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BMW 3-Series (E90 E92) Forum
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Spark Plug won't come out!
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05-16-2023, 12:49 PM | #23 | |
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The bulk of the N54 reliability problems beyond waterpumps and oil leaks are self induced so we're all in this mess of our own doing. Last edited by TyroneShoelaces; 05-16-2023 at 12:58 PM.. |
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AlpineBoost3920.50 Inquisitive24.00 |
05-16-2023, 05:09 PM | #24 | |
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I do wish I would have learned more about it right after I bought it instead of relying on mechanics that don’t typically work on foreign cars and could have prevented some issues. |
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05-16-2023, 05:15 PM | #25 | |
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I ordered the tool for replacing it and have the part/materials, I really wanted to do this all myself but I’m paying someone to come out that’s done it before. I’ll watch them and learn. |
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05-16-2023, 08:10 PM | #26 |
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Keep your head up and ignore the peanut gallery! I usually run spark plugs for 100k. I would wait until it causes a running problem. Then you have to see if it will come out. Who knows when that will be. Motor on!
Last edited by bmwbob89; 05-16-2023 at 08:20 PM.. |
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Mike K314.50 Inquisitive24.00 |
05-16-2023, 09:29 PM | #27 |
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I swap out plugs at ~100k miles on every other car I've owned. On my N54 a set of Bosch plugs haven't lasted much over 30k miles even with just a mild OTS tune. Brand new plugs were toast within 5k miles after the latest upgrades. Car is running amazing right now after switching to NGK. We'll see how long they last but 100k miles is a pipe dream for a N54 from my experience.
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Inquisitive24.00 |
05-16-2023, 10:04 PM | #28 |
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Hey peanut gallery contributor: the factory spec of the N54 calls for 45k.
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05-17-2023, 04:28 AM | #29 | |
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Back to the spark plug. That has me now concerned because if the engine was serviced properly, at 150,000 miles, the plugs you just replaced should have been at a minimum the 3rd set and only in the head for the last 60,000 miles. As I stated earlier, there should be no reason the plug is stuck in the head other than it was improperly installed and is crossthreaded in the head. Just be prepared to need a thread coil insert once the plug is out, or a new cylinderhead will be necessary as a worse case. Usually a professional mechanic will want to remove the cylinderhead to repair the sparkplug hole thread. Definately take the car to a German auto shop that can repair the head with a thread-coil insert. Ask them up front about their ability to remove the plug and repair the thread in the sparkplug hole. A stuck sparkplug is not a good situation. Good luck with everything. The lesson here is only let professional BMW trained mechanics work on a BMW. Non BMW mechanic will FUBAR a BMW in a heartbeat and charge you for it. |
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Inquisitive24.00 |
05-17-2023, 06:29 AM | #30 |
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I might have missed it but you said it has a leaking front main seal? That primarily happens when the engine eats the belt..i would be way more concerned about the engine being filled with rubber than one spark plug.
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05-17-2023, 07:23 PM | #31 |
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05-17-2023, 07:57 PM | #32 |
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I don’t understand why you want to change the alternator and radiator. Change what is needed and nothing more
If a skilled mechanic can’t get the plug out with moderate force, and you have no miss fires leave well enough alone. The n54 can be a money pit, if you like a reliable bmw get one with the n52, or if you want more power n55. Best of luck ! |
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Inquisitive24.00 |
05-18-2023, 02:12 AM | #33 | |
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05-18-2023, 08:40 PM | #34 | |
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The radiator replacement was recommended by the guy that put on water pump bolts and a new thermostat for me. |
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05-18-2023, 08:47 PM | #35 | |
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Yes, the guy coming has had an N54 in the past and has 3 BMWs at the moment. I definitely know not to mess with the middle bolt! The tool that I ordered is supposed to stabilize the crankshaft while the seal is removed and put on Thanks for letting me know some outcomes on the spark plug! |
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Efthreeoh16949.00 |
05-18-2023, 08:53 PM | #36 | |
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I’m glad that you and another poster mentioned that it could get into the engine and oil sump- nothing I’ve come across online so far has warned about it The timing chain looks good is still tight, when I’ve peered down with my phone and zoomed, with a flashlight, I have not seen any shreds I asked another poster, how can I tell if it has gotten into the lower part of the engine or oil sump? Are there signs? Will I be able to tell once the seal is off? Thanks! |
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05-18-2023, 09:33 PM | #37 | |
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You GO GIRL!
