DIY: Spark Plug Change - 2008 E92 M3

[badbimmer]

Originally Posted by 808MGuy

So if the head of the ignition coils break off, what the best way to get them out? I was all excited to get this job done and luckily decided to start on the passenger's side since it seems that's the harder side. I take the cover off and this is what I see



The head on the first two coils are broken off. The last time this was worked on was at 30,000 by my local dealer. So pissed! I contacted the dealer to see if they will replace the coils but being that I'm out of warranty by quite a bit (67,000 miles) and that 30,000 mile replacement happened in October 2010, I doubt I'll get anything out of them. I'd almost rather they just give me the new coils and let me install it but I have no idea how I'm going to get those broken ones off now.

vise grip or wrench. Just pull them out any way you can. They are broken anyway.

[aussiem3]

Originally Posted by 808MGuy

So if the head of the ignition coils break off, what the best way to get them out? I was all excited to get this job done and luckily decided to start on the passenger's side since it seems that's the harder side. I take the cover off and this is what I see


The head on the first two coils are broken off. The last time this was worked on was at 30,000 by my local dealer. So pissed! I contacted the dealer to see if they will replace the coils but being that I'm out of warranty by quite a bit (67,000 miles) and that 30,000 mile replacement happened in October 2010, I doubt I'll get anything out of them. I'd almost rather they just give me the new coils and let me install it but I have no idea how I'm going to get those broken ones off now.

The best way to remove is to loop a wire under where the harness plugs in and force it upwards and trapping the wire against the coil body (as per the picture). It's very easy. It happened to one of the coils against the firewall, and that's what I did. You can glue the top back, if you still have it and continue to use, but use the method I told you to remove in the future. The top is only there to attach the BMW special tool and Peter's plug remover. Under it is all protected. But super-gluing the top will keep the dust off. Good luck!

[808MGuy]

Got those broken coils removed and replaced no thanks to the dealer. After a lengthy argument with the service manager, he agreed to give me 2 replacement coils but told me they would not touch my car anymore. Not that I would let them anyway.

Thanks for the suggestion on the wire method. It worked perfectly. I even had to use it on the #4 coil (passenger's side closest to the firewall) because I couldn't get enough leverage on the tool to remove the coil.

Here' s pic of the broken coils and the removed plugs. The plugs don't look to bad after a little over 37k miles.

[aussiem3]

Originally Posted by 808MGuy

... Thanks for the suggestion on the wire method. It worked perfectly. I even had to use it on the #4 coil (passenger's side closest to the firewall) because I couldn't get enough leverage on the tool to remove the coil.

Here' s pic of the broken coils and the removed plugs. The plugs don't look to bad after a little over 37k miles.

I am glad it worked for you. I used this method to get the coils out closer to the firewall, like you said couldn't get enough leverage in the right space. The other alternate is to drill a hole in Peter's tool and attach a wire or a rope and then pull it out. There is no room to put your hand in and work.

[808MGuy]

Originally Posted by aussiem3

I am glad it worked for you. I used this method to get the coils out closer to the firewall, like you said couldn't get enough leverage in the right space. The other alternate is to drill a hole in Peter's tool and attach a wire or a rope and then pull it out. There is no room to put your hand in and work.

There actually is a hole in his tool that could have been used for that purpose.

[aussiem3]

Originally Posted by 808MGuy

There actually is a hole in his tool that could have been used for that purpose.

You're right ... he put a hole in only his first batch. Subsequent batches didn't have one because the feedback he got after the first was there was no necessity for the hole. I have a later one, and I drilled. It was easily done.

[thekurgan]

Originally Posted by 808MGuy

Got those broken coils removed and replaced no thanks to the dealer. After a lengthy argument with the service manager, he agreed to give me 2 replacement coils but told me they would not touch my car anymore. Not that I would let them anyway.

Thanks for the suggestion on the wire method. It worked perfectly. I even had to use it on the #4 coil (passenger's side closest to the firewall) because I couldn't get enough leverage on the tool to remove the coil.

Here' s pic of the broken coils and the removed plugs. The plugs don't look to bad after a little over 37k miles.

Busted coils is why I just used my fingers to remove the coils; the plastic gets brittle quick with the heat of the engine.

[osteome]

So the dealer wants almost $800 to change plugs (2009, 27,000 miles)!

I pm'ed TXStig to see if he has any tools left, but does anyone have a recent good soruce for plugs? In looking through the thread it is apparent that prices are variable and the wrong plugs have been sent in the past to a number of folks.

