Well folks...thanks for all your help and advise on my starting issue..I suppose we can list this one under a big DAH!

I started to check the glow plugs and found that the first two I checked were bad... those were the easiest for me to get to. I decided that I would replace them all. I have replaced only two thus far as the others are in a difficult place and I need to get some better tools. I decided to see if she would start with only 2 replaced plugs...and while she was hard to start, she finally did and after blowing out the excess fuel she had accumulated from all my unsuccessfull starts she purred like a kitten. So I suspect that when I get to the other 3 she will be starting on a dime as Mr. Benz intended. Just wanted to let you know she is not DOA anymore. and looking forward to 350000 miles. I Still can't figure out why my glow plug light never gave me the flashing failure warning though.

Thanks again for all your help

 

Scott..well you learn something and thats good...but I think finding a good used engine will be cheaper and easier at this point..I do admire your tenasity.

 

Your very welcome.

You mentioned how hard it is to change them. I have it down to about 40 mins. The secret is an 8 mm open end wrench with a string tied to it. (Can't tell you how many times I have dropped it). A 8mm socket on 1/4" socket set with long extension helps too.

The hard thing is sometimes to break where the wire connects to the glow plug (the wire will stick to the nut and then you get concerned the wire will break).

What helps avoid this in the future is I put a little diaelectric gel on it. (prevents the rusting and sticking).

What is also key is to put a tarp under the car for all the times you drop the little nuts.
What really helps also is, take one of the used glow plugs, go to Home Depot and get some extra nuts.

My steps is:
1) Get tools
2) tarp under car
3) Sometimes put paper towel in the hard spots so if I drop it, I can grab it
4) Big pillow( or I like a new thick tarp)on the side of the car to lean over on. This helps a lot with saving my lower back. Take your time, be comfortable.
5) Diaelectric on the glow plugs while putting them back. Next time easy as pie.

Ohh, one last things that Is AWESOME is, I get the green gloves from Lowes (they sell the packs of like 25). They hold up really well. Not necessarily for this job, but all engine work, they are great!.

 

Hey fellow greasers,

I too have converted a few Benz cars and saw this post and wanted to comment.

When I get a car the first thing I do is check all the glow plugs. Diesel Giant is a must have for your web favorites. Turns out Russell and I went to high school together in Chamblee GA.. Great guy!!

He has dozens of how to pages with tons of pics. Here is the one for glow plugs.

http://www.dieselgiant.com/glowplugrepair.htm

After doing a few I figured some tricks yall can use to save time and your backs. I can do them all in about 20 mins. If I have to take them out at all. Rusty at DJ will show you how to check each one without taking them out.

1. Get an 8mm socket, swivel and extension. Snake it through and around the injector lines. No need to take off the lines. I put a drop of elmers glue on the tip of my socket so I dont lose the very small nut.

2. Get a 13mm socket and do the same thing. The one by the firewall is a pain but doable once you work the magic with the swivel and extensions.

3. If you are running oil in a one tank system they do get gummed up. I have taken them out showing they were bad.. Cleaned them with a wire wheel until all the junk was off and they worked.. Go figure.

Lastly, I had no clue what a HUGE difference a valve adjustment makes.. Worth checking since my last 3 cars were all WAY TOO TIGHT and the car couldnt breathe.. Now they run great..

I get all my parts from either Diesel giant or http://www.autohausaz.com/

I converted a 98 E300 about 4 months ago..it is SWEET!!! Chris

Good luck!!..

 

If your glow light was working before, it's quite likely that they were the only bad ones. to test them, unplug the glowplug plug at the glowplug relay (driver side of radiator, attached to body near wheel) and test the resistance of each socket - each socket goes to a different glowplug and they should all be less than 1 ohm. If blown out, one will be open circuit, and you can trace which one by following the cable to the engine.
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Ford Ltd Crown Victoria History

 

Next time I do it, I'm going to buy one of those rachetted wrenches - the socket is right in the middle of the rachet mechanism and can't be changed. That's the only way I could see of getting clearance for a rachet wrench for #5 and maybe one or 2 others of them. Very painfully tedious doing it with an open end wrench, and normal small rachet and socket only gets to some of them.

Edit: just read disbo's post - maybe can do with a swivel but I think the above would be easier esp for #5. I saw a set for about $20 at pepboys.

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WEED