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#1
01-05-2006, 04:23 PM
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Spark plug age
'99 C280 with 65000 miles
I'm the third owner with only partial records from the first two owners. There is no record of the spark plugs being changed so I don't know if they were or not. Is it possible to pull one of them and determing if it is original, i.e. excessive gap, erosion, color? These go for 8-9 dollars a pop so I'm hoping they have already been replaced. The car was manufactured in August, 1998, so an original plug would be over 7 years old. Couldn't find an answer to this in the archives. Thanks for any help, Dan
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2012 E350 Bluetech 
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#2
01-05-2006, 04:33 PM
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It can be hard to tell how old a spark plug is, but if you look at it and the elektrode is round at the edges the plug should be replaced. If the cas has 65.000 miles on it it could very well be the original once that is in the car. They should be able to do around 90.000 miles (150.000 km)
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#3
01-05-2006, 05:06 PM
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Although the recommended interval is somewhere in the area of 100,000 miles they should be changed about every 50 or 60 thousand. The reason is not necessarily because they lose their ability to ignite the mixture, but because after a certain number of heat cycles, they can sieze into the aluminum heads.
To prevent this, change them at 50 or 60k, change them ONLY when the engine is dead cold, use a VERY thin coat of copper based anti sieze compound on the threads being sure not to get any compound on the end of the plug and torque them to about 13 ft lbs. Good luck,
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#4
01-05-2006, 07:34 PM
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The actual factory recommendation on spark plug changes on your engine is 5 years or 100,000 miles, whichever comes first.
If the original plugs are still in the head, you are overdue.
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Paul S. 2001 E430, Bourdeaux Red, Oyster interior. 79,200 miles. 1973 280SE 4.5, 170,000 miles. 568 Signal Red, Black MB Tex. "The Red Baron".
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#5
01-05-2006, 10:41 PM
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Just change them.
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2016 Corvette Stingray 2LT 1969 280SE 2023 Ram 1500 2007 Tiara 3200
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#6
01-06-2006, 01:44 AM
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Thanks for all the inputs.
I think I'll play it cautious and replace the plugs. It sounds like the main concern is not really old plugs but damaging the head during the removal of old plugs. Again, thanks for the good advice, Dan
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2012 E350 Bluetech
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#7
01-06-2006, 11:13 AM
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Since heads are now aluminum and the spark plugs threads are steel it is a very real concern. You do not want to strip the threads that would be a pita.
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2016 Corvette Stingray 2LT 1969 280SE 2023 Ram 1500 2007 Tiara 3200
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