x5 - how often need to change spark plugs if at all? - Page 3

FSETH · #1 10-04-2010, 05:55 PM

I agree with you that replacing the entire cooling system is probably a good way to go as it sure does seem replacing one part causes another to fail right after. Myself though, I would probably wait for the first part to go, then replace the whole system. Not just do it based on a mileage recommendation. The system in my e36 was overhauled, but that was at over 200,000 miles. I would have wasted a ton of money if I just decided to do it at 100,000 intervals regardless of failure.

At the end of the day you can replace all of these typical items and still end up stranded on the side of the road. Might as well go ahead and change your brake calipers, ignition coils, ecu, shock mounts, wheel bearings, etc. Where does it end? It is a machine and regardless of how hard core you are with regards to maintenance, something is going to break.

I view changing plugs two or three times as often as recommended as changing light bulbs before they burn out because both are a waste of money. My plugs have been in for 120,000 miles and the car runs as smooth as can be with plenty of power. Unless there is another underlying issue such as oil leaking into the plug holes, leaving your plugs in for the full 100,000 mile interval is not going to leave you stranded on the side of the road. I haven't heard of anyone who was left stranded because they followed the manufacturers recommendation for spark plug intervals.

X5SilverBeast · #2 10-04-2010, 06:18 PM

I said it in one of my posts and I'll say it again. It is owner preference in the intervals to change items. By all means don't go by what I've said or do what I do.

Fseth you are correct, I do love to tinker with my rides or any ride for that matter. I change my plugs every 20-30k and oil every 5K due to the fact, my wife and I drive our vehicles hard. We live in north texas and summers are 100+. We do mix driving of highway and city with a lot of stop and go. There has been a ton of construction going on here over the past few years, which had created a lot of dirt and dust in the air. Our cars breath that shit in. This is one of the reasons why I do change things like this often. Air filters, fuel filters are the same. To me, IMO, it keeps the engine cleaner. To be quite honest, I can care less who mike miller is and what he's recommended.(not trying to start a war with you) Also, I've never stated that changing my plugs every 20-30K was preventive maint. just stated that it keeps it cleaner.

I'm in no way saying that bmw intervals are wrong. I do this for piece of mind and the fact that I enjoy toying with the rides every now and then. The methods that I've used have never failed me. I've never had any of my rides keep me stranded.

FSETH · #3 10-04-2010, 07:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by X5SilverBeast

I said it in one of my posts and I'll say it again. It is owner preference in the intervals to change items. By all means don't go by what I've said or do what I do.

Fseth you are correct, I do love to tinker with my rides or any ride for that matter. I change my plugs every 20-30k and oil every 5K due to the fact, my wife and I drive our vehicles hard. We live in north texas and summers are 100+. We do mix driving of highway and city with a lot of stop and go. There has been a ton of construction going on here over the past few years, which had created a lot of dirt and dust in the air. Our cars breath that shit in. This is one of the reasons why I do change things like this often. Air filters, fuel filters are the same. To me, IMO, it keeps the engine cleaner. To be quite honest, I can care less who mike miller is and what he's recommended.(not trying to start a war with you) Also, I've never stated that changing my plugs every 20-30K was preventive maint. just stated that it keeps it cleaner.

I'm in no way saying that bmw intervals are wrong. I do this for piece of mind and the fact that I enjoy toying with the rides every now and then. The methods that I've used have never failed me. I've never had any of my rides keep me stranded.

No problem. To each his own.

Among other things, Mike Miller is BMWCCA's lead technical editor. He has years and years of experience with BMW's and the old school maintenance schedule he provides to CCA members is a mix of what BMW used to recommend in the old days (before free maintenance) and what he feels is best based on his personal experience with BMW's. His recommendations are based on long term ownership of the car. I was using him as a reference because he is known to be more aggressive than BMW about maintenance intervals these days and you are doing plugs twice as often as even he recommends. No big deal though.

X5SilverBeast · #4 10-04-2010, 07:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FSETH

No problem. To each his own.

Among other things, Mike Miller is BMWCCA's lead technical editor. He has years and years of experience with BMW's and the old school maintenance schedule he provides to CCA members is a mix of what BMW used to recommend in the old days (before free maintenance) and what he feels is best baed on his personal experience with BMW's. His recommendations are based on long term ownership of the car. I was using him as a reference because he is known to be more aggressive than BMW about maintenance intervals these days and you are doing plugs twice as often as even he recommends. No big deal though.

I gotch bro. I honestly had no clue who mike miller was. Now that you have shed some light on who he is, I'll look into. I don't mean to sound arrogant or cocky, just wanted to give info on my personal experiences with maint. Coming from american muscle cars and chevy trucks, I've only been with the bmw brand for a little over 3.5 yrs. I know they are completely different and some of my methods work for chevy's and may not work on bmw's. But I look at it as trial and error as well as a learning lesson. My philosophy has always been, if you're not making mistakes, you're not learning.

