Beru Glow Plug Failure(s) - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

i-osprey · #1 08-09-2010, 05:14 AM

I installed all new Beru glow plugs about ten months ago and now at least one of them has already failed.

Has anybody else had any problems with these gp's?

I checked before I bought them and everybody recommended them.

I just placed an order for 5 new Bosch Duraterm "Premiums."

I have had terrible luck with Bosch electrical products in the past but if the "best" Berus only has ten months I think I'll give them a try.

I really wish I could find some Bosch Duraterm Chromiums but I haven't had any luck so far.

t walgamuth · #2 08-09-2010, 06:00 AM

I only use bosch glows.

layback40 · #3 08-09-2010, 08:08 AM

GP's appear to be one thing Bosch do well. The ones to stay away from at all costs are Champion.

Number_Cruncher · #4 08-09-2010, 08:51 AM

When a good quality glow plug has a short life, it may be worth checking the injectors for opening pressure and spray pattern - if there's a problem here, the new glow plugs won't last long either.

More here;

http://www.beru.com/english/produkte/gluehkerzen/diagnosehilfe.php

Stevo · #5 08-09-2010, 10:55 AM

Carbon build up an shorten GP life.

glenlloyd · #6 08-09-2010, 12:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stevo

Carbon build up an shorten GP life.

ditto on the carbon, and overtorque during install is another quick kill.

I have had zero problems with Beru in the past but I'm sure it does happen.

Stay away from Champion, I'm not even sure they have a GP rated for afterglow.

steve a

scottmcphee · #7 08-09-2010, 02:28 PM

How does carbon build up shorten life? This one mystifies me.

scottmcphee · #8 08-09-2010, 02:29 PM

Check that your glow plugs are actually going off after they cycle. Maybe you have one (more?) constant on. That would lead to premature failure.

xaliscomex · #9 08-09-2010, 02:38 PM

What is the glow plug torque spec for w116 1979 300sd?

Diesel911 · #10 08-09-2010, 02:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by scottmcphee

How does carbon build up shorten life? This one mystifies me.

My idea on that is from a test I did. I hooked up an Automotive Amp Meter in series with one Glow Plug and connected it to A battery. It pegged the 60amp Gage out for I forget how many seconds. But, as it heated up the Amperage dropped down to around 16amps.
So as the Plug got hot the Amperaged going though it dropped.

So I believe Carbon build up allows the heat to be conducted into the Cylinder Head instead of heating the Air in the Precombustion Chamber. This The keeps the Glow Plug cooler and has it drawing higher Amperage for a longer period of time while it is trying to heat up your Engine instead of the Air in the Prechamber.
Also there is less room for the tip to expand in when it gets hot.

There is a Glow Plug Reamer to clean the Carbon out and there is at least 1 thread on some alternate methods of getting the Carbon out.

Also as previoulsy stated an Injector spraying too close to the Glow Plug will shorten the life of it. On the old Loop/Filiment types the Injector Spray can cut through the Loop.

whunter · #11 08-09-2010, 05:19 PM

More than you ever wanted to know about

Glow plugs link thread
http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/showthread.php?p=1019018

Have a great day.

dieseldiehard · #12 04-06-2017, 02:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by i-osprey

I installed all new Beru glow plugs about ten months ago and now at least one of them has already failed.

Has anybody else had any problems with these gp's?

I checked before I bought them and everybody recommended them.

I just placed an order for 5 new Bosch Duraterm "Premiums."

I have had terrible luck with Bosch electrical products in the past but if the "best" Berus only has ten months I think I'll give them a try.

I really wish I could find some Bosch Duraterm Chromiums but I haven't had any luck so far.

Well, this is an old thread but worth revisiting to anyone planning on replacing glow plugs
I too experienced a failure with a new Beru. The local dealer only had Bosch plugs available and I had used Beru on my '87 some 6 years earlier and they all continue to work fine so I went looking for a set of 6 Beru plugs for my '99 E300D that I was rebuilding the cyl head for.
I found a seller on eBay in Germany at $7.50 a piece that was a great deal, new in the box of the proper # so I bought them and they came in a week.

I checked them with a test light, that being a small incandescent bulb that uses the car battery for power and they all tested good, installed them and put the engine back together.
Thats when Murphy visited!

A few days later the engine all back together I packed up with all my pride to take the car on a trip. It was a cold start that morning and the engine ran like (****) then I saw a lot of white smoke out the tail pipe which I quickly ran out and sniffed, hoping it wasn't coolant. It smelled of unburnt diesel, a sure sign of bad glow plugs.
Mind you the car had only 20 miles on it! Well GP#4 checked open. I had to replace it and was wondering why the highly respected Beru plug failed so soon? this is what is called and infant mortality. Whatever it was a real disappointment! It wouldn't be worth returning one to Germany what with the shipping cost. Serves me a lesson on trying to save a bck I guess!

So the lesson here is to check new glow plugs of whatever brand with the full 12V and see them light up individually (taking extreme car not to get burned!) THEN install them especially in the case of later engines where access to glow plugs is limited with intake manifolds covering the engine.
DDH