[coopersim]

How easy would it be to replace one glow plug on my 325d?

I've got one out on cylinder 5, do you count front to back, or back to front?!

[xenon]

1 is the front. Never removed one on a BMW engine though.

[coopersim]

Thanks

Can't believe it's not in the DIY guide how to do this, either it's a rock hard job, or no one has ever had a failure!

[xenon]

Sometimes a special tool (i.e. a deep thin-walled socket) is needed and they need to be torqued correctly as they usually have a brass housing. Or at least they did a few years ago when I used to wield spanners.

[coopersim]

Thanks xenon, I'm getting a price off an indy to see if it's worth my time, I wonder if I should replace all 6?

It's only got 54k on the clock, seems quite soon to be conking?

[xenon]

I wouldn't. I'm not sure I'd bother my arse replacing even one if the car starts OK.

[coopersim]

Problem is that it isn't starting properly, I'm getting an uneven idle and if i try and move off before it's settled I can feel a shudder through the car, the only error code is glow plug cylinder 5, so I want to eliminate that first and hope it's nothing else.

I've also noticed a lot of regens recently and the tips of my chrome exhaust have reacted to extreme heat and discoloured.

[xenon]

In that case I would but I wouldn't necessarily do all of them. It seems like you might be getting a few rotations' worth of diesel going into the exhaust.

[coopersim]

I wonder if that's anything to do with the glow plugs? I've read that the M57N engine uses the plugs not only for preheat, but for something else as well (can't remember what now!)

[xenon]

Sounds like it. If cyl 5 is not igniting for a few turns then you're going to get diesel into the exhaust.

[coopersim]

Good thinking! If I do do it myself, I'll take some pics on the way

[Jules59]

IIRC The glow plugs often remain energised after the engine has started (even though the light goes out) to help smooth the diesel's warm up and improve the emissions - all controlled by the ECU etc.

[zltm089]

I look forward to the pics!

[NotNormal]

I did mine the other month, just before the colder weather set in.

Not a massive job, but time consuming as you need to remove all the plastics....a lot of them !

- Open bonnet
- remove engine cover
- remove both left and right braces (diagonal from strut top to bulkhead)
- remove micro filter
- remove lower microlter housing along with the ECU and brake master cylinder covers
- remove the rear section of the engine cover
- disconnect front main boost hose (spring clip plastic connected pipe front for inlet manifold)
- disconnect throttle flap electrical connector
- unscrew the jubilee clip holding the EGR gas feed
- pull off the vacuum pipe to EGR
- disconnect the vacuum pipe to the swirl flap valve (reach down the back of inlet manifold, underneath on the n/s of the engine at the very back if the inlet manifold)
- undo all the inlet manifold nuts (two sets)
- lift off inlet manifold
- remove the electrical caps to the glow plugs
- undo glow plugs (deep reach socket required)
- replace with new glow plugs and torque back up (20nm iirc)
- replace electrical caps
- refit the inlet manifold and torque up (18nm iirc)
- refit vacuum hoses to both swirl flap actuator and EGR
- refit electrical connectors and boost pipe
- refit all plastics

You have just replaced your glow plugs

Sorry for not having pictures, I was limited with time when I was doing it.

Hope this is of some help

Regards

Tom

[ade146]

You should do all of them, and my advice is to get the proper beru ones, ecp have them. Make sure you put the ceramic grease on them or they wont come out next time. I saw a 35k Merc the other week with engine trashed after the end fell off a Nippon one. They snap at 35NM so any more torque than that to remove and it might break. Not that any of that should put you off. Mine came out no problem and I blanked the swirl vanes same time as the manifold has to come off anyway.

[oldbilly]

I'd change them all, it would be false economy to change one as you have to take off all the parts to get at it anyway, also with this cold weather coming which the Met office are telling us its going to be the coldest winter for 100 years its likly to be a glow plug killer!

[Milvic]

It's a DIY job ...... until the plug snaps then you have issues ........ which can (normally) be resolved fairly easily.

[coopersim]

Notnormal; that's great thank you!

Thanks everyone for the advice

[Dr Dave]

Originally Posted by oldbilly

the Met office are telling us its going to be the coldest winter for 100 years

Oh if it's anything like the BBQ summer they predicted back along then I'll keep me summer shorts out for work this winter.

[oldbilly]

Originally Posted by Dr Dave

Oh if it's anything like the BBQ summer they predicted back along then I'll keep me summer shorts out for work this winter.

Hope you have hairy knees!

[nikasp]

Hi, I just bought glow plugs, new bushings, inlet manifold gaskets and the glow control unit. Checking BMW TIS for my X3 2.0d (4 cylinder M47N2 engine) it says that I need to go underneath to swap the glow control unit?

Can I do that from the top instead when I have lifted the manifold off? Would save me quite some time not having to go to a DIY garage to find a lift.

Thanks in advance!

[KM79]

Originally Posted by nikasp

Hi, I just bought glow plugs, new bushings, inlet manifold gaskets and the glow control unit. Checking BMW TIS for my X3 2.0d (4 cylinder M47N2 engine) it says that I need to go underneath to swap the glow control unit?

Can I do that from the top instead when I have lifted the manifold off? Would save me quite some time not having to go to a DIY garage to find a lift.

Thanks in advance!

It's an absolute nightmare trying to get that unit off ftom the top as the bolts point downwards but a 5 min job to do it from underneath!