FSETH · #5 10-05-2010, 12:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by X5SilverBeast

I gotch bro. I honestly had no clue who mike miller was. Now that you have shed some light on who he is, I'll look into. I don't mean to sound arrogant or cocky, just wanted to give info on my personal experiences with maint. Coming from american muscle cars and chevy trucks, I've only been with the bmw brand for a little over 3.5 yrs. I know they are completely different and some of my methods work for chevy's and may not work on bmw's. But I look at it as trial and error as well as a learning lesson. My philosophy has always been, if you're not making mistakes, you're not learning.

No worries.

Yeah, there is a big difference between maintaining a modern BMW and a muscle car or a Chevy truck. OE plugs can go 100,000 miles, OE oil and filters have been proven to go up to 15,000 miles with no signs of extra engine wear, etc. Apples to oranges.

Also, seeing as we are already way off the original poster's question regarding spark plug intervals, I think you are going to be waiting a long time for your m62 to die. Especially, if you are maintaining it properly (or over-maintaining it). More than likely the rest of the car is going to fall apart around it. If it does fail though, have you looked at Bavarian Auto Recycling for rebuilt engines? They come with a two year unlimited milage warranty and many new parts. Last I saw, you can do some simple performance upgrades during the build as well. I am not talking anywhere near 600 horsepower, but they can do the following and pricing should be about half (give or take) of the $25,000 you were quoted;

Upgrades include flow tested CNC porting, hand polishing, and Bavarian Performance Camshaft an increase over stock.

BMW Parts used and rebuilt bmw auto parts

I would never personally put a LS, or any other brand of motor into my BMW, but that is just me.

m5james · #6 10-04-2010, 06:08 PM

I know what you mean, that's why I specifically said known issues. I'm not going to replace bearings just to replace bearings, but overheating and it's associated culprits being the valley pan, radiator neck, expansion tank, etc are so common that those are the items I chose to change on a mileage interval vs just waiting until they pop since 80-100k seems to be about the average for these items based on experience and/or reading.

You've brought up changing the spark plugs about 2-3x now. I'm not talking about spark plugs being prematurely replaced as I only do them every 100k if stock parts and 50k if non-BMW purchased. You say it's still got plenty of power, but ask an E39 M5 owner or just spend some time on the boards with the guys who replaced their MAF's on a regular mileage interval. I promise you that you'll find threads stating how they never realized how down on power their car was because, just like spark plugs, they're a resistance type wear item, so their performance disintegrates over time. My point is that I'm more on the cooling system and just about any other fluids in the car since those seem to be the most neglected items, which inturn lowly degrade other items. People don't flush their coolant enough, they get clogged radiators, heater control valves seize, etc. I worked at a shop who did quick and dirty brake jobs, aka no flushing of the fluid. They could have taken another 10 minutes, maybe made another $40, making the car and driver better off for it.

m5james · #7 10-04-2010, 06:37 PM

BMW X5...avoiding arguements with their wives by keeping men in the garage since 2000

X5SilverBeast · #8 10-04-2010, 06:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by m5james

BMW X5...Keeping men in the garage and avoiding arguements with their wives since 2000

Amen to that.

I think I got very lucky. My wife is a car nut too. She's the one that wanted to get the 540 until I started taking over the car to make it faster. We've talked about doing an LS3 swap once the old m62 goes. She saw an X5 on one of her shows and fell in love with. Got the X this past march, now she wants exhaust to make it a bit louder. We both love cars and working on them. Years back, she blew me away when she changed the alternator on our old honda. We have an 81 silverado that will be getting redone from the ground up and now she's talking about getting an old 67-72 c10. The man up stairs has been watching out for me for years.

m5james · #9 10-04-2010, 06:53 PM

A shop local to me (now out of business) did LSx swaps into a handful of 3 series, anything from coupes to wagons. I considered the same thing when I had to replace the engine in my 7...the pushrod V8 is so much smaller its not even funny.

What engine is in your X? It seems 3.0's has the most issue with drone, the 4.4 being the ideal engine for exhaust mods. I did Magnaflow 14816's on the 7 and they sound awesome, but they're too long for use in the X. X-pipe or those a pair of those eBay $16 mufflers that E53X54.4 used seem to give good results.

X5SilverBeast · #10 10-04-2010, 07:09 PM

The X has the N62 4.4. I was worried about getting it because of the valvetronic. Not sure how good the N62 is compared to the m62. Hopefully she treats us as good as the 540 has. We are leaning towards B&B. The cost is high as hell but since I got the B&B on the 540 and love the sound I think it would be good for the X.

Yeah I've been doing a ton of reseach on the LS swap. For the price, I can squeeze a hell of a lot of HP with the LS motor over the m62. The power options on the LS supercede the options on the M62. BMW made freakin great motors, but an LS swap is way cheaper with more HP than tryin to rebuild the M62. There has been quite a few guys on bimmerforums that have done it and are fabricating swap kits. I contacted VAC motorsports a few months ago, got quoted $25k for a 600hp street motor. Can do an LS motor for half that. I don't know if I'm going to have the courage to do myself or have a performance shop to help out. Will wait for the m62 to quit before I really dig into the project