Not really an MB topic, since the car is a Volvo TD, but I replaced 5 out of 6 glowplugs on the 740 last week. I'd been having serious hard start problems, especially cold and not quite hot (car fully warmed up and shut off for an hour or so -- dash light didn't come one, car won't start).

Four of the five plugs had a neat little hole in the tip at the weld -- I presume this is where the resistance element is connected. They are about two years old, maybe three (I'm getting senile, I think!), shouldn't have been bad.

Hard start problem is gone, car lights right up at 20 F except for #6 -- I can't find a way to get the buss strap off without removing the IP!

Has anyone else seen this particular failure in glowplugs? Seems strange to me, I'd not have thought that the weld at the resistance element would fail like that. Certainly, I don't exepct to find the same problem with Bosch glowplugs, and I will certainly also never save money by using them again!

Peter

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1972 220D ?? miles
1988 300E 200,012
1987 300D Turbo killed 9/25/07, 275,000 miles
1985 Volvo 740 GLE Turobodiesel 218,000
1972 280 SE 4.5 165, 000 - It runs!

I'm looking at a spare Bosch glow plug for the Mercedes 80s diesels, and I don't see any weld at the tip. The heating element is completely seamless and smooth.

Based on what I've read here, that's all I'll buy.

Ken300D

Champion makes glowplugs? I figure a Volvo would have Bosch or Beru. hen a gain a freind of mine has a VW Beetle and it came from the factory with NGKs.

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1999 MB SL500 (110,000 mi)
2004 Volvo V70 2.5T (220,000 mi)
2014 Tesla Model S 85 (136,000 mi)
MBCA member

Yup, Champion makes glowplugs. Not anywhere as good as their sparkplugs, though.

They were on the shelf at the CarQuest, cost about $8 each, so I bought them. Twice, since I furgured running them constantly when the GP relay shorted finished off the first set.

Never again!

They seem to work fine in American diesels, for whatever reason, I've never heard any complaints.

Peter

__________________
1972 220D ?? miles
1988 300E 200,012
1987 300D Turbo killed 9/25/07, 275,000 miles
1985 Volvo 740 GLE Turobodiesel 218,000
1972 280 SE 4.5 165, 000 - It runs!