[DUI Elite]

I replaced my Spark plugs yesterday with OEM style NGK plugs after reading someone tried at 60k and it felt like new. They weren't lieing!!

I have 66k miles on my car. ***its not necessarily faster (by much) but is moreso significantly smoother

I feel a HUGE difference in how smooth the car feels at idle and how it feels under load / acceleration.

Gas pedal feels much more responsive.

I'll be back with info on any gas mileage changes.

Might seem early at 66k but I think it was well worth it

[udm328i]

did you go to dealer for this? Also did you change anything else, like wires?

[username604]

^answer the questions, i'm interested too

[Ethanderall]

What wires would you change with "coil on plug" ignition?

[DUI Elite]

I went to a local indy BMW shop to have it done. They quoted me the OEM spark plugs, and I asked if they can just use the OEM equivalent NGK plugs and I saved like $40.

I didn't replace the wires or anything. I'll probably end up doing that the next time I do spark plugs.

I guess the wires he's referring to are the connections to the coil, but you can probably get the same effect by replacing the entire coils. (Not entirely sure about this part).

[ENINTY]

Originally Posted by DUI Elite

I went to a local indy BMW shop to have it done. They quoted me the OEM spark plugs, and I asked if they can just use the OEM equivalent NGK plugs and I saved like $40.

I didn't replace the wires or anything. I'll probably end up doing that the next time I do spark plugs.

I guess the wires he's referring to are the connections to the coil, but you can probably get the same effect by replacing the entire coils. (Not entirely sure about this part).

There are no traditional "spark plug wires" on the N52/N54 engine, or any coil-on-plug ignition system. There is a wire harness that supplies the electricity to the coils. Coils either work or don't work. There is no need to replace a coil unless it is broken. Back in the day traditional spark plug wires required replacement because the insulation would breakdwon and allow some of the high voltage current to "leak" to gound, which would reduce the energy in the power supplied to make the plug arc; making for a less powerful spark and a less complete burn of fuel.

[DUI Elite]

Originally Posted by ENINTY

There are no traditional "spark plug wires" on the N52/N54 engine, or any coil-on-plug ignition system. There is a wire harness that supplies the electricity to the coils. Coils either work or don't work. There is no need to replace a coil unless it is broken. Back in the day traditional spark plug wires required replacement because the insulation would breakdwon and allow some of the high voltage current to "leak" to gound, which would reduce the energy in the power supplied to make the plug arc; making for a less powerful spark and a less complete burn of fuel.

Gotcha. I was thinking maybe the harness with the wires going to each coil could also wear down the same way but I guess not.

Thanks for the clarification!

[Casca]

Originally Posted by DUI Elite

Gotcha. I was thinking maybe the harness with the wires going to each coil could also wear down the same way but I guess not.

Thanks for the clarification!

On older cars where you have a single coil and distributor, you replace the wires because it was going from the coil at high voltage through the spark plug wires to the spark plugs.

We don't have that. Each spark plug has its own coil pack and the wire harness does not have high voltage going through it since the coil pack is directly attached to the spark plugs. No need to replace a wire harness unless something actually goes wrong. Also, if you notice a difference with a spark plug change, there is probably a reason.

[udm328i]

cool thanks for the info

[DUI Elite]

Originally Posted by Casca

On older cars where you have a single coil and distributor, you replace the wires because it was going from the coil at high voltage through the spark plug wires to the spark plugs.

We don't have that. Each spark plug has its own coil pack and the wire harness does not have high voltage going through it since the coil pack is directly attached to the spark plugs. No need to replace a wire harness unless something actually goes wrong. Also, if you notice a difference with a spark plug change, there is probably a reason.

I'm not sure if it has to do with age or not, but with the original spark plugs from 2005 I was thinking that I was feeling a very very minute misfire at idle. It wasn't something that I could feel while driving the car, only when just turning on the car and letting it do a 30 second warm up. I did not throw any codes for it, I just noticed an occasional shutter from the engine.

After replacing the plugs, I don't have the shutter at all anymore and idle is smooth as butter. I only feel a difference in smoothness overall.

[Daaaaaaaan]

Thanks, my car is going through the same kind of problem (albeit prematurely imo), it probably requires the same kind of work.

[benzy89]

Originally Posted by DUI Elite

I replaced my Spark plugs yesterday with OEM style NGK plugs after reading someone tried at 60k and it felt like new. They weren't lieing!!

Do you have the specific part number for the NGKs? Started getting misfires & I want to buy the NGKs, just want to confirm the part # before I buy them.