Checking Spark Plug Wire and Ignition Coil ?

[HTSS_TR]

Both S430 and E430 use the same engine. But the air filter box(es) and intake tubes location are different, E430 has only 1 air box on passenger side, intake tube run over the passenger bank so it is needed to be removed.

Without impact driver I think I can change plug, wire and coil on driver side in about 1.5-2.0 hours, passenger side probably add another hour for removing/installing intake tubes.

My BIL has impact driver, I may borrow it from him for a week to do this. Never had one and probably don't need it much in future so I try not to add another tool/toy to my pile of junks(my wife said so, She asked: why do you keep buying one tool after another ?)

 

[Trav]

Book pays 3.5 for the plugs and 0.3 for the wires standard time.
Warranty for the dealer is 2.5 and 0.3 so that's almost 3 hrs under warranty on this car at the dealer by a Mercedes mechanic with all the right tools.

 

[Vikas]

Come on! Watch the video and then tell me with a straight face that it takes *you* three hours to do this! Even I could beat that time and I can't even change my own oil

Mind you, I do understand that the book time is 3+ hours and mechanic doing that deserves those hours but this is a classic gravy job for a flat rate mechanic.

Obviously, if plugs or wires are stuck, that would be different story. But then again, no shop (or mechanic) is going to eat that one. They will charge the extra hours to the customer and they should.

"why do you keep on buying tools?" I guess I am lucky, I just say "oh some car parts" and I don't get any more lecture on it. But I reciprocate. If I notice a new purse or shoes, I compliment on her choice Way in the past we used to be stingy about other's purchases but now don't (within reason!)

 

[HTSS_TR]

I do everything slower than most. My BIL does almost everything much faster. It is not possible for me to change just 1 plug, wire and coil in less than 20 minutes. The video did show he does it in less than 15 minutes.

To bleed rear brake it took me almost 1 hour just to raise the rear, put on 2 jack stands and remove 2 rear wheels, before hook up the Mityvac to actually bleed the brake. Actual time bleeding the 2 rears is only 5-6 minutes. Then another 30-45 minutes to reinstall the wheels, remove the jack stands and lower the car. The front takes about same amount of time, so the total brake bleeding time is about 3 hours, most of the time was spend doing indirect but related works, the actual bleeding time is less than 15 minutes.

Replacing the plugs in Volvo V70 is very easy, it is inline-5 engine and it took me a little more than 1 hour. Most people can get it done in about 20 minutes or less. I'm about 3-4 times slower than most.

 

[Trav]

Originally Posted By: Vikas
Come on! Watch the video and then tell me with a straight face that it takes *you* three hours to do this! Even I could beat that time and I can't even change my own oil

Mind you, I do understand that the book time is 3+ hours and mechanic doing that deserves those hours but this is a classic gravy job for a flat rate mechanic.

Obviously, if plugs or wires are stuck, that would be different story. But then again, no shop (or mechanic) is going to eat that one. They will charge the extra hours to the customer and they should.

"why do you keep on buying tools?" I guess I am lucky, I just say "oh some car parts" and I don't get any more lecture on it. But I reciprocate. If I notice a new purse or shoes, I compliment on her choice Way in the past we used to be stingy about other's purchases but now don't (within reason!)


The car in the video is not his car. Hey from now on i wont look at book times, the times are all gravy anyway, we just ask you. LOL
3 hrs MB time = vikas time 14 min.

 

[Vikas]

You did not answer my question. How long does it really take for *you* to do this job on S430? If it takes for than hour and half, you need to surrender your ASE certificates

 

[Trav]

You don't expect an answer do you? LOL I go by the book and charge by the book.
How the frig would you know how long it should take, from a guy on you tube who cant even be bothered to use a fender cover and wearing a belt? When did you do one last.
.

 

[Vikas]

I already said that is how a mechanic should charge. We are not talking about what is the fair price on that job. I already said 4 hours per book is fair. I even said that if you encounter unforeseen issues, you need to charge extra.

The point is this is easily doable in half the book time with reasonable tool and aptitude.

I have not done it myself and already said that if I end up doing, I will time myself.

I never questioned how you should charge. Come to think of it, I agreed with you 200% that you should charge by the book for this job.

I will be disappointed if you really needed more than half the book time on this job. I bet you probably do it even faster!

 

[Vikas]

But you guys have a point which I had missed it completely. As explained by OP, often it takes a lot of time just to get ready for the job or to finish and clean up afterwards. That is certainly true. I just installed four shelves in the garage. I had every single tool nearby but still from opening the box until I came inside and put all the tools in their places, I had spent 45 minutes. If I were to just count the total 12 lag bolts to put in the wall, I should have been done in 15 minutes! But with opening the box, taking out the material, marking the place on the wall, pre-drilling, leveling etc all that takes lot more time than installing the brackets using the impact driver! So may be I have been blowing too much hot air here and it does take thrice the estimated time!

