seekerman
Expert Expediter
Sprinter glow plugs........Removal Solution!
2004 Sprinter 2500, 570,000 miles......after going for four years with only two functioning glow plugs, and suffering cold starting problems in cold weather the entire time, I decided to do something about it. The thing that prevented me from doing anything before this was the horror stories I've heard and read about in getting the plugs removed, and the problems with breaking off a plug. I listened when my mechanic told me a few weeks ago to spray WD-40 in the glow plug holes for a while before we tried to remove them; the idea being that the heat of the engine would draw the WD-40 down past the threads and help loosen the plugs. In four years I had never heard of this. So I did it about half a dozen times over a couple of weeks and again yesterday just before he attempted to remove them.
Bingo! The plugs came out as if they were put in yesterday. Even the plugs at the back of the engine, where it gets hotter, came out easily. He mentioned before I started with the WD-40 to use the new penetrating WD-40 formula. I believe the new stuff has the yellow cap. But it went by me, and I just used the standard WD-40. He also said when trying to remove glow plugs to never use anything bigger than a 1/4 inch ratchet, using only mild pressure. If the plug doesn't move, then leave it alone and continue with the WD-40 and try it again at some later point. Repeat this process until you have success. So if doing it yourself or letting a mechanic do it, make sure it's done this way. As I thanked him profusely, he actually thanked me for following his advice. Whatta guy.
So for those of you who have been putting this off, fear no more. This is apparently the solution. Onward an upward.
2004 Sprinter 2500, 570,000 miles......after going for four years with only two functioning glow plugs, and suffering cold starting problems in cold weather the entire time, I decided to do something about it. The thing that prevented me from doing anything before this was the horror stories I've heard and read about in getting the plugs removed, and the problems with breaking off a plug. I listened when my mechanic told me a few weeks ago to spray WD-40 in the glow plug holes for a while before we tried to remove them; the idea being that the heat of the engine would draw the WD-40 down past the threads and help loosen the plugs. In four years I had never heard of this. So I did it about half a dozen times over a couple of weeks and again yesterday just before he attempted to remove them.
Bingo! The plugs came out as if they were put in yesterday. Even the plugs at the back of the engine, where it gets hotter, came out easily. He mentioned before I started with the WD-40 to use the new penetrating WD-40 formula. I believe the new stuff has the yellow cap. But it went by me, and I just used the standard WD-40. He also said when trying to remove glow plugs to never use anything bigger than a 1/4 inch ratchet, using only mild pressure. If the plug doesn't move, then leave it alone and continue with the WD-40 and try it again at some later point. Repeat this process until you have success. So if doing it yourself or letting a mechanic do it, make sure it's done this way. As I thanked him profusely, he actually thanked me for following his advice. Whatta guy.
So for those of you who have been putting this off, fear no more. This is apparently the solution. Onward an upward.
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