glow plug reamer - pic
 

I thought I show everyone what comes out when you use a glow plug reamer... it's definately removes some crud!

I replaced my braided rubber diesel hoses near the injectors, so I had the hard lines off so I did glowplugs at the same time...

another pic
 

ick!

Good work here.

I just used one for the first time and got some stuff but not as much as you did.

Thanks

Don

Is there a homemade reamer
 

Reading the threads, I'm sold on the importance of using a reamer to clean carbon deposits, but I'm put off by the desribed cost of the reamer, a tool that I'd use once in forever. I'm gonna be pulling the glow plugs out related to tracing down a nailing noise.

The pictures in this thread nicely show a glow plug reamer is a very simple tool, that would seem to cost pennies to manufacture. (Thanks for the post with picture bodyart 27, it is the picture that is worth a thousand words that made me "get" what is being talked about in other threads.)

Is there something special like really fine tollerances, and dangers if you miss, that there is no discussion of a homemade tool for cleaning the carbon out of the glow plug area?

Reamer
 

Where can you buy these?

I wondered if a small wire bristle brush would work.....

Where can you buy these?
 

One source for car tools:
http://www.zdmak.com/
I would not use a wire brush, there is the possibility that bristles will come off in the precombustion chamber. The reamer just fits and has enough clearance to be a safe tool for this purpose.
DDH

Reamer cost $40
 

Thanks. Got the store and price. On page four of your tool link they've got the tool, using this description.

Mercedes Reamer
number 901-0053

This "Pencil Type " Reamer ( 12 x 1.25 ) is used for removing carbon buildup
in Diesel Glow Plugs which is a major cause of glow plug failure.
Same as Mercedes number 901-589-0053-00
Applicable: OM 601, 615, 616, and 617
$39.99


While its worth more than forty to fix the problem, the tool looks like something that a homemade version might exist.

What happens to the carbon that falls down inside?

I am of the opinion that if there is enough carbon to be reamed out, then the pre-chamber should come out and be cleaned. This will not be that much more work and the results are far better IMHO.

Using the part number, my MB parts list states a list, wholesale and "cost" at $30.50

Not sure why the list, wholesale and cost is the same (first time I have seen that) but the price at the dealer for this item is not bad.

You grease the flutes to catch most of the carbon, then spin the engine with the starter to "puff" the rest out.

A reamer is a reamer - does it have a dimension marked on it? Knowing that one could then use a standard tool!
Steve

The size given by Judge (12 x 1.25) and the picture lead me to believe this reamer is nearly identical to a 1/2" reamer. My Machine Shop Supply catalog lists the reamer for $13.20, though it doesn't have the threads or hex for the fingertips. If wobble (misalignment) isn't a concern, one can save some money by using a standard reamer.

it looks like the reamer could be made out of a bolt...

At Crown Eurocars in St. Petersburg, they use a screwdriver. One of the many reasons I don't take my car there anymore.

What i diameter is the reamer for OM617??
 

I just reamed with a drill bit. I have 1981 300D (OM617) i I started with 1/4 drill bit. It would not fit. Went to 7/32 and reamed my way through. I had to twist and push and it opened up. Then I put back in the 1/4 and reamed through. I did not have a 9/32 so i tried a 5/16. I could not get it through so I figured I ws done. Is the 0m617 reamer 1/2 inch??? If so I have much more reaming to do.

thanks.

over $100 for ramer now.
 

All places i saw , these have really gone up in price.

Put a little grease on the reamer so the powdery carbon will stick to it- you will have to ream each hole more than once to get the carbon out. Mine were so caked with carbon I had to carve and twist just to get the reamer in on the first pass.
PO put brand new GPs in but the car still coughed a bit upon cold startup. Reaming the glow plug holes fixed this in my case. So, when you change your glow plugs, ream the holes out before you put the new ones in or the job is not complete.

i call price gouging!! it cant cost more than 2$ to make this thing

But what size????
 

Thanks. But what diameter was your final reamer? My final size was 1/4 inch and it had a little play. was that big enough?

I used a reamer that I got from Performance Products a couple years back for about $30. It's one tool, one size. What you are trying to achieve is to remove the cake that forms around the glow plug ends. The diameter of the reamer is more than 1/4", more like 3/8" or 9-10mm.

A good reaming is always wise:eek: (of your glow plug ports)

I have the reamer available in the tool rental sticky area at the top of the page. $6....I've used it succesfully on my car. Its available but I'm getting up to speed with paypal and getting quickly back to people....I see this tool as a "must use" but not "need to own" It worked great on my '85 300D...

Rob "stayalert" M
Concord, MA

I could prolly alos provide some measurements (I've done it before) if you're inclined to make your own..

Cheers and kind regards:D

Another tool
 

Mercedes-Benz 601 589 00 53 00 Diesel Glow Plug Hole Reamer, 12 x 1.25mm, For engine OM601, OM602, OM603, OM615, OM616, OM617. For "Pencil" Type.

I will try to post pictures of my MB gp reamer.

Diesel Glow Plug Hole Reamer, 18 x 1.5mm with 3/8" drive.For
early Model OM615, OM616, OM617, OM 601. For large type
glow plugs. $153.88



:eek: if i may say... wtf im so borrowing one from someone here when i find out i have bad plugs and upgrade to pencil style

Mine were plugged almost solid to the plugs. After reaming the car starts like summer down to 0 degrees (cold as it's gotten so far) and cured my cold start stumble. I would highly recommend this when doing plugs, it's worth it.

$34.25 (no knowledge of seller or any connection, just passsing it on)


http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Mercedes-Diesel-Engine-12mm-Glow-Plug-Repair-Tool_W0QQitemZ4598557107QQcategoryZ35625QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

12 mm dimeter !!!!
 

