Yes you read that correctly, five of the six glow plugs on this engine were kindly snapped off by the previous owner. #2, #3, #4, #5, and #6 plugs all broken, the hex part spins freely. The car is relatively new to me, got a deal on it because "check engine light is on". Interior is in beautiful shape and not a spot of rust on this w210 over or under. All the suspension rubber is new as well, including rear subframe mounts, diff mounts, driveshaft flex discs, etc. Shocks are all new looking too, Genuine MB. Someone dropped some good maintenance $$$ on this one at the dealer it looks like. All except these pesky glow plugs. Anyhow, an example this nice is worth fixing.

My aim with this thread is to chronicle the process in the hopes that it may be useful to someone else in the future. I started on it this weekend, call it a New Years resolution. Basically I'm just following the steps others have identified in other threads and videos. Standing on the shoulders of giants, if you will. The only difference is I'm having to do it five times here.

The game plan is as follows:
1. Break the connector and hex off the top of each plug
2. Rip the electrode stalk out of the glow plug bodies
3. Drill and tap the bodies, so they can be yanked out with a slide hammer
4. Drill out the exterior threads of the plugs so the bodies will pull straight out
5. Clean up the threads in the cylinder head, installing timeserts if required
6. Yank the old plugs, then lube and install some new ones

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Current fleet:
1998 E300 turbodiesel
2008 E320 bluetec - leaky oil cooler seals replaced
2012 S350 bluetec
2014 GL350 bluetec

Sold:
1996 Passat TDI
1997 E300 diesel