impee's DIY Spark Plug Change

DIY Spark Plug Change

impee's DIY Sparkplug change for BMW 318i e46
How to change Spark Plugs yourself!

Prices:

Professional labour costs for Spark Plug change - £55 (private) or £155 (BMW)

DIY costs for Spark Plug Change - £29

Difficulty Level: Easy

Approximate Time For This Project: 1hour

REQUIRED ITEMS
items	INFORMATION	OUTLET	QUANTITY	PRICE*
Spark Plug NGK	Part number: 12129071003 Part #3.	BMW	4
Bosch Super 4 Spark Plugs 510	http://www.boschautoparts.co.uk Original BMW Plugs are NGK, however the Bosch appear to be more or less the same.	http://www.halfords.com	1	£22.00
Spark Plug Wrench 10mm		http://www.halfords.com	1	£7.00
Socket Wrench		http://www.halfords.com	1
Socket Wrench Extension	A long one		1
10mm Socket			1
Torx 30 Bit	See section #3		1

*prices correct at time of publication

1)	Assemble Your Kit + Notes
	Below is the total kit I used to change the Spark Plugs for my BMW e46 318i. Mind you.
	I used Bosch Super 4 Spark Plugs (instead of BMW NGK ones) which are the best of the Bosch line of plugs and are fine for more or less any other car, however there are different versions of this same Spark Plug. The version number depend on the gap of the Spark Plug as each car requires a different gap for the ideal spark to be created. My car is a 318i e46 N42 2002 2000cc 4 Cylinder takes version 510, however do double check this with at the shop before you buy them. Change Duration: Sparkplugs should be replaced every 20-30,000 miles.

2)	Engine Photograph - Illustration
	This photograph shows the engine with all the covers still on.
	The order in which covers and components are meant to be removed is illustrated below i.e. 1, 2,3 & 4. This order must be followed to allow easy access to the Spark Plugs.

3)	Remove the Pollen Filter Cover & Casing
1)	First Remove the Pollen Filter cover by turning the 3 small knobs (anti clockwise) as identified at the bottom of this photograph and then pulling it the cover outwards. Then remove the actual Pollen Filter.
2)	Next use the Torx 30 Bit (as illustrated below) and remove the 4 securely tightened screws as identified at the top of the photograph, then remove the large tray beneath them.


3)	Next unclip and loosed the hoses running across in the middle, otherwise the tray will not come out.

4)	Engine Cover - Removal
	Next remove the main big BMW cover at the front of engine (#2 in above photograph) by pulling it away from the clips.
1)	2 clips at the front
2)	1 hook on the left
3)	One large hose on the right

5)	Remove Oil Filter Cap
	Remove the oil cap by squeezing it on two sides and then pulling it up (as indicated on the cap itself).

6)	Spark Plugs Casing Cover
	Next remove the cover underneath the oil cap by simply pulling it up to release it from small clips holding it down.
	Next put the oil cap back on (from where it was removed) to avoid "any" dirt getting in to the oil chamber.

7)	Spark Plugs Cover
	As you can see below there are 4 Spark Plugs. Each of them is covered by a small rectangle cover (Plug Fastener) with wires attached to it.

1)	Put your finger into to clip hole (Locking Mechanism) and raise it up and pull. This will release the Locking Mechanism.
2)	Next pull the cable (Socket Housing) away to disconnect it from the Ignition Coil.

3)	Next turn the Ignition Coil a little to the right and then put you finger back into the clip on the and pull it up to raise the Ignition Coil. I was able to pull 2 of them up rather easy, but 2 were a little stiff. Rotate it left and right if it is stiff and it will loosen up then pull the Ignition Coil out of the hole.

8)	Swap Spark Plugs
1)	One you have removed the Ignition Coil , check for any dust / dirt in the hole. If you see any (I had quite a bit dust) use a dust blower to blow it out.
NOTE: Blow out the dust before you remove the Spark Plug!
2)	Next use the Socket Wrench with the extension and the Spark Plug Socket 10mm to remove the Spark Plug. As the car is cold the Spark Plugs may be really tight. If you don't have a Socket Wrench another idea (if you want to try) is to start the car and let the engine warm up a bit, this will loosen the tight Spark Plugs and you should be able to remove it with the Spark Plug Wrench, but then you may burn yourself while changing them...so be careful! Take out the old Spark Plug and put it to a side.
3)	Next use the Blue handle Spark Plug Wrench tool and place the new Spark Plug into it and lower it down into the hole. Tighten the Spark Plug to a hand tight finish - meaning just keep turning it till you need to apply some pressure, at which point stop. I recommend you use the Spark Plug Wrench so you can be sure you tighten the Spark Plug only to a hand tight finish as with a Socket Wrench it is a little difficult to tell.
4)	Next use the Socket Wrench and give the Spark Plug a final tight 90 degrees turn (as specified on the box of your Spark Plugs which depends on the seat of your Spark Plug). Do not under or over tighten the Spark Plug, this may have an effect on engine performance.

source Bosch

5)	Lower down the Ignition Coil and firmly push it in place over the Spark Plug. Then push back in the wire socket at the top and lower the Plug Fastener clip.
	1 Plug done!!!
	Now repeat this process with the remaining 3 Spark Plugs - one by one. Once finished put back all the covers in the order of 4,3,2,1.

9)	Assessment
	Next look at your old Spark Plugs and match them with the different type of Spark Plugs as specified in this document. This will help you diagnose any problem or issues with your engine.
	In the below photograph you can see (at the bottom end of the photo) the worn out NGK Spark Plug (on the right) which has a totally worn out electrode (in the centre at the bottom of the Spark Plug) - infact it does not have any electrode left, where as the new Bosch Spark Plug has a Protruding white electrode.

10)	Take Your Car For A Drive - Its' Ready For Take Off!!! :)

DIY BMW e46 Spark Plug Change by - impee www.impee.co.uk

Any questions please contact me