Spark Plugs

[kdbcom]

The spanners are left handed Actually you've beaten me there,Derek, answers on a postcard someone please.

Derek can you reread my edited post and answer my last question

[Derek Lecours]

I do try to use the thin rubber gloves and keep the hands clean but I end up taking them off and enjoying the added touch .....and later hating the brush scrubbing that the fingers need. As jobs go, this wasn't at all dirty.

The first pics of the caps look very dirty but I didn't clean any part, and those metal caps look very shiny and clean in the other pics.

The discoloring is body cavity wax that I applied years ago to slow the salt attack on the aluminum.
One photo that I forgot to take is removing the caps with the home made tool... Later!!!....For others, the vise-grips will work fine.(I hope)

I just kept the camera handy and tried not to bash it while moving around underneath.
Cheers, Derek

[kdbcom]

I've been a Swarfega user (for greasy hands) for years do you have it in Canada ?

[Bill F]

Hi Derek good Suggestion about the video

I was given this link from Konstantinos so all credit should go to him.

Maybe you already have the following procedure on changing spark plugs. The video is is in German, but an English text file is also there.

Go to
Index of /murzik/A&B-class/Spark plug change

download the
zuendkwechselb_de.wmv file. (video) or zuendkwechselb_en.txt (English translation )

Direct links to each file
http://hamsk.ru/murzik/A&B-class/Spa...echselb_de.wmv
http://hamsk.ru/murzik/A&B-class/Spa...echselb_en.txt


Now if we could ask Derek's wife to film him ( video)doing the job again we could have a comparisons of style and time.

Once again great work

Bill

[Bill F]

Originally Posted by kdbcom

I've been a Swarfega user (for greasy hands) for years do you have it in Canada ?

I have used it (made from beets I believe) but one of the more common hand cleaners is Fast Orange Hand Cleaner (Pumice Lotion). Great refreshing smell as well.

But looking at Derek's pictures the engine looks clean enough to eat off of!! Can't see him getting to dirty Changing a Diesel injector however would require several jars of hand cleaner

I had thought the European Union had banned left handed spanners and replaced them with Belgium designed uni - hand spanners.

Bill

[Xsbank]

There is a water-soluble product called PR88. You grab a dollop and rub it into your hands and under your nails and grease etc. (car gunk) washes off with soap and water. Its not greasy and when it dries you do not notice it on your hands. No good for chores that involve water! Comes in a yellow plastic tub and it a tremendous product for the mechanic but it costs about $25 for about a litre. I don't own the company but I use it myself.

[kdbcom]

Quote "Changing a Diesel injector however would require several jars of hand cleaner"

Dirty engine whatever next. I resent that implication, Bill, (just joking )
My engine's spotless, you could perform brain surgery in my engine bay


Sounds like your hand cleansers are similar then. Our one does tend to make the hands smell a bit unpleasantly) afterwards.

Quote "I had thought the European Union had banned left handed spanners and replaced them with Belgium designed uni - hand spanners."

Yes it's an all in one tool they call it a hammer now

[Derek Lecours]

Keith and Bill, Thanks for the on-going help and feedback. What a merry team!!
Thanks for the video link. I would have been very intimidated without seeing it first.
I made my extraction tool by watching that video over and over and approximating measurements to make mine.

Getting back to the Red Box, Keith had previously told us that he doesn't drink beer, so that's my joke on why Keith couldn't complete the task using all the tools provided in those 2 photos.

Keith asked "Why did MB make such a regular task as changing the spark plugs so difficult?"
Every aspect of maintenance on the B seems like an after-thoughtby MB engineers.
Yes, the spark plugs are very tricky to do and I think the turbo is more difficult.
The poly "V" Belt is terrible to change from what I could see from underneath. There is absolutely no room to work with that belt. and it's normal maintenance and will need to be changed on all of our B's.
Changing a headlight bulb is very tricky. Why??

Changing the rear license plate light bulb is a huge task. Why?? 2 screws and remove the clear lens is what ever other car in the world has.
Why make everything so difficult?

Changing the starter motor is sure to cost a fortune on our B. The fly-wheel goes all the way around, why put it on top where there is no access?

Why put an oil filter completely out of sight and stuff it down the back of the engine where it's so difficult to get at or see?(B200 from 06-07)

Why design a hood(bonnet) with no drainage and realize it only years later. Is this the first hood that they've ever put on a car?

We've all heard of German engineering and know it's excellent quality, but someone was sleeping at the switch on these B class gaffs.

Was that a rant or what??
Have a great day everyone, I'm not mad at all...I'm just wondering out loud!!

Cheers Derek

[Mike Tee]

You could take the positive approach, and expect that - like my Peugeot 405, the engine belts will last 350,000+ km, that the starter motor will not fail in that time, that the headlight bulbs will be long-lived,.....and so on. The sparkies is harder to explain, but the crash management system dictated their bizarre placement, so again, a negative could be seen as a positive.

Just saying!

[kdbcom]

They all sound reasonable gripes to me. I found that headlamp lhd to rhd lever (switch) a bit of a problem to start with but now I do it without mirrors by feel alone but as you say,Derek, It would not have taken much to thought nor additional expense to have designed it easier to work on ie mount it outside the headlamp unit. When I first asked about it they said to take it into a M/B dealers and they would do it. You bet at £100+ per hour. I'm afraid the B is designed as a dealers workshop car & not a home mechanics car.