Author Topic: 280sl on 5 cylinders / spark plugs?  (Read 4129 times)

cjerem51

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280sl on 5 cylinders / spark plugs?
« on: June 18, 2012, 17:05:17 »
Hello,

I'm a french guy and sorry for my english!  :-\

My father just bought a 280sl and it's runs well. :P
But after 15Km, at 90Km/h, the engine started making a different noise, like the engine runs on 5 cylinders

After verification we have ignition on all the cylinders but after removing the spark plugs we can see a problem on the spark plug of the first cylinders.
In effet,we have a lot of black deposit on the spark plug.

I think we need to change plugs at first
What do you think?

The spark plugs on the 280 are bosh super W5DC, but I saw that many of you have spark plugs of another type.
Can you enlighten me on that?

Thank you!

ja17

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Re: 280sl on 5 cylinders / spark plugs?
« Reply #1 on: June 18, 2012, 23:40:35 »
Hello,

Check the resistance in the spark plug wire going to that cylinder first. You may have a bad resistor end,or a bad plug wire and no spark is reaching the spark plug. Change the spark plug of coarse.  You may also wish to do a compression check on that cylinder at this time.  A lot of us use the NGK BP6ES or BP5ES spark plugs which have nor resistance. Bosch no longer makes "non-resistor" spark plugs which are correct for these ignitions.
Joe Alexander
Blacklick, Ohio
1969 Dark Olive 280SL
2002 ML55 AMG (tow vehicle)
2002 SLK32 AMG (350 hp)
1982 300TD Wagon turbo 4spd.
1963 404 Mercedes Unimog (Swedish Army)
1989 flu419 Mercedes Unimog (US Army)
1998 E430
1974 450SLC Rally
1965 220SE Finback

cjerem51

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Re: 280sl on 5 cylinders / spark plugs?
« Reply #2 on: June 19, 2012, 08:11:43 »
Thank you!

BP6ES are better than BP5ES? 
BP5ES are too hot? No?

philmas

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  • France, Ile-de-France, Le Raincy
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Re: 280sl on 5 cylinders / spark plugs?
« Reply #3 on: June 24, 2012, 10:30:52 »
Hi! nice to welcome another french guy on this forum!

W5DC are NLA. I use NGK BP6ES and have been pleased with them ever since.Not sure BP5ES will make any difference, just somewhat hotter, better if you drive often in slow traffic maybe...
Philippe from Paris
Euro '71 280SL manual 4sp