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Spark Plug DIY for E39 98 528

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92K views 29 replies 16 participants last post by  bluebee  
E
#1 ·
Spark Plug DIY for E39 98 528

I did my sparkplugs today and boy am I sure glad I did them.
First off this is for a 98 528. Might be useful to someone. First what I did was I got the sparkplugs at AutoZone. I went with what my owner's manual said. My car had 4 prong NKG in there and my new plugs are 2 prong BOSCH. I like BOSCH better so that's why they went in there.

Proper Steps
1. Get New Plugs. Either NGK or BOSCH: 2 or 4 Prong.
2. Have some basic tools ready. A sparkplug socket is a must to make life easy.
3. Open driver side door and pull the hood release latch under the steering wheel.
4. Use a flat head screw driver to pry out the covers to get to the bolts so you can take off the engine cover. This is where a 10mm comes in handy.
5. Remove engine cover and oil cap and place to the side.
6. Unclip part next to sparkplugs and unbolt the 12 bolts that hold the 6 sparkplugs in place. Two for each sparkplug.
7. Replace old ones with new ones but make sure to put anti-seize on each new plug and then insert them back in place
8. Double check plugs are torqued at 21 lb/ft.
9. Place all bolts back in proper places and put the engine cover back on and bolt it in place and you're done.

First thing
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Second
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Part 3
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Step 4
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Step 5
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Step 6
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OLD VS. NEW
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Old sparkplugs
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J
#3 ·
I actually just did this over the weekend, along with a couple of other things (I'm quite proud of the fact that this was my first ever DIY!!!)

One thing to note is that the wire harness (your blue oval in part four) does not need to be unclipped. There is a wire collar that fastens the wire ending to each bremi plug - simply raise ir up (by hand, no tool required), and the bremi plug will be free to pull straight out.

This confused me on the first cylinder as well, but after staring at it for half an hour and figuring that there must be a better way, I figured it out.

Oh - and I put the oil cap back on while working, just in case I f***d up and dropped a bolt in there!!!!!! Probably just cause I'm an amateur.........
 
P
#4 ·
Great info!

Great info! Only difficulty I ran into was the last spark plug [the one closest to the cabin]. Had to remove the air intake to get my socket extention on. Other than that as easy as you said.
For anyone who has never replaced spark plugs I would recommend takin' it easy when putting in the new plugs. Hand tighten with the socket extension without the rarchet first just to make sure you don't crossthread.
 
#8 ·
I would recommend using an 3/8" universal joint extension, swivel extension, whatever other names are there for it, for that last plug. I would definitely cover the oil refill port during the whole evolution. I would also recommend doing one coil/plug at a time, minimizes little parts running around, and although it doesn't matter what coil goes where, I like to put the coil back where it came from and to use the same bolts.

Maybe is just me... Good job :thumbup:
 
#11 ·
For the record, I updated the bestlinks with this thread (and others) as follows:

- BMW spark plug application charts (1) (2), best plug to use (1) (2), deciphering key (1), reading plugs (1), the truth about torque (1), the truth about gap (1) (2) & DIYs for replacing spark plugs (1) (2) (3) (4) (5)
 
V
#12 ·
A bit simpler...

It seems that the metal clips hold the connector in place. These clips are simple to move by using a small flat head screw driver, as shown in the following pictures. Also, to replace the spark plug closest to the cabin, the combination of a universal joint and a 3/8 to 1/2 conversion can be used as shown in the picture, to help get into and out of the spark plug tunnel. With this scheme the cabin filter doesn't need to be removed (on the 2000 528i) to replace the last plug.
 

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#13 ·
vjd said:
These clips are simple to move by using a small flat head screw driver
Click to expand...
For the record, a similar technique was used here:
- One user's pictorial DIY for replacing the BMW M54 engine spark plugs (1)
 
J
#17 · (Edited)
My 1998 BMW 528i with Bosch Platinum 4 Spark Plug's.recently had 5 of the spark plug ceramic insulator and electrode come loose, two are spinning, and the other three are loose to the point that the center electrode and ceramic insulator is moving up and down, and the engine sounded like it had an exhaust leak and damaged three of the coil spark plug insulator boots giving me cylinder misfire codes. I replaced the spark plugs and the engine is now running correctly and the cylinder misfire codes have not returned. The spark plugs appear to be the correct color, and are not white from running too lean or black from running too rich other then the three that had the insulator moving up and down that were obviously fouling and caused engine misfire codes,. These spark plugs have less then 10,000 miles on them. Autozone would not warranty them and asked that I contact Bosch to have them replaced. I have used Bosch Platinum plugs since they were factory installed on my first new 1999 BMW 323is and never had problems with them for 100,000 miles, the recommended service interval by BMW. My 1972 VW Beetle and 1968 Beetle with a 2110 stroked engine also ran Bosch spark plugs and I never seen such an issue. Has any one had a similar experience with these Bosch spark plugs, could I have just had a bad batch?
http://youtu.be/GIc8k4Z_PcU?list=UUIXG-pxZ4mNbhUFvzf4KIOw

Jose F. Medeiros
408-256-0649 Google Voice
San Jose, California
http://www.linkedin.com/in/josemedeiros

I have not failed. I've just found 10,000 ways that won't work. - Thomas A. Edison
 

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#20 ·
This DIY has a picture of every step of the spark plug replacement where you can see the coils sit right on top of the spark plugs (i.e., there is no "spark plug wire" to speak of):
- Pictorial DIY for an M54 spark plug replacement on a 2002 BMW 525i E39 with 95K miles
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In general, if you're just doing normal maintenance, you don't replace the coils. If you have a misfire, that moves from one cylinder to the next when you swap the coils, you generally replace that one coil.
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See also:
- How to test a BMW ignition coil (1) (2)
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#22 ·
Use common sense... if the filters are dirty, full of particulate, then replace. If they look decent, and not much falls out of them when you tap them, keep 'em. But then again, they are so cheap anyway you might as well replace them during service.
 
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#23 ·
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#24 ·
I just pulled the spark plugs to replace them and one of them is giving me problem to screw back in
The threads inside the head are a bit rusty and when i try to screw in the new plug, it won't screw in all
The way. When i take it out and look at the threads on the new plug, there is what appears to be rust stuck in the threads from inside the head.
Is there any lube i can use to avoid stripping it.
 
#25 ·
You can put some oil on the plugs threads and try reinstalling, bit of lubricant does no harm. But what seems odd is the rust - are you certain it is in fact rust? That seems unusual and unlikely unless water has somehow either gotten in there or moisture from air has condensed, etc. give us more info on that.
Typically aside from this thread issue its good to lightly coat plug threads with anti-seize to enable easier removal- this is common practice in metal threaded parts that are exposed to heat on long-term basis.

Good luck/Bill
 
7
#27 ·
Now that you mention water getting in.
Last fall i was having a problem driving in the rain, mainly through big puddles, where the car would stall
And cut off. Some thought it was hydro lock but someone mentioned the possibility of water getting
Into the plugs somehow and so i just let the car sit for two days until it dried and it would start up eventually
Like nothing. It hasn't happened lately but when it rains hard the car does stutter. I had a mechanic look and he found nothing.
Now that i pulled out the plugs and see there is definitely rust or corrosion, it may be from rain water getting in somehow.
Any suggestions?
 
#28 ·
I don't know about this rain water business; not into the spark plugs- does not seem possible to me. Maybe others have an idea on this rust on the plug threads, I am a bit baffled....only way I can think of significant moisture getting to them is via water intrusion from leaky head gasket and the car seems to run OK so that seems unlikely cause, hmmm????
 
#30 ·
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