Think I will try to change the sparkplugs on my 1998 C280. Opened the hood and took off the plastic engine bay cover. Without dismantling anything I could not figure out where the plugs are. I saw three bosch rectangular thing on each side but I think they are fuel injectors. Do I need to remove the metal piece that seems to have wire in them and seems to go to the oil filler cap?
Would some one tells me how to change the twelve sparkplugs on a 1998 C280? Or a link to instruction etc. Picture would be good.
Thanks in advance. Cheers, Jacky.

 

o boy o boy....!

if you think the coil packs are fuel injectors......really, you should not be changing the plugs on this car. (not talking down on you, trying to prevent you from a big mess.)

if you follow the heavy wires that come out of the coil packs, you will get to the plugs.

this is NOT a difficult job at all. but there are many things you can break in the name of changing plugs. believe me.

just take it to a good shop and cough up a couple of hundreds. safer that way.

 

fly major is giving very sound advice. I understand these cars very well, and I still coughed up the money. I mean you only have to do it once every 100,000 miles, so just get over it.

 

Ditto to everything said so far. I recently had my plugs changed and my mechanic said changing the plugs was one of the harder parts of the 90K mi. service. As fay3131 says, you only do it once every 100K mi.-so, bite the bullet and have a pro do it right and realize you won't have to do it again for a very long time, if ever.

 

Thanks. I am really not familiar with the Mercedes. I have left the maintenance of this C280 to the dealer so far. But I am thinking of doing things myself now that it is 8 years old. I do all the maintainence of my other car which is an Accord. Changing the plugs is a simple job on a Honda. May be it is difficult to do on a Mercedes. In the process of learning I may break something. But before I decide that it is not to be done by myself I would like to know a little bit more if possible. I would like to know where the plugs are. I can see some of the bolts on a narrow metal cover looks like they need special tools to remove them. Do I need special tool to remove the sparkplugs? Description of where the plugs are and how to get them would be good. Thanks. Cheers, jacky

 

Ok well since you insist. There are actually two spark plugs per cylinder, so you have a total of 12. You have to remove the coil packs with a torx socket, and be very, very careful, they are fragile and if it cracks you just spent a couple of hundred bucks. So have fun trying your luck six times on that task, and keep in mind that if you break one, you just broke even on the whole deal. So don't go four for six or you're down a couple hundred. The spark plugs you should get from the dealer, don't go with some gimmick plug. They are pretty expensive too. The other spark plugs are located at the end of the wires coming off the coil packs. You should also look on Ebay and get both a mercedes spark plug puller and a long wobble socket that is one piece with a t-handle. I have both brand new, because I was once optimistic too, before I came to my senses. If you want em you can have for about ten bucks each. Also you must be very careful to not over-torque the spark plugs, it will strip. Have fun!

 

Did you not read what I wrote?

Did you not see what I said about the coil packs?

Why do you keep asking where the plugs are then?

You want Lugnut to go after you?

Though coil packs need not coming out, you need Torx driver to remove them. You get more room that way.

Wipe the coil packs clean. You will see "a" and "b" going to "g" and "k". Spark plugs are at the end of "g" and "k".

Plug wires are rubber-booted on the coil end, and metal-jacketed on the other end.


"some of the bolts on a narrow metal cover" ?? Son, what are you talking about? The valve cover? You'd better not mess with your car. You do not seem to be heading the right direction. Seriously, for the car's sake!!

 

Yeah, hold me back, please.

Don't forget about the anti-seize compound and dielectric grease.

 

Thanks for the information and advice. Just curious if those plugs from the dealer are the same as those F8DPP332 O.E. sparkplugs from mail order. Wish there is a diagram or photo to ease identify which part is which part. I have no clue when someone point me out to coil packs when I am looking for how to get to the sparkplug. May be I'll try to get a shop manual or something.
Anyway, judging from the responses I think I will let the dealer or a mechanic to change the plugs. Right now the car has about 114000 km (or 71250 miles) so I am not in a hurry to get them change.
Thanks. Cheers, jacky

 

Wise decision. You will be much better off. Pay for it and enjoy the ride, I love my 98 C280. Baby it, do all the maint. and it will treat you well. By the way, I mean "all the maint." I would search this forum to find out what all that includes. It's not just change the oil, filter, and spark plugs. Most Benzes are high maint. but will last if you keep up. Have fun finding a shop manual, the only ones I can find are on CD and the one I tried wasn't worth a crap, in this area you get what you pay for.