Iridium plugs, IHKA swap, other stuff...

[Montreal525]

It's a slow morning so I thought I'd post some pics of time well wasted yesterday...

I switched to Iridium plugs. Pic 1 is what they look like compared to Bosch platinum 2. At $10 a pop, they better be good.....

Pic 2 is my old plugs. Far left is cyl. #6.

Pic 3 and 4 is what was making a hissing sound in the engine compartement. Throttle body boot. Fixed for now but will shop around for a new one. Cleaned out the throttle boby and MAF. They were suprisingly clean...

Swapped out IHKA for a unit bought off E-Bay for $40. Works great now. Everything works as it should. Very easy swap... Took out microfilter while there and it was FILTHY. It wasn't practical to go out and get a new one on the spot so I cleaned it out and used K&N filter cleaner on it. Cleaned out real nice...

That's it for now....

Jeff

[Dave M]

Thanks for the pics.

Have you ever tried the bosch supers? Interested to see if you feel a difference with the Iridiums. If they weren't so dear I'd make them my next set.

My intake boot looked much like yours and I was able to get one from BMA fairly cheap. I'll get my old receipt out if you want, but a quick call to the boys will probably get an answer faster ;)

Dave M

[31Hertz]

Not to hijack, but... I was not sold on BMA while surfing through their website; that is until I called and spoke with them. Their prices were not stellar compared to some. But when I called and spoke with them (mentioning that I was a Bimmer.info member 5% discount) and they worked with me on shipping and lowered the price even more on the water pump: I am hooked! I got a water pump for my 635 from another site www.autopartsplace.com. It was a Laso, but when it arrived it had a plastic impeller. BLECH! autopartsplace customer service has been shipped overseas to India. Must leave message every time. Aarrggh! Anyway, I am sold on BMA now... Graf in the mail. Give 'em a try.:)

I am curious to see what your experience is with the iridiums as well. I put them in the wifey's Volvo turbo wagon, and it seemed to make little difference.

[fkong777]

Hey good pictures.. My 525 had the same cracks at the intake elbow. I got a replacement for $35 at the dealer. BMA was $20. dealer was closer to me tho. BTW.. I drive over to BMA all the time. They have a lot of maintenance parts in stock that dealer dont have. Dealer is stupid that they dont even have a radiator hose instock. (err. sir, that is a special order part.)

[Jon K]

Iridiums are garbage. The electrode lasts longer, yeah, great, they cost 6x as much as a conventional copper plug, and they are still prone to being carboned up, fouled, gap opening, etc.

Iridium is a waste.

[Montreal525]

Iridiums are garbage. The electrode lasts longer, yeah, great, they cost 6x as much as a conventional copper plug, and they are still prone to being carboned up, fouled, gap opening, etc.

Iridium is a waste.

Ha... We'll see...I don't preach for one or the other. I do admit they're pricey and I'll be monitoring the MPG to see if it was worth it. The Bosch platinums 2 we're very good in my book.

Thanks all for the BMA plug. I'm already on it but I fixed it with some air conditionner rubber foam and duct tape and it's holding up pretty good. I'll get around it before X-mas...

Jeff

[bigtisas]

Please send us update on the Iridiums. I just replaced the old Bosch with NGK standard (US$1.99 each). So far so good.

[Jehu]

Not to hijack, but... I was not sold on BMA while surfing through their website; that is until I called and spoke with them. Their prices were not stellar compared to some. But when I called and spoke with them (mentioning that I was a Bimmer.info member 5% discount) and they worked with me on shipping and lowered the price even more on the water pump: I am hooked! I got a water pump for my 635 from another site www.autopartsplace.com (http://www.autopartsplace.com). It was a Laso, but when it arrived it had a plastic impeller. BLECH! autopartsplace customer service has been shipped overseas to India. Must leave message every time. Aarrggh! Anyway, I am sold on BMA now... Graf in the mail. Give 'em a try.:)

I am curious to see what your experience is with the iridiums as well. I put them in the wifey's Volvo turbo wagon, and it seemed to make little difference.

perhaps, providing all other systems continue to work properly, the Iridium Plugs will last longer being a much harder metal.Since the ignition timing is mapped electronically the fact the Iridium also conducts current much more efficiently wouldn't be noticed except perhaps where wear is concerened but if you've replaced the stock chip they may allow you to take greater advantage of the modified values.

[Jon K]

Guys - I don't know what you expect to see. It's a spark plug. You're running a conventional engine - you're not getting misfires due to spark blow out (boost) or wash out (rich) so theres really no sense in replacing with any aftermarket "better" spark plugs. Even the platinum 2's are silly. Seriously, my stock engine ran best on $1.50 Autolite single ground strap plugs or NGK $1.70 single strappers. No point in wasting money on this stuff guys. I can plug my car 5x in the money you spent on those Iridiums and they aren't going to offer any difference.

[Martin in Bellevue]

Montreal, didja change the rubber seals & valve cover gasket that leak oil down to the plugs & short coils & DME? Is the oil covering the plug threads from the rubber seals or are the valve guide seals worn out?

[Montreal525]

Montreal, didja change the rubber seals & valve cover gasket that leak oil down to the plugs & short coils & DME? Is the oil covering the plug threads from the rubber seals or are the valve guide seals worn out?

Ha ha... Someone noticed.... Yes, valve cover gasket was changed this May. Cyl. #2 and #3 have a little oil on them, way less than before the change. Didn't go thru the threads. Maybe the valve cover is warped or something. Engine doesn't burn any oil so I'm not really concerned about it. No oil inside the plug boot...

Jon K, I tend to agree with you but I had to try it out. So far, I get a little bit better MPG and a bit more kick out of the engine but nothing I wouldn't get out of any new set of plugs. I change plugs every fall, regardless of milleage so I'll see in a year but I doubt I'll be spending that much next year on plugs.

The way I see it, I paid $30 more than I should have. If I save 1 MPG average (about .5 l/100km) over a year, it's about 2.5l every week (av. 500 km/w). Av. 50l every week at fill-up / $1 a liter times 52 weeks, I saved $130 on gas. Minus the $30 investment, I get a $100 buck savings over a year. Not much, just enough for a couple bottles of wine...:D Maybe if they are more efficient, the engine will be cleaner, less residu build-up... I do it mostly for the alcohol...;)

Last time I went for really high end plugs was way back (around 92) when we use to put 110 octane (small airplane fuel) in our cars, I had an 89 Acura Integra, and race them on the track. Stock plugs would burn out too quickly... Them were the days...

Jeff