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05-18-2023, 10:58 PM | #38 |
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Sorry to hear about your issue, but it sounds like you're learning a lot!
When my old 08' 135i w/ PPK was around 100,000 miles, I realized that nowhere in the textbook-sized service and warranty records had the spark plugs been replaced (ouch!). I then went on to find one stuck plug. Unfortunately, there is no risk-free fix for this. A relative who works as a BMW service advisor recommended that I just leave the old plug in there until it failed. I'm more stubborn than I am a can-kicker, so I tried an overnight PB Blaster soak. This didn't work, so i dried out the cylinder head with compressed air and paper rags wrapped around a skinny flat-head (make sure it's dry so as not to ruin the coils!). I drove the car close to home until the oil temp gauge barely had a reading, so it must've been about 160-180F. Water temp (which warms to operating temp faster than oil) would be more useful since we're dealing with the cylinder head, but all I had was the oil temp gauge. With a little heat in the engine and a prior-night PB soak, the plug came out without feeling like I would break something. As I said, this is not risk free. Heating the aluminum head to expand more than the harder spark plug makes the threads softer and susceptible to damage. This is why you only want to warm it up, not bring it all the way to operating temp. In theory, this approach is relatively safe because machining standards of heads and plugs should be precise enough to discount an obstruction in the threads other than ordinary carbon buildup, and twisting carbon buildup shouldn't wreck a warmed-up head. However, if the plug is cross-threaded, this approach will tear up your threads. I did not have this concern since my stuck plug was factory-installed, but you do have to consider this possibility. Cylinder 2 is not particularly hard to access and is less-likely to be cross-threaded than other plugs you already got, but there's still a chance. And if you do this, let the head cool completely before installing the new plug. You don't want to torque the new plug in a softer, heated head because then you'll be back at square 1 in 50,000 miles. Good luck! |
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05-19-2023, 12:28 AM | #39 |
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05-19-2023, 03:43 AM | #40 | |
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Once you fix the leak, degrease the alternator with some light solvent, don’t worry about getting it perfect it should burn off and don’t start the car with solvent or degreaser blow air to dry it As for the radiator if it’s not leaking you are fine. When rads leak that’s the only time you replace them |
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05-19-2023, 06:29 AM | #41 | |
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A manual transmission can be set to "comfort", "sport", and "track" modes simply by the technique and speed at which you shift it; it doesn't need "modes", modes are for manumatics that try to behave like a real 3-pedal manual transmission. If you can money-shift it, it's a manual transmission. "Yeah, but NO ONE puts an automatic trans shift knob on a manual transmission."
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Mike K314.50 |
05-19-2023, 06:30 AM | #42 |
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Do you own an N54 powered car?? Hard to recommend stuff if you don't. BMW recommends 45k mile intervals. If tuned even less....
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AlpineBoost3920.50 |
05-26-2023, 10:20 PM | #43 | |
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Had everything nicely together last night. Until I put the fan back on and wedged it into the rim area of the radiator, I think I might have broken it. I posted a question about that and the engine not starting tonight! 😔 |
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05-27-2023, 08:14 AM | #44 | |
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Also depends on what sparkplug and brand. copper last less than iridium laser... haha, yeah Ive noticed it on my tuned audi. On my previous n/a v6, yes iridium lasted 100k km, but my tuned water/meth audi, they lasted 55k km, and I had massive missfire. |
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