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Z4 M54 SparkPlug Removal/Installation with Pics

BlackSapphireZ
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Re: Z4 M54 SparkPlug Removal/Installation with Pics

Post by BlackSapphireZ » Sun Jun 22, 2008 4:50 pm

best to least conductor

Iridium
Copper
Platinum


on regular car, it doesn't matter what you put in...on a high powered car, you might want to go with Iridium :)
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christian915
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Re: Z4 M54 SparkPlug Removal/Installation with Pics

Post by christian915 » Fri Dec 19, 2008 8:07 pm

Im planning on replacing my plugs with the NGK Iridium IX. Do I need to adjust the gap or are they ready to be installed?

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Adam D
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Re: Z4 M54 SparkPlug Removal/Installation with Pics

Post by Adam D » Fri Dec 19, 2008 8:54 pm

christian915 wrote:Im planning on replacing my plugs with the NGK Iridium IX. Do I need to adjust the gap or are they ready to be installed?
Never gap an iridium plug they are rather fragile, they are pre gapped :)

I have installed those plugs in three cars now and generally very pleased with them.
Silver Grey 2007 Z4MR which needs to be driven more :evil: :P :cool: :D :thumbsup:

Shipkiller
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Re: Z4 M54 SparkPlug Removal/Installation with Pics

Post by Shipkiller » Sun Jan 04, 2009 10:31 pm

AdamD,

It's been seven months since you have put your Iridium's in your Zed.

Thoughts... Comments... Observations????
Drives 2008 Z4MC (His) & 2003 Z4 Roadster (Her's)

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Adam D
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Re: Z4 M54 SparkPlug Removal/Installation with Pics

Post by Adam D » Mon Jan 05, 2009 7:33 am

Its one of those things you fit and forget, starts and drives fine as I would expect. I have a set of NGK iridiums in a run of the mill vauxhall astra for the past few years and they are also still performing well.

I would consider changing the denso's every two years/20000 miles as they are not a long life plug.
Silver Grey 2007 Z4MR which needs to be driven more :evil: :P :cool: :D :thumbsup:

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JackB1
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Re: Z4 M54 SparkPlug Removal/Installation with Pics

Post by JackB1 » Tue Feb 10, 2009 3:20 am

Shipkiller - Thanks for the post!

Excellent DIY! I even think now that I could do this - with a friend who is a mechanic near by!

Where does the "injector" fit into the area of the plugs that you replaced?

Here's why!

About four months ago I took my Z4 in for "Service Engine" light and running rough. They replaced the #5 injector. Then it was running rough and they replaced an "02" sensor. Last month I took it in for a 7,500 mile (half way between the free 15,000 oil change, and as I drove away it was running rough. I drove right back and it was the #1 injector. BMW warranties do not cover repairs due to bad gas. My service writer was careful not even mention gas! But he said that I don't necessarily need to replace the other injectors.

Do the injectors have anything to do with the plugs? Can I put in a new set of injectors when I change the plugs? Kind of makes sense to.?

Very Dangerous talk coming for me!!!

:oldman: I'm not a mechanic but adventurous!
Best!
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Shipkiller
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Re: Z4 M54 SparkPlug Removal/Installation with Pics

Post by Shipkiller » Tue Feb 10, 2009 5:11 am

The fuel injectors on the on opposite side of the engine from the spark plugs (on the left side).

If you take off the small cover, you will see a long square rail, about a 1/4" square with two black cylindrical electrical connectors attached, that runs the length of the engine. That is your fuel rail. Under that are the injectors.

I have not pulled the injectors on the car. It does not look too awful hard.

I was typing up a mini-howto but after looking at the procedures, don't that this the wrong way, but I may be too much for you to do.. :whistle: :friends:

If you PM me your email address, I will send you the BMW procedures (PDF format) for the job and you can judge for yourself.

If you decide to do this make sure you replace all 0-rings that were disturbed.. and get a couple of extras, just in case you damage one..
http://www.realoem.com/bmw/showparts.do ... g=13&fg=15

Items 4 and 5

One other thing you can do before all this.

Get a can of SeaFoam and put it in your gas tank and drive. This will clean your injectors while driving.

You can also do this: pour a 1/2 of a can of SeaFoam SLOWLY through your intake system, engine running, usually through the brake booster vacuum line and that will clean most of the gunk that accumulates in the intake. SLOWLY is the word or the engine will die on you and you will have to start it up again and some of the effectiveness will be diluted.
I pour a whole can through a vacuum line, then turn off the car for 30 minutes, then start it up. A pure white smoke will POUR out of the exhaust as the crap in your intake is flushed and burnt off....Scared the crap out of me the first time I did it. That was about five year ago... :rofl:

When I did it to the Zed the first time, the engine sputtered and misfired and threw a CEL code but once all of the crap had burnt off and the engine was running good again, I stopped the engine, then restarted the car and everything was fine. The error codes had cleared.. of course when I did it the first time, the car had 50k miles on it...
Now when I do it, I just get some white smoke...

