Friend's car. Has leaking injectors. We got as far as removing the crossover intake manifold and it was a bear; almost never got the passenger side tube out of the metal tube going to the air filter. And getting it back with the double rubber ring connector was nearly impossible (we stopped temporarily and put it back together fearing we could not put the entire manifold back together without some guidance). Had to cant the connector and use a rubber mallet; this cannot be right.

So to get to the injectors (and to unhook the wires on the starter - we also were not able to remove the starter because we could not get to the wires), how the heck do you get that mammoth intake manifold off? What's the secret? For example in the middle a rod mechanism protrudes from the bowels of the engine and it is not certain that the manifold will pass over it.

And do you have to remove the entire black plastic cover - is there anything inside it - or can you just unscrew the manifold hex nuts hidden partially by the black plastic? What are those black tubes which go from branch to branch of the manifold - are they hooked up to anything under the black plastic cover or do they just come out when you take off the mammoth intake manifold? I am just lost.

Good gravy; what happened to the MB engineers when they designed this one?

The second from front injector is leaking badly; the bottom of the engine is covered in diesel fuel. Assume we can replace some viton O rings?