Great. I saw that yesterday. But I need a 3 dimensional glow plug reamer. :) Oh i get it, the only way the 12 makes sense is as the diameter because the units must be mm since they are not specified and the thing is obviously longer that 12 mm. Arg. I have a lot of reaming to do. Quick to the reamer rental post. Someone please correct me if i am wrong . Please . I am begging.

You are so wrong.
 

You idiot . You are so wrong. 12 mmm is the size of wrench you need to turn the glow plugs. From the picture you saw yesterday the reamer tip is obviously much smaller that that. Just rent the damn reamer and measure it when you get it. It is time for you to go to bed.

come on be nice. we all have our momets when something just doesn't click.

I've heard the "puff" method theory before, and also heard that if your engine's stroke is opening at that point instead of closing/compressing, you will suck all the carbon right in.

And why is this bad ?
 

Wouldnt it just burn up?? What happens to the carbon you loosen up if you do not blow it out of the prechamber? Doesnt it just get sucked in on the next intake? Maybe it does not really matter about blowing the glow plug hole out,.

I think I saw a broken off piece of a glow plug lying down in the prechamber. Im gonna see what i can pull out of there with a magnet.

cheap reamer .....will this work
 

Take an old bad glow plug and a dremel type-cutting wheel and cut gouges in to
the old glow plug
something like this

High risk
 

High risk of it breaking off in the head.

Here is one I have.
 

Here is one I have.
W 601 589 00 53 00

Bump
 

to answer another thread.

glow plug reamer
http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/diesel-discussion/166836-glow-plug-reamer.html#post1298423

Further info for the browser who doesn't notice the age of this thread. (like me right before I posted this reply. Ah well, useful info anyway)

In theory that sounds good. But the reamer is also cleaning out the head. On my 300CD I recently pulled the injectors and the pre-chambers. The prechambers were soaked for a week in carb cleaner and cleaned extensively. After I put them back in I was having diffilculty installing a glowplug so I wipped out the reamer I had also purchased. It got as much crud out as the original picture and the pre-chambers were clean as a whistle.

ShopForum > Shop Swap Classifieds > Fastlane Specials > Special Mercedes-Benz Tools
 

Glow Plug Reamers 917-0053 B606-0053 901-0053
http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/mercedes-parts-reference-library/183783-glow-plug-reamers-917-0053-b606-0053-901-0053-a.html

If you put a heavy grease (like wheel bearing grease) in the grooves (flutes) of the reamer it traps most of the carbon in the grooves. You do need to wipe off the grease and renew the grease between doing each hole. The grease idea is in the manual.

http://i242.photobucket.com/albums/f.../GPGreasec.jpg

The 12 x 1.25 is the size of the threaded part of the reamer not the size of the reamer bit. The threads are 12 mm with a pitch of 1.25.

The reamer bit is fatter than the glow plug so it cuts a larger hole than the glow plug tip.

The 12x1.25 is the thread size of the threaded portion of the reamer.

How will you drill the hole down the center?

Anybody with access to machine tools can aim a hole down the middle of a bolt. Without machine tools it would be difficult.

I wonder what the diameter of the reamer is. Given the cost of the tool, I'd say making a homemade reamer is worth pursuing. Like biopete mentioned, why not use a drill bit?

I wouldn't obsess over any carbon that stays in the chamber. The material is soft and not abrasive, so it can't harm the surfaces as metal or dirt can.

Geez, yall need to negotiate a better price from your supplier. That is outrageous!! :eek:

Answer:
 

You pay for quality.

Samstag gets $128.25 for the OM617 glow plug reamer. :eek:

Home made glowplug reamer.
Cost: Nearly free.
Time to make: About 30minutes.
Parts needed: Old glowplug, 1/4" drill bit, hacksaw (or die grinder), vice grips and welder.

Remove the innards of the old glowplug with the vice grips. It takes a bit of work to get the tip out but it will eventually come out.
Drill in the bit until approximately 1" is out the tip.
Cut off the butt of the bit about 1/8" before the body.
Haul out the welder and weld the bit to the body.
Clean off any weld overshoot from the wrench flanges.
Done!

Simple as that, it takes probably 1/2 hour to make one the first time.

The glowplug shaft is 0.24" so the 0.25" bit gives it a little room. I would have tried bigger but I wasn't sure at the time how big I could go. Now that I found this thread I see I could have gone up to a 3/8" bit.

I have both. Both get the job done, Diesel911's are very attractive because of the price, but I prefer my $125 Hazet OE MB one because one can use the ratchet and extention directly on the tool even at nearly 90 degree angles, but Ive done this work to 6 cars already, so thats fine, but I wanted to try Diesel911's and it got the job done for $25.00. Not bad.

drill bits
 

I used the largest drill bit that would fit without carving up anything it ain't supposed to (19/64s) by hand on the ones I could get it in. But as you work your way back there is less room and on #5 no room for a 4-5" long drill bit. I considered cutting a bit shorter but immediately realized that I would end up dropping it in, and was not going to run that risk! So I dug around in my junk metal pail found a rod that was over 1/4 " and under 5/16ths, cut it to about 5", cut some little flutes with the dremil, heated it, bent it in the middle so it was l shaped. It isn't pretty, but it worked perfectly, and because of the bent part I was able to rotate it and still not drop it in.
Someone else here on another thread took an old GPlug and just hammered the end flat so it was a bit wider/longer and threaded it in and out. If I had had a bad GPlug handy I would have done that.

The outside diameter of the Bit of a Factory Glow Plug reamer is 7mm.