I owe you guys an apology for harping on.

I will tell you one thing though; without the impact driver it would have taken lot longer and I would have probably hated doing that job. Trust me; once you use a decent impact driver or impact wrench, you will be thinking "why did I not do this before?"!

 

[HTSS_TR]

Originally Posted By: Vikas
I will tell you one thing though; without the impact driver it would have taken lot longer and I would have probably hated doing that job. Trust me; once you use a decent impact driver or impact wrench, you will be thinking "why did I not do this before?"!

Agree 100%. Every time I saw the m

I'm thinking about buying an impact driver. It took me forever to remove/reinstall a screw with hand tool, an impact driver will be a big help there.

Now, which brand/model should I buy for light duty works ?

 

[demarpaint]

On a car that cost that much money I would have covered the fender and took off my belt at the very least. A torque wrench to tighten the plugs would have been a smart move too. Sorry I wasn't impressed.

 

[Vikas]

I started with my favourite DeWalt 12V impact wrench but then just to prove it, I used the El Cheapo Nextec 12V vertical from Sears. (http://www.searspartsdirect.com/part-number/17562R/0009/009.html) This was clearanced a while ago and I think I had paid under $30 for the entire kit! It handled the 13mm lag bolts quite nicely. It was NOT like what you would get from a big impact wrench but it did the job and all I had to do is to hold it steady for about 30 seconds per bolt.

I have seen Ryobi 18 even take off lug nuts on a car! It is rated at almost 100 ft-lb and the kit is usually on sale for $100.

 

[splinter]

There’s not a whole lot of space between the heads and adjacent tinwork in which to fit power tools.

Just work slowly and enjoy the journey.

You’re welcome to borrow my MB ‘special spanner’ to help do the deed.

Good luck with your CEL, too.

 

[HTSS_TR]

Vikas, $30 for Craftsman Nextec Right Angle Impact Drive Kit is very good, I wish I bought one when they had it on clearance back then.

Splinter, thanks for your MB ‘special spanner’.

As of today after a good drive on highway yesterday the engine is running very smooth, no sign of misfired or any other problem, I think I will not do anything with coil, plug and wire until the engine is misfired and CEL came back.

Watching the video 1 more time I think I will have my trusted mechanic do the work if needed, I don't have proper tools and it seems this is over my head. As much as I like to tinker with my cars and saving money, I know my capability and/or lack of it I rather not make it worse, and my wife doesn't have her car to drive to work.

Thanks all for your inputs.

 

[Vikas]

I agree! If the car is running well, leave it alone.

 

[HTSS_TR]

One month up date.

The engine and transmission are working normal. No CEL of any type after a month with various WOT accelerations, from standstill to 60-70 MPH or from 20-30 MPH to 70-80 MPH.

What I did was two things: added large bottle Techron fuel system cleaner in gas tank for two consecutive fill ups, also changed ATF from Shell ATF-134 to Pennzoil full synthetic multi-vehicle ATF I bought from Pep Boys few months ago for $3.xx/qt.

The cause of CEL code P0300(random engine misfire) and P0303(cylinder 3 misfire) is probably because I wash the engine few month before and the water got into the coil pack and it probably causes it malfunction. But I don't understand why it didn't generate CEL within a day or two, but about 4-5 weeks later. I always blow dry the engine with shop vac for previous engine washes and left the hood up for several hours, this time I didn't.

Anyway, the engine is running smoothly, transmission shift normal and gas mileage is back to normal at around 19-20 MPG mix driving and 24-25 MPG at 75 MPH on highway.

The parts(16 plugs and wires and 1 coil) I bought is saved, I will replace plugs and wires next years when the current plugs are 5 years old and 60-65k miles, the wires are original so changing it after 180-185k miles is okay.

 

[HTSS_TR]

Bring back from the death.

After 6 full months no CEL code P0300(random engine misfire) and P0303(cylinder 3 misfire), engine and transmission are working normal.

Also, the loud metallic noise under the car turned out to be 2 connectors of 2 catalytic converters to exhaust pipes got loose and touched together making noise, tighten those 2 connectors at the right angle eliminated all the noise.

 

[Vikas]

Great news! See, if you can postpone the work, it just goes away!!

 

[HTSS_TR]

Originally Posted By: Vikas
I agree! If the car is running well, leave it alone.
Originally Posted By: Vikas
Great news! See, if you can postpone the work, it just goes away!!

Yes, I took your advice left it alone(after using 2 bottles Chevron Techron and change ATF to Pennzoil full synthetic ATF) and the problems didn't come back.

It saved me a lot of headaches and it prevented me from making more damages to the engine if I tried to replace plugs, wires and coils.