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No way those plugs were new at 100k miles

2K views 13 replies 4 participants last post by  Kajtek1 
#1 · (Edited)
This is 2004 E320, but the topic applies to all gasoline engines.
Bought the car with 147,000 miles about 3000 miles from home. Drove it home with no issues and car was sold as CPO to 2nd owner and look like well maintained, so I would never guess it could be on factory plugs.
We did not drive the car a lot, but later fellow forum member send me copy of master inquiry. The car shows good dealer's record till about 120k miles, but even it had service at 102k miles, no new sparks.
So even I did not rush to replacement, the car is now reaching 160k miles what I figured out good mileage to replace the plugs regardless.
Pulled a plug and HOLY COW, where is the center electrode?
So I am pretty sure at 160k those are factory plugs. (new on top for comparison)
Again, engine runs smoothly, delivers decent mpg. I think new plugs smoothed out idle a bit as the car is due for motor mounts as well, but that could be placebo effect.
 

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#2 ·
You should keep track of your mileage, see if they improve.

When I swapped the plugs on my friends w210 -- he was also on his original plug at 120k -- his mileage reportedly improved by 2mpg. Not bad at all, since he was averaging 28mpg on his E320 before the change.
 
#3 ·
Let him ignore the plugs. He has always claimed to be a self service wizard. Did you know he has taken the fans off all of his old MB diesels and drives them that way?
Seeing him surprised at plugs worn out on a 12 year old car he drove back from the east to California seems sort of short sighted. All of that should have been checked before
driving it over 2000 miles after buying sight unseen on the internet. His rear air springs froze up and dropped as he got to cold regions driving it home. It is really a good example of why
nobody should buy a modern MB on the internet and believe that the seller has kept up with all the service.

A suggestion for all buyers of 10+ year old MB cars. Change every fluid you can, also the plugs and check the service records if available before it is driven more than 100 miles.
 
#5 ·
Did you know he has taken the fans off all of his old MB diesels and drives them that way?
Well, I know that....considering I was the one who bought his last W210 diesel, and it didn't have the fan. But the car didn't overheat -- indeed, it never even went above 80c the 300 miles return trip I made, or overheated the entire time I had it. I believe his claims that he went to Las Vegas with no fan.

Unorthodox practices or not, it works for him. Who is to judge?

But yes, your advice should apply to all cars, not just MB.

Friend of mine bought a 04 Chevy Trailblazer. The previous owner had two thick binders full of service records from new up all the way to 144k. Two weeks after my friend bought the car, the transmission pump gave out and the car stalled. He had to rebuild it to the tune of $2000+.

The records indicated that the transmission was last serviced at 120k, and the fluid was still red. So much for a supposed "bulletproof" american car.

On other hand, an casual acquaintance of mine (and customer) went out and bought a 2001 MB S600, with NO service records whatsoever, against my advice. Eight months later, the car is still ticking along with nary a misfire or any other oddities that M137 veterans are familiar with. All he did was to continue the MB recommended routine service with me.

Now I am not advocating that we all should buy cars unseen or exclusively focus on those maintained by an zealous mechanic and driven by a grandma, but honestly... shit happens.
 
#4 ·
Good advice from Noodles.
I would say that perhaps because there are two plugs per cylinder on M112 and M113 and they are a little difficult and time consuming to change,some dishonest service operators see it as an easy way to boost profits . They say they change them but they don't.
That is why you need to learn how to DIY.
 
#6 · (Edited)
We all have our ways to live and drive.
I remember Noodles advising chipping MB diesel becouse "it works well on his Ford track car".
Just becouse you can't understand something, doesn't mean it is wrong.
Thanks Deplore for confirming that my ideas work in real life :)
And no, the mpg did not improve. Actually it shows slightly less mpg after plugs change.
But the test was done on our routine 40 miles drive, while I did not take the 500 miles trip yet.
Still on the fence about O2 sensors.
 
#14 · (Edited)
Come back from Vegas, what made 1200 miles trip on new plugs.
No recordable difference in mpg.
My mpg readouts ( I used the car trip computer, what I check to be within 3% of actual accuracy) are always changing within 10%.
Desert winds and freeway traffic seems to be the biggest factor in changes.
 
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