New Spark plugs-wow

[LightWerkz]

I will be honest, I didnt notice much after they were changed out at 27k.

[paradocs98]

Originally Posted by Dave07997S

My car is at South Bay BMW for a oil change and replacing the driver side parking and DL. Turns out at 26k miles on my car they are changing the spark plugs and doing a diffy service.

Dave

Similar for me--had the car in for a routine oil change several weeks ago. Spark plug change wasn't even on my radar, but apparently the car called for it when they hooked it up to the service computer. I was at about 20,500mi at the time.

[nbennettksu]

Originally Posted by C|3R1C

How often do you think the coils need to be changed?

uhm... when you start misfiring and the car jerks. like m3an said, it is NOT a maint. item.

[C|3R1C]

Originally Posted by nbennettksu

uhm... when you start misfiring and the car jerks. like m3an said, it is NOT a maint. item.

Oh I understood that and knew they weren't a maintenance item lol. I was just curious if anyone knew the estimated life of the coils.

[VCMpower]

[sensi09]

Originally Posted by LightWerkz

I will be honest, I didnt notice much after they were changed out at 27k.

I didn't notice much of a difference either at like 32K....

[Dave07997S]

Got my car back a few weeks back...didn't notice any real difference. Car did seem a tad smoother but thats about it.

Dave

[nbennettksu]

Originally Posted by C|3R1C

Oh I understood that and knew they weren't a maintenance item lol. I was just curious if anyone knew the estimated life of the coils.

not really; I've seen go out around 20k or last over 100. They're electrical..

[edwinm3]

Did mine recently didnt feel any different

[dreamspeed]

Interesting, had no idea that the plugs had to be replaced so often. Usually platinum plugs (Which i assume the plugs are) go 80-100k. But I guess this funny money sucking feature BMW installed shortens the lifespan lol

[matreyia]

My plugs were supposedly put in last June. I been getting bad mileage so I went and changed them myself. Very satisfying...at the local shop it costs $230 including labor to change the plugs in an e93.

Anyways, after less than a year and around 30K miles later (I like to drive the snot out of my car) the old plugs looked like ass! Gunked up and charred with carbon buildup. And there was arching scars on all of them. The fools at the BMW dealership don't bother to insulate the porcelain parts of the plugs with dielectric grease so I am not surprised at all the arching burn marks on the porcelain. Thank Zeus that all the coils work!

Went for a test drive and I gotta say...it is super smooth like butter. Same throttle response, but transitions to batshit speed from slow are disturbingly smooth and effortless. Which is a bad thing because I did not notice I was going 120 at one time since nobody was on the road and no reference points were available.

It's quite impressive how quickly and smoothly these cars get up to speed and are so effortless about it that I do not notice the speed until I see other cars.

Tuesday, I have an appt. at LTMW in El Monty to do walnut blasting and an oil change...then the car should be even more insane. Next month...Dinan S3! Woohooo!

[dparm]

Originally Posted by C|3R1C

Oh I understood that and knew they weren't a maintenance item lol. I was just curious if anyone knew the estimated life of the coils.

Unknown. They should last a pretty long time though -- dare I say "lifetime"? I would anticipate at least 100k of life from them, maybe more. It's not considered a wear item.

[happos2]

Originally Posted by dparm

Unknown. They should last a pretty long time though -- dare I say "lifetime"? I would anticipate at least 100k of life from them, maybe more. It's not considered a wear item.

And the answer comes over a year later!! Better late than never I guess.

[dparm]

Originally Posted by happos2

And the answer comes over a year later!! Better late than never I guess.

LOL dammit, just noticed this thread was resurrected by the person who posted before me.

[coloradoe92m3]

Seems like you have 335

Originally Posted by matreyia

My plugs were supposedly put in last June. I been getting bad mileage so I went and changed them myself. Very satisfying...at the local shop it costs $230 including labor to change the plugs in an e93.

