.
Search Engine Optimization by vBSEO 3.6.0
Copyright 2024 Pelican Parts, LLC - Posts may be archived for display on the Peach Parts or Pelican Parts Website -    DMCA Registered Agent Contact Page