What is that and what has it done with my spark plug?

[dauchande]

I was changing the valve cover gaskets, spark plugs and boots and when it came time to change spark plug #1 (or is it 4..), I see this

It's some kind of covering over the spark plug that covers the hex cuts for the socket. It is white (although it's hard to see from the pic) and metallic sounding when I tap it with a screwdriver.

Please tell me this is not someone's idea of a cheap fix for a stripped spark plug well.

[Morgenster]

Please tell me this is not someone's idea of a cheap fix for a stripped spark plug well.

It looks like that to me.
I hope for your sake it is NOT metallic but some kind of resin that can maybe be removed with the right liquids. Can you get in touch with the previous owner? It can't have been in there for very long can it?

[Tiger]

Does the new spark plug go in okay? any issue in the spark plug hole?

[dauchande]

Does the new spark plug go in okay? any issue in the spark plug hole?

cannot pull the spark plug out, it is covered by the white "plug"

[dauchande]

It looks like that to me.
I hope for your sake it is NOT metallic but some kind of resin that can maybe be removed with the right liquids. Can you get in touch with the previous owner? It can't have been in there for very long can it?

I've owned the car now for about 4 years. This has been the first time I have attempted to change the plugs.

Well, looks like I'll be taking it in to my mechanic to see what he thinks can be done.

Worse case is to pull the head and have it reconditioned.

The good news is that the car still runs, so I can start saving and still get to work every day.

At some point, I think itLll just be easier (and cheaper) to sell it and buy a 525i.

[whiskychaser]

Shame on you! Not checking your plugs in 4 years!;) Stupid question:
if you cant get at the flats on the plug, how did the PO tighten it in? Its not part of an old coil pack pushed down too far is it?

[dauchande]

Shame on you! Not checking your plugs in 4 years!;) Stupid question:
if you cant get at the flats on the plug, how did the PO tighten it in? Its not part of an old coil pack pushed down too far is it?

Haha, guilty as charged.

no, I think it's more likely to be someone's idea of a cheap fix for stripping a spark plug well.

I'm seriously considering giving up on this car and buying a 1993 535i (assuming I can find one for a reasonable price), this is just one of the many stupid things that has plagued me with this car.

It's starting to feel like a yacht...

[Tiger]

Spark plug hole isn't terribly hard to fix. It seems to me that it is JB weld stuck in there with the plug and somehow that is enough to hold the plug in along with the valve cover... So if you do change the valve cover gasket, you should be able to take the plug out with the cover... and whack it out from there.

With the cover out, you got complete access to the plug hole... either create a new thread with threader chaser or put in a helicoil.

[dauchande]

Spark plug hole isn't terribly hard to fix. It seems to me that it is JB weld stuck in there with the plug and somehow that is enough to hold the plug in along with the valve cover... So if you do change the valve cover gasket, you should be able to take the plug out with the cover... and whack it out from there.

With the cover out, you got complete access to the plug hole... either create a new thread with threader chaser or put in a helicoil.

Sorry if I'm not familiar with tap and die stuff.

Wouldn't tapping the plug hole while the head is still on the car cause metal shavings to go into the cylinder?

Ah so I finally get what you're saying (I'm slow).

I already changed the valve cover gaskets, maybe I should be more specific. My car is a 540i, 4.0 litre V8. The spark plug wells are on the head, not the valve cover. I would have to pull the head off in order to reach it from the other side.

[Tiger]

The spark plug hole rethreader has slots on it where you put grease on it... so most shavings are trapped on the grease. To get the remaining out... the engine will blow it out.

I didn't change the plug but I thought the valve cover goes all the way down to where the spark plug sits... because there is an oring down there that you got to change or otherwise the oil will leak into the spark plug well.

Got the same car... didn't do the gasket yet. but did change the plugs.

[632 Regal]

picture looks like an evil eye from a movie or something, can you post something better? Heli coil is a good option if you can get the old plug out, aluminum shavings down the hole are not the worst that can happen.

[CloudNine]

It looks like a washer that some lunatic dropped into the hole. Or, it might be part of some thread repair kit that prevents the next guy from trying to remove the plug. It's hard to see how far down the plug it is. Can't see the white insulator on the plug, though. Quite a mystery.

[632 Regal]

I think it's a photo of a Halloween costume gone bad.

[Ross]

It looks like a washer that some lunatic dropped into the hole. Or, it might be part of some thread repair kit that prevents the next guy from trying to remove the plug. It's hard to see how far down the plug it is. Can't see the white insulator on the plug, though. Quite a mystery.
Looks that way to me too.
Have you tried a magnet? If it's JB Weld a magnet won't stick. If it is JB Weld whoever did this needs a beating.
If it makes you feel better my task today is removing a broken spark plug from the rear bank of transversely mounted engine in a mini-van.

[dauchande]

It looks like a washer that some lunatic dropped into the hole. Or, it might be part of some thread repair kit that prevents the next guy from trying to remove the plug. It's hard to see how far down the plug it is. Can't see the white insulator on the plug, though. Quite a mystery.

Yeah, I wish. It's a cylinder made of metal that has a hole in the top where they pushed through the top of the spark plug. I've tried to pull it out with several tools. I can wiggle the spark plug a little bit, so it's extremely unlikely that it's *not* stripped.

I'll be hitting up my mechanic after christmas to see if it can be removed and fixed without removing the head. If it can't, I'll just remove the head myself and either buy a used one or have it rebuilt, whichever is cheaper.

Damn car runs *worse* after changing the valve cover gaskets, spark plug boots and spark plus, geez, I can't win, grr.

...Of course, it might have something to do with the bad cats/o2 sensor (error 1221) ;)

[MBXB]

Check for intake leaks

[genphreak]

I've never been much of an 'ass-man' myself but... LOL!

[Mordan]

don't change that plug, it is too risky.

save money or sell the car to buy a 525i/535i. Personally, I would sell it and buy an inline 6. They are far easier to maintain and repair.

[dauchande]

don't change that plug, it is too risky.

save money or sell the car to buy a 525i/535i. Personally, I would sell it and buy an inline 6. They are far easier to maintain and repair.

I'd love to find a 1993 535i manual, but there's nothing in Arizona, I'd have to go to California assuming I could even find one there.

I'm probably gonna pick up an e28 535i for the daily commuter and put this one in the garage where I can rebuild it at leisure.

The power of the V8 is addictive, so I have problems with wanting to get rid of it. I think it just needs a rebuild from the ground up, instead of piecemeal.

[Mordan]

The power of the V8 is addictive, so I have problems with wanting to get rid of it. I think it just needs a rebuild from the ground up, instead of piecemeal.

more power to you ! :). Hopefully you have a garage to store it.

[CheapCheap1]

.....
The power of the V8 is addictive, so I have problems with wanting to get rid of it. I think it just needs a rebuild from the ground up, instead of piecemeal.
As the owner of '95 540i, I totally agree w/ your statement.

Anyway, I may have an option for you...
If my 540i needs a transmission replaced ($4-5K), I will have to sell it & move on.
(Yes, it's a kind of hard for me to see it get scrapped.)

I am the 3rd owner...it's 540i w/ M60 "original" nikasil block, running smooth, only 87+K miles & has the maintained jobs done by BMW dealers (until I bought it in 2005 & I do it myself). New brake pads, new coolant reservoir, new plugs, new radiator & belts were replaced in 2008-9...yes, by myself.

If you are interested, pls PM me.

[dauchande]

Wow, thought I had answered this thread.

Well I had my car in at the mechanic for another reason and he took a look at it and pulled out a valve cover gasket washer, so who/m ever said that, congrats.