Here's a paste from the benzbin. You should print it out and bring it to your ripoff glowplug dealer.
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Vehicle: 1999 Mercedes Benz E 300 D Turbo
Part: Glow Plug

Glow Plug Duraterm
F1100-62530 Bosch
Sugg. List $37.00
Our price $19.12

I feel deprived!! Just getting my mandatory 20K mi $350 maintenance done. Nothing is wrong! I tried, I really did! I asked them about the steering wheel vibrations (tires) and freeplay (within spec), asked them about leaky diff (sweating-full of oil after 20 K mi), flex disks (perfect) central driveshaft bearing( no prob), and the break rotors (original in perfect condition). I even tried the bushing gambit (no go-nothing to replace- front or rear.) Everything is working except the stuff I already new (regulator arm slowly going on the driver window - for a year now; somehow does not want to break down completely).

Oh, yeah-I asked about the glow plugs and injectors (both original). They laughed and said that if I want to waste my money they'll replace that regulator arm for me, but the fuel system is in perfect order after 155K mi. :(
What am I suppose to do? ;)

A 'ring wrench', That is not one of those "gear wrenches" is it ? like a ratchet on one end?:confused:

There is a factory tool for removing glow plugs from the older diesels. It's basically a 12mm deep socket with an attached universal swivel on it. It's made by Hazet, check http://www.samstagsales.com they should have it.

I asked my mech about glowplugs in the 1999 turbodiesels. He confirmed that the new diesels have to get these replaced every 3-4 years. he also guessed that the dealer price shouls be about $800 because the manifold has to come out. His price is about $500.

I got quotes to replace glow plugs in my 95 E300D in the range of $400 to $600. All quotes required the R/R of the intake manifold to gain access to the plugs. That's where the labor cost comes in. After extensive research, and finding out there is a technique to replace them without removing the intake manifold, I did the job myself. It told me about 5 hours, but 3 hours was spend on getting the 6th plug out (Next to oilfilter) You will need to remove the crossover manifold (From air filter to intake manifold) Lossen bolts and disconnect at joint to intake manifold (O-ring might be tight) This will give you access to 5 plugs. (A note, disconnet all wiring harnesses and move away to avoid damage) Pull off connector to glow plugs, use 10MM? deep socket with universal joint and 10 and 8 inch extension. You can use a 1/4 with the front 5 plugs, but you must use 1/8 extensions with the 6th plug. It also helps if you have small hands with long fingers. If you take it easy, you will loossn the carbon on the tips to remove from the head. You will need to take a phillips screw driver about the same diameter as the tip of the glow plug, cut it off about 1/4 inch longer then a glow plug, and cut the handle off to about 1/2 inch. Use this to insert into the glow plug hole to remove excess carbon build up inside of cylinder/head. This will allow you to start the new glow plugs with no problem. Put everything back together. A few other things, there is a resonator valve on the bottem of the crossover which has a vaccum line attached. You will want to remove and clean while you have access to it, it a easy job. This will work on all 95-97 models. The 98 & 99 with turbo make be a little different. In the end, a $1000 is high, but it is a challeging job for a rookie. I can replace the glow plugs in my 85 in about 1 hour. Good luck if you try this yourself.

95 E300 D !!
 

The glow plug issue is a neat one as the engine was already out and yet they wanted 1K while two of the plugs were just recently replaced.

Cisco I also have a 95 E300D How do you like your car, where abouts are you in southland? I have been thinking about doing my glowplugs as "Sedona" has close to 160K on the original plugs and lately on cold early morning starts she shakes a bit till everything warms up.

Have you changed the recirc process to disallow it? If so, I could use some pointers on how this is done as well.

Just had to do the Water Pump, was taking for ever on the verge of giving up when a friend came along and provided moral and material assistance and we got the job done. We however did not bleed the line and so the car temp was going up on the next trip, and we figured out that we had to bleed it somehow, used the top hose to do it, for lack of any information.

Do you have an info manual if so which one? The car has been trouble free, but things are getting close now, had to peel a big chunk of metal off the long central exhaust muffler/resonater, that will need to be replaced in the next few months etc.

Please send me an email if possible and pics of your machine, mine is just a utilitarian tug but it still looks good.

cisco are you suggesting to poke with a screwdriver and dislodge the carbon, causing it to fall into the engine?? That doesn't sound like a great idea...maybe i'm wrong.

I was just looking over the engine of my '99 E300. It would seem that one would just need to remove the silver intake piece(not sure exactly what it's called), and then all the glowplugs are visible....it seems almost like you just need to remove the hexbolts and the silver manifold, and then it should be as easy as changing spark plugs, no?

Someone correct me as to why it's not that simple, please.

Man I am glad I am driving an old Benz. Cheaper to maintain.

MVK

mvk, they're only $19 each if you can install them yourself...which is what I'm hoping to find out enough info to do... =]

Ditto!! I've watched my mechanic change my glowplugs a couple times. Simple as doing a basic spark plug change. Fifteen minutes tops.

I always thought that they should be changed about every 30,000 miles.

Here's what happened to me:(

http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/diesel-discussion/45132-glowplug-blues.html

The intake is a piece of cake to remove and the glowplugs are easy to get to. Be very careful as the plugs will probably be tight. I tried soaking them overnight with aerosoil penetrating oil and still ended up breaking the last one off.

I just had my glow plugs replaced in my 1999 E 300 D at 85000 miles. The relay went bad and took two out. The mechanic charged me 325 dollars for the work.

Have a great day

Did the glow plugs on my 81 SD today ordered them Sunday online from Fastlane ( Bosh, 5 for less than 60 buck to my door) got them ground UPS about noon today took about an hour plus to install them , could of done it a touch quicker but was talking to a friend while I worked about a possible pheasant hunt in Eastren Oregon and the merits of screw in chokes..........
William Rogers........

Diesel-Lover
Live all over the world, but rest my head the most in North Atlanta. Enjoy the 95, when I get to drive it. (Daughter's car) but nothing like the old 123's. Had a 81 240D, 85 300TD and still have a 82 300TDT with 235K and can not kill it. Just keeps going and going. Had a 87 300D with 183K until a delivery truck took it and almost my family out. Hit in rear end at 50mph, drove it under a semi, and wife & daughter walked away. The passenger compartment was the only thing still intact. I'm a beleiver in MB safety. Some issues with the 95 you may want to watch out for. Had all wiring harnesses replaced under "Technical Bulletion" at no cost. Heat under the hood, cause the insulation on wiring to crack. You need to change the vacuum pump out at 150K or if you hear a funny noise coming from it. I learned the hard way on 87, it let go, and a ball bearing hit the timing chain, and boom. Cost $3500+. Change the motor mounts, and the shaken at startup will greatly improve. AC evaporator unit will go if it has not already. Cost about $2000 to replace. Other then that, there are good solid cars. I'm in the market now for a 98 or 99 E300D, just sold my 95 E320.

I got a Haynes Manual from England for the 87 300D for the 124 body style. That helps with the minor repairs and such. I don't do any major work, but get most of my help from Internet sites, and friends,