I do this every 5000 miles on all my vehicles..
Drives 2008 Z4MC (His) & 2003 Z4 Roadster (Her's)

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Re: Z4 M54 SparkPlug Removal/Installation with Pics

Post by mmm-five » Tue Feb 10, 2009 1:09 pm

Just a cautionary tale for anyone putting anything other than the original spark plus in their cars - although this is probably not valid for our Zeds as it was something we found out on the e34 M5s.

We heard of lots of people going for different plugs to the standard Bosch Y6DC (splitfire, colder, hotter, Denso Iridium, triplespark, quadspark, etc.) and in all but the rarest cases we found they'd all run worse on anything other than Bosch Y6DC plugs - and in some cases they'd end up with a hole in a piston due to having too long a plug, even though the plug was listed as a direct replacement for the Bosch Y6DC.

Usually it was just a gap problem as the Y6DC has a specific gap for our M5s, and sometimes it was just that the plug was slightly too hot or cold for it - again even though the plug was listed as a direct replacement.

So please, please, please, ensure the plugs you are using (whether they're BMW or aftermarket) are REALLY compatible before you risk screwing up your engine for the sake of a few £/$/¥/€.

Note: I'm not saying that any of the plugs mentioned here are wrong or no good for the Zed as I've got no experience of them yet, but I don't want to be saying "I told you so" in a year's time when your engine warranty is invalidated and you've got a hole in the side of the block, or top of the piston.
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Re: Z4 M54 SparkPlug Removal/Installation with Pics

Post by Adam D » Wed Feb 11, 2009 2:40 pm

A hole in the piston sounds like the outcome of detonation (pinking). Running a grade too warm on the plugs or a fuel of insufficient octane rating (98RON + idealy) is likely to cause this, as would too much ignition advance or a poorly tested remap.

The engine knock sensor should adjust the ignition timing to compensate for poor fuels/det but at the expense of engine response and torque.

When I change my plugs next I will take some pictures and see how the iridiums have faired :) Would be interested to hear the views of other people who are running non standard plugs.
Silver Grey 2007 Z4MR which needs to be driven more :evil: :P :cool: :D :thumbsup:

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Re: Z4 M54 SparkPlug Removal/Installation with Pics

Post by mmm-five » Wed Feb 11, 2009 5:19 pm

I forgot to add that the e34 M5 doesn't have a knock sensor, so that's probably why it was so sensitive to good fuel and the right plugs :headbang:
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Re: Z4 M54 SparkPlug Removal/Installation with Pics

Post by kwanmoney » Thu Apr 30, 2009 5:42 am

Thanks for the great writeup Shipkiller. I'd add to this thread about how to "read" your spark plug -- I actually hate reading so I found a site with only pictures.

http://www.dansmc.com/spark_plugs/spark ... talog.html
cheers

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Re: Z4 M54 SparkPlug Removal/Installation with Pics

Post by Garthan » Wed Jul 22, 2009 10:47 am

Sorry... i've a question... I'd like to change my plugs with those one:
NGK BKR6EQUP Platinum Plugs

Here's the Ebay Link
http://cgi.ebay.it/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vie ... otohosting

any suggestions pls?
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Re: Z4 M54 SparkPlug Removal/Installation with Pics

Post by em2b96p » Thu Jul 23, 2009 3:59 am

i just changed mine with NGK iridium platinum mix i believe

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Re: Z4 M54 SparkPlug Removal/Installation with Pics

Post by Garthan » Sat Sep 19, 2009 6:21 pm

hi all! i bought from ebay 6 plugs ngk bkr6equp for my z4 3.0i. i followed all instructions from thi thread but when i try to remove the old plug it's very very hard!!! :headbang:
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Re: Z4 M54 SparkPlug Removal/Installation with Pics

Post by sk93 » Sat Oct 24, 2009 8:33 pm

Garthan wrote:hi all! i bought from ebay 6 plugs ngk bkr6equp for my z4 3.0i. i followed all instructions from thi thread but when i try to remove the old plug it's very very hard!!! :headbang:
I'd recommend taking it to a local garage and getting them to remove them - that way, if they break the plug, or damage the head, it's their fault - not yours ;)

Failing that, penetrating oil and slow, methodical turning back and forth for a good period of time might loosen it up.
Don't try putting a lot of pressure on the plug tho - you'll end up with a large bill
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