My 2.6 parts car has a good drivetrain (which I want to either sell or put into another car) but was having issues starting, but it ran well once it started. I had not been able to pull the plugs because I don't have a correct size spark plug wrench, but my friend did so he came over to help me on my 190D (which turned out to be a complete failure), so we pulled the plugs and they looked as if they were probably original. They were disgusting. The electrodes had worn down so far that the gaps were at more than twice the factory specs. We regapped the plugs and put them back in and it the car started up much better and ran a little smoother. We did find out that a W201 is the perfect spark plug regapping bench, with the headlights out, the holes for the headlight bolts work perfectly.

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Current: 1975 450SEL, 83 300D, 88 Yugo GVX, 90 300D OM603 swap, 91 F150 4.6 4v swap, 93 190E Sportline LE 3.0L M104 swap, 93 190E Sportline LE Megasquirt, 03 Sprinter, 06 E500 4Matic wagon.

Pleeeeease tell us you really didnt use a hammer to set your spark plug gaps.

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1985 300D 198K sold
1982 300D 202K
1989 300E 125K
1992 940T

"If you dont have time to do it safely, you dont have time to do it"

"The democracy will cease to exist when you take away from those who are willing to work and give to those who would not."

Are you sitting down Bob?



I think he did.

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1992 W201 190E 1.8 171,000 km - Daily driver
1981 W123 300D ~ 100,000 miles / 160,000 km - project car stripped to the bone
1965 Land Rover Series 2a Station Wagon CIS recovery therapy!
1961 Volvo PV544 Bare metal rat rod-ish thing

I'm here to chat about cars and to help others - I'm not here "to always be right" like an internet warrior



Don't leave that there - I'll take it to bits!

I think that's the UGA method.

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Prost!

I guess it shows my ignorance of gas engines, that was how my friend said to do it, and he should know by now cause all he works on besides my 190D is a gas car. The metal was pretty stiff anyway

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Current: 1975 450SEL, 83 300D, 88 Yugo GVX, 90 300D OM603 swap, 91 F150 4.6 4v swap, 93 190E Sportline LE 3.0L M104 swap, 93 190E Sportline LE Megasquirt, 03 Sprinter, 06 E500 4Matic wagon.

The spark plug is an electrode fitted in a ceramic; this ceramic isn't flexible. Crack it, knacker it and it doesn't do its insulating job any more. You are better off bending the curved over bit (name???) to get the gap right...

...but at least you checked the gap and didn't just keep on trucking!

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1992 W201 190E 1.8 171,000 km - Daily driver
1981 W123 300D ~ 100,000 miles / 160,000 km - project car stripped to the bone
1965 Land Rover Series 2a Station Wagon CIS recovery therapy!
1961 Volvo PV544 Bare metal rat rod-ish thing

I'm here to chat about cars and to help others - I'm not here "to always be right" like an internet warrior



Don't leave that there - I'll take it to bits!

HA!

why wouldn't the original poster just put in new copper cores? 12 dollars more or less and you are done?

maybe this is just an experiment... but i think I would spend the money and see if the 103 ran smoother with new ones...

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1989 300ce 129k
( facelifted front,updated tail lights, lowered suspension,bilstein sports, lorinser front spoiler, MOMO steering wheel, remus exhaust,stainless steel brake lines). (Gone)

1997 s320 154k (what a ride). Sold with 179k miles. Replaced with Hyundai Equus

1994 e320 Cabriolet 108k



1972 280se 4.5 153k Owned for 12 yrs, sorry I sold it


[/SIGPIC]

I think I will seeing as they are so cheap

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Current: 1975 450SEL, 83 300D, 88 Yugo GVX, 90 300D OM603 swap, 91 F150 4.6 4v swap, 93 190E Sportline LE 3.0L M104 swap, 93 190E Sportline LE Megasquirt, 03 Sprinter, 06 E500 4Matic wagon.

M103 love new spark plugs. Every 20-25k depending on driving style is what I found optimal when I had one. Similar for the older V8's like the M116/M117....though they seem to last a bit longer in those. Perhaps the lower revs.

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-diesel is not just a fuel, its a way of life-
'15 GLK250 Bluetec 118k - mine - (OC-123,800)
'17 Metris(VITO!) - 37k - wifes (OC-41k)
'09 Sprinter 3500 Winnebago View - 62k (OC - 67k)
'13 ML350 Bluetec - 95k - dad's (OC-98k)
'01 SL500 - 103k(km) - dad's (OC-110,000km)
'16 E400 4matic Sedan - 148k - Brothers (OC-155k)