Thanks.

[gimmethemuumuu]

Check my previous post about rockauto.com. I just got plugs for my my wife's 328i and their prices are still quite low and shipping is cheap and fairly quick.

[osteome]

Originally Posted by gimmethemuumuu

Check my previous post about rockauto.com. I just got plugs for my my wife's 328i and their prices are still quite low and shipping is cheap and fairly quick.

Thanks!

[exmowner]

any puller tools left?

[exmowner]

Just finished replacing 7 of the 8 plugs....

Yes that's right 7, the 8th one is a PITA. I tried just about everything I could think of.

My last option will be to try with two 3'' extensions and a swivel 3/8 adaptor.

[thekurgan]

Originally Posted by exmowner

Just finished replacing 7 of the 8 plugs....

Yes that's right 7, the 8th one is a PITA. I tried just about everything I could think of.

My last option will be to try with two 3'' extensions and a swivel 3/8 adaptor.

Yeah, that one is a bitch. I had to use this extension:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

[exmowner]

Originally Posted by thekurgan

Yeah, that one is a bitch. I had to use this extension:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I'll try this when I get home if not i'll order the one you provided the link too!

Thanks

[xfactor]

Anyone has a puller that they want to sell. PM me if interested.

[Longbow64]

I removed the ECU cover and pulled the most forward rubber wire gromet up to make a little room. I was able to get in from the ECU area near that gromet with a 10" extension.

[TX]

Are there any tools available? Thanks.

[thekurgan]

Originally Posted by TX

Are there any tools available? Thanks.

Yes, your fingers.

[VictorH]

I just changed my plugs two weeks ago and used the wire under the coil head and this was very effective. Not sure a special tool is necessary. There's no doubt the coils fit tight, but they come out with no special tools.

[TX]

I did the plugs today without any tool. It would have been a 2 hour job except I was unable to get the last one to budge since there's basically no way to get to it with any vertical force. I used the metal coat hanger trick on the rest and while it took a lot of force, they did come out. The plastic lip on the last one snapped clean off like the other photos which turned a 2 hour job into 3 and a half. I tried the coat hanger under the connector, but it wouldn't budge. I ended up using some CAT5 cable wrapped around the connector and looped over the cross tension bar above it to create vertical force to get it out. I put a good coil back in that spot and put the bad one in the easiest spot I could find for getting it out again. The plug is sealed in epoxy and looks to be fine even missing the top, but I ordered a replacement online for 70 something bucks including shipping.

my existing plugs have 36.8K miles on them although being 5 years old, they actually looked very good, better than the other photos I've seen posted. Looked nice and clean.

I did not remove the coolant reservoir because the bottom hose basically would not allow it to move anywhere. I worked around it and had no issues.

for the tricky back two I had to use a different length socket and various combinations of extensions and universals to get the universal to the right level without hitting anything and still keeping the ability to insert the rig with a spark plug attached. I used electrical tape to secure all joints because there would be NO WAY of fishing anything out of the back two cylinders. Use a socket with a nice tight rubber gasket to hold the plug.

oh and next time i'll wear some mechanics gloves, I sliced the heck out of my hands and will acquire a tool.
Thanks for all the previous tips, advice, and photos.
They were a help.
-X

[Time Lord]

Does anyone.have a tool they can lend me gor the coil? Ill pay to borrow

[samthedog73]

Changed the plugs in my ’08 e93 today. It took aprox 2.5 hours. This does not include the trip to the hardware store for a stronger magnet extension doohickey needed to retrieve the socket extension I dropped in the engine bay. I only got through 4 of the twelve beers that were listed as must have in the tool list. Kartelli, if you are ever in Portland OR look me up and I will gladly drink the other 8 with you as thanks for saving me much time and frustration with this post!

I used a bicycle hub cone wrench like this (http://www.westernbikeworks.com/prod...ed-cone-wrench) (the 16mm end fits perfect) and various different lengths of screwdrivers to remove the ignition coils. Worked perfect. The only one that was a struggle was the passenger side cylinder closest to the fire wall. That SOB didn’t want to come off. It was even more difficult getting the plug socket into the cylinder with enough room to attach the wrench. I had to use various lengths of extensions and ball joints.

Interestingly or strangely? The plugs that came out were identical to the NGK’s I ordered from Bav Auto. I was expecting them to be BMW branded but they had NGK on them.