spark plug change experience

[1stE53]

All this makes me kind of happy I was cheap and got the I6. 30 Min with 0 BMW experience and all 6 plugs changed with NO effort. I did change them at 61k. Cheap and easy maintenance with the I6.

[E55AMG2]

Originally Posted by m5james

Drink a beer, calm down...then pull real hard! I'm kidding. There are two bolts under some thumb sized covers that pop out w/ a flathead screw driver, then remove the two bolts and the covers will lift right off. There are 2 or 4 bolts holding down the coils, lift them straight out, then swap the plugs. This is one of those times where you could have just called/texted me man

This ^

[THK]

Originally Posted by FSETH

Nice job.

My dealer told me BMW does not supply NGK plugs any longer, only Bosch. Also, keep in mind that your OE plugs had a 100,000 mile change intervals. The plugs you bought are not the same and should be changed every 40,000 to 50,000 now.

What is the difference?

[E55AMG2]

You can get the BMW NGK plugs from Discount Auto or Autozone....they're pretty much identical. I wouldnt use POS Bosch plugs if you paid me.

[admranger]

Originally Posted by Weasel

Actually if you have the 2005 V8 you have the ilver covers instead of the black covers. The black ones unbolt as James described, the silver ones pull off. (snap into rubber grommets) Just stick your fingers in there where the valvetronic motors shoot out the top and pull.

Thanks Weasel. I knew how to do the other one, having pulled plugs many times on the race car, etc. w/the nut that holds the plastic cover. This being different and it being late at night (I didn't post until the next afternoon when I was slacking off at work), I wanted to be sure.

The coils are just held on by friction too in the N62 motor, so no more nuts to drop into the nether regions of the vehicle. Nice!

The thermostat change should be fun too...<sigh> Looks like a hand scratcher.

[FSETH]

Originally Posted by THK

What is the difference?

I don't know if we will ever get a clear answer to this. I talked to an NGK rep a while back and he couldn't confirm that they were the same exact plugs as OE. He could only tell me what their website said, which was that the NGK Laser Platinum #BKR6EQUP plugs are Original Equipment Manufacturer, and/or Original Equipment Service Part.

I guess if you change your plugs every 40-60k or so, you can use the BKR6EQUP from trusted retailers with confidence they will work fine.

He was able to tell me the NGK Iridiums, that many here use, only last half as long as BMW OE plugs.

[admranger]

Late report back due to family issue I had to attend to.

Put in a new thermostat (had a code for that) and then dropped in 8 shiny new plugs. Drove nearly 1000 miles since putting them in and no check engine light!

Excellent.

Thanks for the help all.

[tomgtv]

I need to put a set of plugs in my 251,000 mile X5 3.0L. It was some
100,000 miles ago that I last replaced plugs and I can't remember which ones I used. Seems like it was the 4 ground NGK BKR6EQUP ones.
Sparkplugs.com has 'em at $8.48 each. I seem to recall that Autozone has them for about $7

Input please!

BTW, the latest repair on my chariot was the replacement of the fuel pump and relay for $666.41 today. The fuel pump alone was $405!

[FSETH]

Well, I am going to pull a 180 and go against everything I have said in this thread as well as many other spark plug threads. I pulled the orignial plugs on my 02 4.4i with 122,000 miles this weekend. I figured they would be Bosch, but they were NGK BKR6EQUP with the BMW logo. I went down to Autozone with an old plug, looked at their NGK BKR6EQUP and the numbers were in the same place and matched exactly. The housing was the same shape as well, so I figured I would give them a shot seeing as they were $6.99 each (55.92 total for 8).

The old plugs came out very easily, which was surpring seeing as they had been in for 9 years and 122,000 miles and they were in much better shape than I anticipated. They didn't really look that bad. To be honest, even changing these out for the first time at 122,000 miles, I have not noticed any "restored power" from the new plugs.

[tomgtv]

Originally Posted by FSETH

Well, I am going to pull a 180 and go against everything I have said in this thread as well as many other spark plug threads. I pulled the orignial plugs on my 02 4.4i with 122,000 miles this weekend. I figured they would be Bosch, but they were NGK BKR6EQUP with the BMW logo. I went down to Autozone with an old plug, looked at their NGK BKR6EQUP and the numbers were in the same place and matched exactly. The housing was the same shape as well, so I figured I would give them a shot seeing as they were $6.99 each (55.92 total for 8).

The old plugs came out very easily, which was surpring seeing as they had been in for 9 years and 122,000 miles and they were in much better shape than I anticipated. They didn't really look that bad. To be honest, even changing these out for the first time at 122,000 miles, I have not noticed any "restored power" from the new plugs.

My Indy BMW shop here in Naples quoted me $264 for plugs on my 3.0L 6.
I have always done my plugs myself and had to laugh as they told me they always used BMW OEM plugs with a $18/each cost plus labor. Those NGK's are the exact same as OEM.

As far as antiseize goes - I wouldn't recommend it. I do use antiseize on my Kawasake Jetski with Super Charger and 275 HP inline 4 cylinder 1.5L motor. We run in saltwater and a very corrosive atmosphere. The heads are aluminum and it is easy to strip a plug trying to get it out. Auto land is a much different environment.

Off to Autozone manana to get some $7 buckers.......