[huchung]

awesome write up! just completed changing my spark plugs, and the instructions are pretty right on.

[Rennzenn]

Same story...great write up!! Did the job in under an hour. Thanks for the write up!

[MZ]

If you are viewing this DIY, you are in need of spark plugs. I have a set that I purchased from the dealership for my 2006 330i. List price was $22.81. These are the real deal BMW (NGK) brand not the cheap Bosch equivlant. I'll take $75.00 for the set of 6. -sold my 330i as it's too small for the growing family. Curently looking for a 535i...

[JS82]

I'm a little confused with the torque specs. Some say 23 Nm, others torqued the spark plugs down with 28 Nm and on the box of my OEM spark plugs that I just bought I see 30 Nm.
I'm not going to put any anti-seize compound on my plugs. What would be the right torque?

[queensfield]

I would say, somewhere in the range of 23-25 Nm. The value on the box is the maximum suggested torque value.

[JS82]

Originally Posted by queensfield

I would say, somewhere in the range of 23-25 Nm. The value on the box is the maximum suggested torque value.

Thanks for the help. I just installed 6 new spark plugs and coils. I used 23 Nm for the plugs as suggested. No issues and everything went well thanks to this great diy here and this video:

[GoRomeo]

Originally Posted by JS82

Thanks for the help. I just installed 6 new spark plugs and coils. I used 23 Nm for the plugs as suggested. No issues and everything went well thanks to this great diy here and this video:

Hi there thanks for sharing this video here with crowd. This will save me about $400.00 crazy isnt it?

I received my NGK PLZFR6A #5987 I am planning to change my spark plugs this weekend at 100k miles on my 330i. I will keep you guys posted.

[GoRomeo]

Update: Just changed my plugs succesfully over the weekend. My car is even smoother and more responsive and less hesitation. I will change my oil next, and add injector cleaner and should be ready to rock and roll! Cheers!

[ezpac]

Originally Posted by GoRomeo

Update: Just changed my plugs succesfully over the weekend. My car is even smoother and more responsive and less hesitation. I will change my oil next, and add injector cleaner and should be ready to rock and roll! Cheers!

I plan to do the exact same thing! I changed my plugs this weekend and I was going to change the oil but I found a leak on the valve gasket so I'm giving priority to the gasket. But I'll definitely change the oil on the following weekend. What injector cleaner are you using?

[GoRomeo]

Originally Posted by ezpac

I plan to do the exact same thing! I changed my plugs this weekend and I was going to change the oil but I found a leak on the valve gasket so I'm giving priority to the gasket. But I'll definitely change the oil on the following weekend. What injector cleaner are you using?

Nice to hear you changed your plugs too. I ve had a minor leak over the last few years but nothing major. Thats the reason I have not changed gasket yet. In regards to the injector cleaner, I will probably used the Chevron kind. I think its like 4.99. I ve heard good things about it.

[jdubbs13]

Easy to follow guide for spark plug change
Thanks for the pics too!

[dhc905]

I watched that video and doesn't explain my (I think) misfire issues. Now that I have seen it, I'm thinking that maybe some of the rust from the tool I used to measure the gap may have gotten on the spark plug and is causing the issues...any comments?


I followed the instructions for changing the sparkplugs but since I didn't know when the last time they were changed was, I simply pulled two of them out, looked at them and then put them back in.

Now my car has a funny feeling when crawling along (sort of like a gear change, perhaps the sudden loss of power) and then when I was driving up a hill the service engine soon light came on and the car shook (not violently, but noticeably more than typical) and it seemed like I was running in half power.

The only other piece of useful info in this story is that when I pulled the coil out of one of the cylinder banks the very tip of the rubber part came off (about 1/2") which mean that the rubber part only covered the metallic inner part of the coil, not the extra 1/2" that mates with the plug. Think this is a problem? Should I have glued the rubber back onto the coil?

PLEASE HELP! I'm driving down to LA tomorrow (350 miles) and really don't want to kill my car en route.

[Meeni]

The rubber IS important. You can buy replacement for 10 bucks. It will cause misfire if you don't have it or it is deteriorated.

[gigagb]

This is a great DIY. I'm going to do mine when it's getting warm outside.

[dhc905]

You mean the end of the rubber part? I figured it was just for some extra extra protection and probably not necessary. I find it hard to believe it's that necessary!

I'll look into getting another rubber part because it's annoying to know that it might be causing problems.

Originally Posted by Meeni

The rubber IS important. You can buy replacement for 10 bucks. It will cause misfire if you don't have it or it is deteriorated.

[dhc905]

Originally Posted by Meeni

The rubber IS important. You can buy replacement for 10 bucks. It will cause misfire if you don't have it or it is deteriorated.

Can I get a link for that? Called BMW and they only sell the whole coil.

Thanks in advance!

[J38]

Originally Posted by JS82

Thanks for the help. I just installed 6 new spark plugs and coils. I used 23 Nm for the plugs as suggested. No issues and everything went well thanks to this great diy here and this video:

Quoting this for myself for later.

Btw, thanks OP. Followed about half these instructions to replace my #4 coil for a P0304 code. Didn't have to remove the cowl or wiring though. Just pulled up the engine cover, slid it out, released the coil and unplugged it. Swapped, and reassembled.

Easily saved me ~$250 incl. rental, and the whole job took 20 minutes max.

[kluski]

I changed my plugs today in my 330xi with 79,800 miles. The write up made it easy. I have a repair manual, but it lacks in telling you how to get to the plugs, it only tells you how to remove/replace them after you stripped the other parts off first. So this helped fill in the gaps about what to take off so you can get to the plugs.

Cylinder 1-4 seemed to look ok, but 5-6 was a bit darker than the rest with some extra carbon build upon them. After replacing them, the car started right up and ran smooth. No more pinging and there was no hesitation at start-up.

The old plugs:



Cylinder 5 was easy to get to without touching the strut brace (see image):

[crashoverride]

Which plugs are people using... I believe there is two approved and one that's been updated with a new number???

[Saintor]

Originally Posted by kluski

Cylinder 5 was easy to get to without touching the strut brace (see image):

I suggest to remove one bolt, loosen the other and move the brace; it takes less than a minute. The last thing you want is not to be straight perpendicular and damage the threads of an aluminium head like I did decades ago.

Which plugs are people using...

I don't understand why there are so many NGK for the N52 and only one Bosch (?) model. I used the NGK 5987 - but you have to check the application. With new SP, the engine runs much smoother.

[kylegritzan]

Hello, I have an '06 BMW 325xi. My computer is telling me that it is time to change my spark plugs. The car has just turned over 100k miles.

I was just trying to find out what all I should swap out while doing this. I'm obviously replacing the plugs but wasn't sure if there were any "wires" that need to be replaced as well.

Any info you guys have on this would be great! Thanks!!

[drexplode]

check it out:

http://www.boschautoparts.com/BAP_Te...kPlugFaces.pdf

usually carbon build-up means short trips and/or incorrect A/F ratio mixture

also, do not apply lubricant to nickel coated style spark plug threads; which can lead to incorrect torque. Nickel plating is used to assist with easier installation. I know most people want to do it from old school tradition, but not with the nickel plated threads.