That was dissappointing !!
 

My wife told me the other day that the 400E was running real bad and almost didn't make it in to work. Naturally I checked the first thing on a 119, the distributor caps, and the right bank was toast. Tons of crap built up and numerous cracks also. I started thinking that I had replaced them not that long ago, and after looking through my receipts, it had been in March of 07, less than 6000 miles ago. WTF ??? I called my friendly Mercedes dealer, and he informed me that the warranty on parts was 12 months or 12,000 miles. Screwed again. So for the first time ever I called my friend at Advance and told him to get me the caps. I figured they couldn't be any worse than the factory parts that only lasted 6000 miles. They came in with Bosch embossed on the top and the only thing missing was the 119 number. Will see if they last any longer. BTW,,, they were half the cost of the Benz parts.
I would have gone Fastlane if time wasn't an issue.

Pete, that sucks that the parts did not last so long....



Hopefully the new parts last longer.

Using Resistor plugs ???

Geez Arthur,,, I hope so as I got them from the dealer.

That chassis originally took F8DC4 , non -resistor plugs...but you can not readily find them anymore .
so..they now give you the FR8DC Resistor replacement plugs...the problem is there are already resistor ends on the plug wire connector ends, so you wind up with double the resistance .... which they claim works fine ... but many are finding they don't work as well b/c you wind up with a colder spark , and that may also effects the caps and rotors.

http://catalog.worldpac.com/mercedesshop/sophio/wizard.jsp?partner=mercedesshop&clientid=catalog.mercedesshop&baseurl=http://catalog.peachparts.com/&cookieid=2EI1B4MYE2EZ1A159R&year=1993&make=MB&model=400-E-001&category=F&part=Spark+Plug

Many guys are switching over to NGK replacement b/c they still make the non- R repalcement with good results.
Just an Opinion....

Will check Arthur,,,, it is something to consider.

FWIW, Randy Steele of autopartsguru.com can get the BOSCH F8DC4.

I just picked up 20 of them.

:-) neil

1988 E36T AMG
1993 500E
1995 E320 wagon

Pulled a plug today and they are the Bosch F8DC4, so I guess that eliminates those as the problem. Strange. At the same time, I replaced caps, rotors and plugs in the SL 30,000 miles ago, and pulled them off for a look, and they showed very little corrosion.

If anyone needs some F8DC4's, ********az has them

http://www.***************/search/product.aspx?sid=uykhsg45nxuk15numznuafqq&partnumber=F8DC4

Have you checked your wires??? I'd also make Sure you are getting the plug wires seated fully...I've seen them 'half' click in and cause caps to cook themselves in short order.

Jonathan

The sad thing is even from Fastlane distributor caps aint cheap! I always cringe when I order one. Did you check distributor shaft for play or is it just corrosion?

Wires were down tight.

Everything seems good and tight, just corrosion and lots of cracks on the right bank.

Watch for fitment when you put new ones on. The late ones have trouble on the early valve covers...

You can buy F8DC4 plugs all day from http://www.********.com for $1.87. I just received 40 from them.