Anyways, after less than a year and around 30K miles later (I like to drive the snot out of my car) the old plugs looked like ass! Gunked up and charred with carbon buildup. And there was arching scars on all of them. The fools at the BMW dealership don't bother to insulate the porcelain parts of the plugs with dielectric grease so I am not surprised at all the arching burn marks on the porcelain. Thank Zeus that all the coils work!

Went for a test drive and I gotta say...it is super smooth like butter. Same throttle response, but transitions to batshit speed from slow are disturbingly smooth and effortless. Which is a bad thing because I did not notice I was going 120 at one time since nobody was on the road and no reference points were available.

It's quite impressive how quickly and smoothly these cars get up to speed and are so effortless about it that I do not notice the speed until I see other cars.

Tuesday, I have an appt. at LTMW in El Monty to do walnut blasting and an oil change...then the car should be even more insane. Next month...Dinan S3! Woohooo!

[thekurgan]

Originally Posted by matreyia

My plugs were supposedly put in last June. I been getting bad mileage so I went and changed them myself. Very satisfying...at the local shop it costs $230 including labor to change the plugs in an e93.

Anyways, after less than a year and around 30K miles later (I like to drive the snot out of my car) the old plugs looked like ass! Gunked up and charred with carbon buildup. And there was arching scars on all of them. The fools at the BMW dealership don't bother to insulate the porcelain parts of the plugs with dielectric grease so I am not surprised at all the arching burn marks on the porcelain. Thank Zeus that all the coils work!

Went for a test drive and I gotta say...it is super smooth like butter. Same throttle response, but transitions to batshit speed from slow are disturbingly smooth and effortless. Which is a bad thing because I did not notice I was going 120 at one time since nobody was on the road and no reference points were available.

It's quite impressive how quickly and smoothly these cars get up to speed and are so effortless about it that I do not notice the speed until I see other cars.

Tuesday, I have an appt. at LTMW in El Monty to do walnut blasting and an oil change...then the car should be even more insane. Next month...Dinan S3! Woohooo!

BMW TIS specifies ungreased, no anti-seize to be used, so, the techs were following proper directions.

[coloradoe92m3]

Yes no anti seize or gapping should be used.

[Groundpilot]

Originally Posted by LightWerkz

I will be honest, I didnt notice much after they were changed out at 27k.

Same here

[lsmkr01]

I supposedly had mine replaced for my 30k service when the car had 29k miles. I felt zero change. Fast forward to about a month or so ago and 40k miles the car has a hesitation and doesn't rev as smooth at times (Especially when hot, taking off from a stop and idling). I was convinced a coil was going back because the plugs were changes 10k miles ago. When I dropped of the car to get it looked at the SA said the records said it was unknown when the plugs were changed so he was going to do them. Is it possible the dealer said they changed the the first time and didn't??

[W///]

Originally Posted by thekurgan

BMW TIS specifies ungreased, no anti-seize to be used, so, the techs were following proper directions.

When I DIY'ed my spark plugs at 77k miles, I went ahead and used a bit of anti-seize. When I was taking them out, some of them were on so tight that I was terrified I was going to strip the threads. Not only was it on too tight, some of them had way too much friction after I loosened them. Just my 2 cents.

[thekurgan]

Originally Posted by W///

When I DIY'ed my spark plugs at 77k miles, I went ahead and used a bit of anti-seize. When I was taking them out, some of them were on so tight that I was terrified I was going to strip the threads. Not only was it on too tight, some of them had way too much friction after I loosened them. Just my 2 cents.

Our plugs have a protective plating on the threads. Strange your plugs were that tight. Tight that way from the factory or had someone else changed them?

[W///]

Originally Posted by thekurgan

Our plugs have a protective plating on the threads. Strange your plugs were that tight. Tight that way from the factory or had someone else changed them?

Someone must have changed them. Forgot to mention I bought my car at 57k miles. When the TVA went out, while I had the room I took 1 spark plug out towards the front of the engine and it looked good. So I didn't bother changing them until later.

Some of the plugs were squealing as I was loosening them, it's a hell of a scary sound