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marko · 10-11-2006, 02:15 PM

last night while driving home (@ about 80mph), car started sputtering and shaking/vibrating suddenly... pulled over on the side, opened the hood AND FOUND ONE SPARK PLUG (2nd from the front) COMPLETELY OUT OF ITS PLACE/SEAT (plastic S.P. cover was pushed up as well) & the rubber S.P. insulation broken to pieces (near the plug itself)!
I detached the plug from the cable and it seemed that 2 out 4 electrodes (Bosch platinum +4) were ever so slightly bent in, but the threads seemed fine.. so I just screwed the plug back in, pluged the wire back on top & the car drove home just fine... bought NEW plugs and installed them after coming home...
this morning, drove to the gas station just fine (about 1-2 miles), got gas & was pulling out of the station, WHEN THE SPUTTERING SHAKING & VIBRATIONS STARTED AGAIN - almost stalling with NO power (as if I've lost a cylinder AGAIN)! except this time the plugs seemed fine and none of them were loose!
2 possible scenarios:

1- frayed/busted spark plug wire is bad & problem will go away after I get new wires (but why did it drive fine on the way home last night & partially this morning???)...

2- something wrong with the piston itself (cracked or detached from the rod & is pushing/poping the spark plug out of head) since the car feels & drives as it is indeed missing on cylinder (but if there is such massive/catastrophic engine failure, woulldn't I be able to tell by seeing much more damage on the plug or head itself???)...

Anyone had this happen?? Any clues on what the f*&^ is wrong with this thing? Do I need a new block/head?

Ps- one last thing... it seems like it takes less turns to tighten the plug that popped out vs. the other 3 (not sure if that makes sense or not)... like I'm missing threads on the head itself (since the plug seems fine).

10-11-2006, 02:15 PM	#1
marko Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: NJ Posts: 1,625 '99 BMW 318ti Sport iTrader: (2) Photo Gallery	HELP! 1 DYING ti HERE!!! last night while driving home (@ about 80mph), car started sputtering and shaking/vibrating suddenly... pulled over on the side, opened the hood AND FOUND ONE SPARK PLUG (2nd from the front) COMPLETELY OUT OF ITS PLACE/SEAT (plastic S.P. cover was pushed up as well) & the rubber S.P. insulation broken to pieces (near the plug itself)! I detached the plug from the cable and it seemed that 2 out 4 electrodes (Bosch platinum +4) were ever so slightly bent in, but the threads seemed fine.. so I just screwed the plug back in, pluged the wire back on top & the car drove home just fine... bought NEW plugs and installed them after coming home... this morning, drove to the gas station just fine (about 1-2 miles), got gas & was pulling out of the station, WHEN THE SPUTTERING SHAKING & VIBRATIONS STARTED AGAIN - almost stalling with NO power (as if I've lost a cylinder AGAIN)! except this time the plugs seemed fine and none of them were loose! 2 possible scenarios: 1- frayed/busted spark plug wire is bad & problem will go away after I get new wires (but why did it drive fine on the way home last night & partially this morning???)... 2- something wrong with the piston itself (cracked or detached from the rod & is pushing/poping the spark plug out of head) since the car feels & drives as it is indeed missing on cylinder (but if there is such massive/catastrophic engine failure, woulldn't I be able to tell by seeing much more damage on the plug or head itself???)... Anyone had this happen?? Any clues on what the f*&^ is wrong with this thing? Do I need a new block/head? Ps- one last thing... it seems like it takes less turns to tighten the plug that popped out vs. the other 3 (not sure if that makes sense or not)... like I'm missing threads on the head itself (since the plug seems fine).