People...your thoughts on spark plugs for the V-8 motor that's in the 500E. What do you like and don't like and why? Vielen Danke.

Jim
1992 500E Malacit Green

Jim,

I have a 1992 400e with the M119.975, baby brother to your M119.974.

I have ran Bosch, Beru, NGK, and AC Delco spark plugs. Currently I am running the Beru Silverstone. This is, by far, the best plug I have tried.

I have Magnecor wires with stock caps/rotors and coils.

With the Silverstones, idle is silky smooth. Power across the entire RPM range is fine.

I had AC Delco RapidFires at one time, but the idle was a bit rough and power seemed slightly down.

NGKs were fine on the highway, but at idle there was some roughness.

The Bosch Supers are fine. Idle is smooth and power is OK.

On all plugs (Except for the RapidFires) I tried the standard gap as well as opening it up to 1 mm.

Hope this helps.

-David

Jim:
Just avoid resistor plugs and you'll be fine. In our shop we run the Bosch Supers exclusively.
Gilly

I will "second" Gilly's vote for Bosch supers.
They are pretty much all we use at our shop, and what I have in both my race 190 & my 500e.

__________________
Alain
independant MBZ tech since 1981
http://www.motorsportlegendsks.com/

See, Jim, I'm not all alone on this one! As we discussed, I vote for the plain old Bosch Supers.

Bitte.

__________________
"If God had meant for us to walk, why did he give us feet that fit car pedals?" Sir Sterling Moss

Michael
2014 E63S Estate
2006 SLK55
1995 E500
1986 Porsche 944 turbo

I'll go with the 'uber' Bosch...which I think are still in there. I heard bad things about the Bosch Platinum +4 plug in a 500E but they worked fine in my 92' 190E 2.6. Have any of you heard any problems like pieces of platinum flaking off and ruining the motor? I do use the Beru Silverstones in a modified 16V Scirocco but would have to mail order them which I don't feel I need to do again. I appreciate all of your opinions. Drive fast...and often.

Jim
1992 500E Malacit Green

Jim:
I haven't heard of any "real" problems with the plat spark plugs, except for my previous comment regarding resistance. MB wants to be more or less in control of the secondary wiring resistance, they don't want to "accept" the plug manufacturers tolerance. I believe they trust Bosch or Beru to manufacture the plug wire ends with the appropriate resistor (usually 1K ohm). But they don't want every Tom Dick and Harry plug manufacturer to produce spark plugs that will have the resistance built in. They want a non-resistor plug, the resistance is in the wire end, and it is the appropriate resistance built to a close tolerance.
Anyways, you don't want to have the plug wire with it's 1K resistance teamed up with a plug that has "who knows how much" extra resistance.
Gilly

just gap your plugs at 1mm or about .040". and you should be ok. i also recommend the bosch. thats all my shop puts in.

Alright, guys. You all seem to be well-versed enough to maybe opine on what to run in my 2.3-16.

Also, how often should they be changed (assuming it's driven like it's stolen 24/7. Literally)? I just did the wires, but kept the cap, rotor, and plugs in it. Thoughts? Thanks all!

__________________

Paul

'02 ML320 3rd row - wife's
'01 //S8 Alumi*****
'87 930 Sport Seats / LSD
'58 TR3A commuter

previous

'95 //S6 6gang
'87 190E 2.3-16
'88 ///M5
'98 ML320
'93 300E 2.8
'90 300E 3.0

http://blogs.europeancarweb.com/index.html (Sgt. Schultz)
http://randomstupidity.tumblr.com/
http://www.sfest.com/gallery/

Still recommending the Bosch Super, recommended type, or the recommended Beru or Champions are OK too. Anything that you can find recommended that are non-resistor are OK. Usually the "gimmicky" type plugs are not really built to any particular application, and as most applications require resistor plugs for noise cancellation, they are usually resistor plugs. So be careful if you are considering Platinum (even Bosch), split-fires, multiple electrodes and the like. They are trying to cover as many applications as possible with the least number of "types".
MB recommends inspection and replacement every 15,000 miles, I believe this is accurate for the 2.3-16 as well.
Gilly

Tx Gilly, good advice. How about gap? Just slap 'em in out of da box, or gap them something more specific?

__________________

Paul

'02 ML320 3rd row - wife's
'01 //S8 Alumi*****
'87 930 Sport Seats / LSD
'58 TR3A commuter

previous

'95 //S6 6gang
'87 190E 2.3-16
'88 ///M5
'98 ML320
'93 300E 2.8
'90 300E 3.0

http://blogs.europeancarweb.com/index.html (Sgt. Schultz)
http://randomstupidity.tumblr.com/
http://www.sfest.com/gallery/

Yes, check and set gap. On this vintage engine, all the gaps are .032", or .8mm (same measurement). Current modular engines are 1mm gap, there were some "different" gaps used on FSS cars with non-modular engines, and some that had non-serviceable sparkplug gaps !
Gilly

PS:
What kind of car is that in your garage next to the ML?
Gilly

Thanks Gilly. I've ordered the plugs and will gap accordingly. What did you mean by 'FSS cars with non-modular engines'? Get this one... my tech tells me he pulled my valve cover and I have hydro lifters. Sounds fishy. I may pull it myself to see. Ever hear of this one?

The car in my garage is my love / hate '58 Triumph TR3A. Sure is fun... when it's RUNNING! Seriously, I've already broken everything there is to break (I think), so I should be OK for awhile. It's bored to a 2.3L and cammed, goes OK for a tractor motor (no joke) with a 3 bearing main and a 5k redline!

__________________

Paul

'02 ML320 3rd row - wife's
'01 //S8 Alumi*****
'87 930 Sport Seats / LSD
'58 TR3A commuter

previous

'95 //S6 6gang
'87 190E 2.3-16
'88 ///M5
'98 ML320
'93 300E 2.8
'90 300E 3.0

http://blogs.europeancarweb.com/index.html (Sgt. Schultz)
http://randomstupidity.tumblr.com/
http://www.sfest.com/gallery/

I believe your mechanic meant hydraullic lifters, and yes, your cars have them. I believe the correct MB term is hydraullic buckets.

:-) neil