After removing a few layers of skin and exhausting my supply of profanity getting that 5th glow plug nut off, can anyone tell me a good reason I shouldn't attatch the wires with wing nuts so I can get my big meat hooks on them without loosing my friggin' mind?

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'82 300SD - Somewhere over 220k - Becoming reliable...

I think large knurled nuts might be better.

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1977 300d 70k--sold 08
1985 300TD 185k+
1984 307d 126k--sold 8/03
1985 409d 65k--sold 06
1984 300SD 315k--daughter's car
1979 300SD 122k--sold 2/11
1999 Fuso FG Expedition Camper
1993 GMC Sierra 6.5 TD 4x4
1982 Bluebird Wanderlodge CAT 3208--Sold 2/13

If it works...

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[/SIGPIC]~cirrusman

1983 Mercedes Benz 300SD - Wife calls him "Chitty Chitty Bang Bang"
[SIGPIC]




1983 Toyota Tercel (Tommy, The little Toyota that could)
1965 Ford F100 (Grandma Ford)
2005 Toyota Sienna (Elsa, Wife's ride)


Gone:
1988 Toyota Pickup
2004 Subaru Outback

1987 Cadillac Fleetwood Brougham
1986 Volvo 740 GL Station Wagon - Piece of junk.
1981 Volvo 242 DL 2 Door - Hated to see it go. R.I.P.
1987 Pontiac Fiero GT

I installed push on/ pull off terminals on the glow plug harness, eliminating the 8 mm nuts. See this video on how fast it is getting the wire off the glow plug with just long nose pliers.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G1MB1ygVqXM

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85 300D turbo pristine w 157k when purchased 161K now
83 300 D turbo 297K runs great. SOLD!
83 240D 4 spd manual- parted out then junked

Looks sweet, I guess I'm not familiar with those, what type of terminals are those? Do you have a picture? I'm doing the marvel soak and a valve adjustment, and since I'm there, I decided to rebuild that whole harness piece anyway since its cracked and brittle. If I'm going to all the effort, I might as well use those terminals.

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'82 300SD - Somewhere over 220k - Becoming reliable...

Take apart a Mercedes connector and the terminals inside are perfect for glow plugs.. Bend the gap out a little with needle nose, maintaining a tight fit on the glow plug.

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85 300D turbo pristine w 157k when purchased 161K now
83 300 D turbo 297K runs great. SOLD!
83 240D 4 spd manual- parted out then junked

Oh, those connectors. Damn, I don't have any spare parts accumulated for this car yet and the nearest U pull it yard is an hour away. Guess I'll figure something else out for now.

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'82 300SD - Somewhere over 220k - Becoming reliable...

PM me your address. I'll put 5 of those terminals in an envelope monday.

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85 300D turbo pristine w 157k when purchased 161K now
83 300 D turbo 297K runs great. SOLD!
83 240D 4 spd manual- parted out then junked

I appreciate the offer, but I just figured out that standard female bullet connectors work about the same - just gotta open them up a tad and they fit nice and tight! Problem solved! Thanks for the idea though - really, why in the world are those bolted on in the first place? Must be one of those "thats how its always been done" type of things.

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'82 300SD - Somewhere over 220k - Becoming reliable...

I've seen that in my local yard before. Thought it was pretty cool..... Now that I think of it, I should of pick them up....




.

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1983 123.133 California
- GreaseCar Veg System

Which connector? I am about to replace my glow plugs, and would enjoy not messing with the 8mm bolt.

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On some nights I still believe that a car with the fuel gauge on empty can run about fifty more miles if you have the right music very loud on the radio. - HST

1983 300SD - 305000
1984 Toyota Landcruiser - 190000
1994 GMC Jimmy - 203000

https://media.giphy.com/media/X3nnss8PAj5aU/giphy.gif

Any W123 connectors with female contacts. I redid mine. Instead of making a short pigtail on the terminal and screwing it to the eyelet of the harness, I split the eyelet and soldered the terminal directly to the eyelet. Much neater now.

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85 300D turbo pristine w 157k when purchased 161K now
83 300 D turbo 297K runs great. SOLD!
83 240D 4 spd manual- parted out then junked

If you can keep a good connection this could work. TDIs use a press fit connector and sometimes have troubles with the contacts corroding.

-Jason

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1991 350SDL. 230,000 miles (new motor @ 150,000). Blown head gasket

Tesla Model 3. 205,000 miles. Been to 48 states!
Past: A fleet of VW TDIs.... including a V10,a Dieselgate Passat, and 2 ECOdiesels.
2014 Cadillac ELR
2013 Fiat 500E.

The Mercedes terminals looks like they're silver plated and of very good quality. The glow plug electrode is stainless so neither will corrode if you keep it greased and moisture out. As long as the terminal does not lose it's springy-ness, it should maintain a good electrical contact. In the pic, I have the gap of the terminal facing upwards on that one glow plug. On the others, I pointed the gap downwards so as not to collect dirt.

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85 300D turbo pristine w 157k when purchased 161K now
83 300 D turbo 297K runs great. SOLD!
83 240D 4 spd manual- parted out then junked