99 E300 Turbodiesel Glow Plug Help. Urgent
 

I got all the stuff done except plugs 1, 3 & 4. Those seem stuck. I tried to take them out but wasn't successful. Turned them a little tighter and then looser but still no joy. I tried spraying PB Blaster on them to see if that would help but so far no joy. Will spray them once more and then leave them soak overnight to see what happens. Anyone with any bright ideas, this is the time. I would like to do it without breaking the GP off in the head.

I would leave them until they fail.
My friend W140 S600 is doing this job next week and was talking to one of the mechanics at the dealer about what they recomend if one snaps off. He asked them about the kit MB makes, the guy said it was $900 and they never use it. They pull the head and send them out, I keep hearing the $2k figure floating around but I'm sure if you can pull the head yourself it would be cheaper.

Too late. It already has failed.

What about applying heat?

How? Not too good at this sort of thing. What do you use? I have a little propane torch with a cylinder atttached to it but that might melt the other stuff. Also, will it cause the PB Blaster to cake up and make it harder to come out?

The PB Blaster will evaporate for the most part I found after some period of time.
I would recommend some heat perhaps...not sure about what you have to deal with as far as plastic, etc.

I wish you luck on this endevaour though...*crosses fingers*

Two recommendations:

a) Do an Italian tune-up first, this may remove some of the carbon stuck on the inside of the glow-plugs, and prevents them from coming out. Also try to remove them while the engine is still hot.

b) Call around and find a Dealer that DOES have and knows how to use the extraction kit. It was designed by Mercedes specifically to remove stuck glow-plugs, and avoid the expense of removing the head.

Good luck,

Phil

Did that already. Drove home for 70 miles before I attempted this trick. The car has 63000 on the clock and the other 3 plugs removed did not look sooty or felt like they were caught.

I will talk to the local dealer. I am not sure that they will make house calls seeing as how the intake is off and 3 of the GPs are already out and replaced.

Well, you've probably read about my experience already at http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/showthread.php?t=109101. Depending on the plug's location, my method may not work on all of them. I would probably give them a little more torque and keep my fingers crossed. I feel that they are either going to come out or break off regardless of what you try. If they are the original plugs, then I would bet on them coming out in one piece. If they are replacement plugs, then your odds might decrease if the replacement plugs weren't fully seated in the prechamber.

Good luck and let us know what happens.

Len

If you do decide to hit them with a tourch make sure nothing can melt, their are a few fuel lines and I'm sure wires under their. Are the plugs totaly stuck like they won't move at all? Or are they moving a little and you can feel somthing grabing them? If they are moving a little work them back and forth and see if you can't get them to move a little more and more ect. If their stuck well keep spraying them with oil, stick a socket on them and pray. Not the best solution but you have to get them out.

New day, same results. Hitting them with more PB Blaster and hoping for the best. Seems like it is just stuck. Won't turn and I don't want to use a breaker bar or a pipe on my 3/8 craftsman rachet because I am afraid of breaking it off in the head.

This has been covered before and DR. DIESEL offered a solution here. He's the only tech at his dealership who works on Diesels, so his advice should carry a lot of weight.

Spraying and praying. Thinking of a virgin sacrifice next. I just need to find one that is over 18 which is going to be harder than getting the plugs out.

I doubt that my local shop will starmark it seeing as how I bought it elsewhere. Besides, I already tried this morning.

In regards to ways of heating the GP how about using a heavy duty soldering iron or just hang the coil of in cup water heater or even a home electrical water heater element on the GP? has anyone tried that? I dread the day I have to go through this.

It will cost me $10 and a couple of hours but every year, I plan to do this job just to keep the plugs loose. That is if I ever get these plugs out.