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  #1  
Old 09-06-2011, 10:28 PM
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Considering purchase of a 1999 E300D with two broken glowplugs. Should I?....

Fellas,

I'm new to this forum, but not new to diesels. I have in the past owned a 1986 190D, and now currently own a 2002 VW Jetta TDI. I am very technically and mechanically inclined, and am very active on TDIclub.com coming up with ways to improve ALH diesel engine efficiency, and helping others with issues on their cars.

I am strongly considering a 1999 E300D car that has two broken glowplugs. I am thinking about purchasing the car and possibly repairing it where it sits(pennsylvania) and driving it back to Port St. Lucie, Florida. Looks like the tools and tehniques on removing the broken glow plugs are relatively straight forward and seem to be something I would be comfortable tackling. I guess worst case situation is that I can drive the car to a Mercedes Guru on my way and get this resolved. Am I crazy for considering this? Any input would be appreciated!


Josh


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  #2  
Old 09-06-2011, 10:37 PM
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In these temperatures you should be able to start it without glowplugs especially if it has a block heater. Just start it up, drive it home and fix it when you get home.
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  #3  
Old 09-06-2011, 10:38 PM
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depends on how cheap your getting the car for. i think your worst case scenerario is about 3 grand if you have to pull the head and have the plugs removed. i'd do it if the car was still in good shape and glowplugs where all it needed
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  #4  
Old 09-06-2011, 10:43 PM
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Thanks fellas! I forgot to mention the car has around 146K miles, and hasn't run any WVO or anything funky. I figured it would start w/o the 2 glowplugs heating up. May run rough at first, and then smooth out once it heats up.




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  #5  
Old 09-07-2011, 02:36 AM
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When you stay "broken" glow plugs do you mean physically broken to the point that you can not remove them with a wrench or just non-functional? If they are just non-functional the job is fairly straight forward as long as you follow some of the suggestions/experience you can find on this forum ..... and I would replace all six while I was in there. However, if the head truely has two stuck and physically broken glow plugs in it .... It could be a nightmare to fix without the special tools for the job and the experience to do the job right .... you can read about those nightmares on this forum as well. At 150,000 miles the OM606 motor has more than 1/2 its life left .... I have 2 cars approaching twice that distance and one with 200,000 miles .... all three have had no major engine problems. Good Luck.
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  #6  
Old 09-07-2011, 07:09 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by DAR2KMR2 View Post
When you stay "broken" glow plugs do you mean physically broken to the point that you can not remove them with a wrench or just non-functional? If they are just non-functional the job is fairly straight forward as long as you follow some of the suggestions/experience you can find on this forum ..... and I would replace all six while I was in there. However, if the head truely has two stuck and physically broken glow plugs in it .... It could be a nightmare to fix without the special tools for the job and the experience to do the job right .... you can read about those nightmares on this forum as well. At 150,000 miles the OM606 motor has more than 1/2 its life left .... I have 2 cars approaching twice that distance and one with 200,000 miles .... all three have had no major engine problems. Good Luck.


Thanks for the info. I read quite a few DIY's, posts and looked at some Youtube videos on the removal methods and looks to be pretty straight forward to me. Looks like some of those guys got away with some pretty standard tools to remove them(drills, tap etc).

I'm having the seller send me some photos of the head with the plugs broken off in them that way I can size things up. Sounds like he replaced the plugs once at 86K miles, and recently at 146K miles and that's when he had problems with two of them. I believe me mentioned he worked then back and forth a bit, and when he put the breaker bar on, they snapped at the hex portion. The pictures will help me understand where things stand with it.

Are there any trusted Gurus here on the Forum in Pa, or on the way from there to Florida that would be good to stop and have them assist?





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  #7  
Old 09-07-2011, 07:26 AM
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My dad lives in Port St Lucie.

You never answered if the glow plugs were physically broken or? I know on the 606 they have a tendency to get stuck on the head. If the tips were broken off in the prechamber I would pass.
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  #8  
Old 09-07-2011, 08:59 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by winmutt View Post
My dad lives in Port St Lucie.

You never answered if the glow plugs were physically broken or? I know on the 606 they have a tendency to get stuck on the head. If the tips were broken off in the prechamber I would pass.


I'm still trying to get info from teh seller on the exact condition of the glow plugs. He said they are broken off at the hex part on cylinder number 2 & 4 . Not sure if that means that they broke off where the threaded part meets the hex(that's what I'm thinking) or otherwise. I'll be speaking with him in 20-30 minutes or so.
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  #9  
Old 09-07-2011, 09:47 AM
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#2 & 4 cylinders have broken off glowplugs at the thread. The threaded portion is still in the head, and the hex portion broke off. He mentioned that he was able to turn them almost all the way out, and then they seized up on him. My question is would the car still be driveable from Pa. to Florida like that? I'm sure there would be some compresion leakage but woudn't think it would be that horrible through the thread area since it's seized in there. Any thoughts? I'm planning to fly up friday and pick it up. Thanks!


Josh
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  #10  
Old 09-07-2011, 09:53 AM
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Seems driveable to me. Did the seller say it ran ok in that condition?
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  #11  
Old 09-07-2011, 10:31 AM
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Will probably run; will be rough and will throw codes, etc. Going to need to tape up the two wires that have nothing to connect to and button the IM back up (20NM on the IM bolts).

The videos you've seen, while containing good principles and ideas, are undoubtedly for a CDI engine and not a 606. The CDI has nice milled seats at the GP's whereas the 606 was only partially milled out.

Lots of good homemade pullers here and thread inserts if you bugger one up too bad.
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  #12  
Old 09-07-2011, 11:36 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Josh8loop View Post
I guess worst case situation is that I can drive the car to a Mercedes Guru on my way and get this resolved.
I can think of lots of worst cases. The car is apart. Not currently drivable. More realist worst case is that you pay $2000 more to get it transported to your house.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Josh8loop View Post
Am I crazy for considering this?
At the price he is asking, YES. If you were local, maybe an easier call. For what you are going to spend to retrieve the car and fix it, you could find a drivable one.

But if money is no object, and all you want is an adventure, keep us posted....

This is from someone who has driven 10 hours to look at a car "that has never been in an accident". "Why is the roof dented and the 'C' pillar bent", "a tree fell on it, but it has never been in an accident! ". Drove 10 hours home with an empty car dolly bouncing along behind me.
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  #13  
Old 09-07-2011, 11:44 AM
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Thanks for all the help guys! Very informative. I would certainly love to own one of these peculiar vehicles. I'm used to eccentricities/finickyness like my jetta TDI has



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  #14  
Old 09-08-2011, 06:48 AM
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Be Very Observant!

" and when he put the breaker bar on, they snapped at the hex portion"

No Telling WHAT else he's taken that very same Breaker Bar to!

(A.K.A. This Clown whose been working on your "Soon to Be New to You Mercedes" has NO IDEA WTF he's doing!)
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  #15  
Old 09-08-2011, 02:09 PM
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Could be an expensive wild goose chase if you get there and find the condition of the car is not what you were led to believe. You can reduce the risk if there's someone local to the car that you trust and that knows Mercedes that can look at it for you.

If you decide to drive it back you should have a plan "B" in case it doesn't make it. That's a long way to limp a sick car.

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