318ti.org forum

Go Back   318ti.org forum > Technical, Maintenance and Modifications > Engine

Notices

Engine Tuneups, chips, wires, spark plugs.

.
» Recent Threads
1999 M-Sport For Sale
12-31-2023 05:10 PM
Last post by Coop540iT
03-23-2024 06:39 PM
1 Replies, 106,480 Views
Once again 318ti owner...
03-20-2024 12:39 PM
Last post by two30grain
03-22-2024 02:04 PM
1 Replies, 69,398 Views
What brakes do I...
03-20-2024 03:27 PM
Last post by huirtera
03-20-2024 03:27 PM
0 Replies, 66,640 Views
Reply Share/Bookmark
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
Old 02-27-2016, 11:14 PM   #1
Artem
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: San Francisco, CA
Posts: 425
Vehicles
iTrader: (2)
Default Spark Plugs exploding! Help! (S52)

Hey guys,

So I went to Laguna Seca and everything went awesome. After a full day at the track the car was amazing, and felt perfect. At the very end of the next to last session though, I get a horrible misfire and have to pull in.

Shut the car off as soon as I could, ran the code - cylinder 6. I park, take the covers off and see a fried coil (I mean, fried - warped and smoking, with the core embedded in the body of the coil). I disassemble the whole mess, and find a spark plug (OEM, BOSCH FGR8KQE) just lying there with a hole through the center of the hex which is still firmly in the head, the silicone from the boot melted and essentially just the core left there which looks like it was found after a plane crash.

I clean it all up, extract what was left of the plug out of the head. Miraculously find someone around with an M3 - buy a coil and a plug off them, run the engine briefly to force any crap lying in the spark plug hole out. Then replace the spark plug and the car seems to be running ok, doesnt immediately stall out like when you run it without the spark plug.

I limped it to NAPA without the boot with the injector unplugged. Got a new boot, threw it all together and it seems to be running just fine, no noticeable roughness or anything, so it appears as if I literally dodged a bullet made out of the core of the damn FGR8KQE.


Big question is - I gota get the damn ticking time bombs out of the car and I need new plugs. Does anyone know of a 100% recommended replacement that will perform as well as the BOSCH's without the danger of the porcelain getting obliterated in the car (I heard of a number of cases of failure with BOSCH, so I am looking for a replacement).


Thanks guys!

-Artem
Artem is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-27-2016, 11:55 PM   #2
samdemange
Senior Member
 
samdemange's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: Bresse Track France
Posts: 535
Vehicles
iTrader: (0)
Default

hi artem,i have NGK iridium on my trackdays ti (M52B28),working great until 7200 rpm
and you can choose a lower heater grade than the OEM one for better performance and less temp for the head of the engine
__________________
my project in progress
http://www.318ti.org/gallery/showgallery.php?cat=1076
samdemange is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-28-2016, 01:11 AM   #3
Artem
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: San Francisco, CA
Posts: 425
Vehicles
iTrader: (2)
Default

Thanks sam! Good to know! Are those the bkr6equip's? I might throw bkr6ekub's in that I had in my z4 temporarily while the other boschs started leaking... I should have taken precautions as soon as that happened!
Artem is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-28-2016, 10:19 AM   #4
samdemange
Senior Member
 
samdemange's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: Bresse Track France
Posts: 535
Vehicles
iTrader: (0)
Default

the NGK iridium model for my engine are BKR6EIX
the lower grade is BKR7EIX
__________________
my project in progress
http://www.318ti.org/gallery/showgallery.php?cat=1076
samdemange is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-06-2016, 04:02 AM   #5
Artem
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: San Francisco, CA
Posts: 425
Vehicles
iTrader: (2)
Default

Update:
Ran a compression test, got numbers around 180PSI across the board (whew).

Pulled all the BOSCH plugs out, put in NGK BKR6EQUP, runs beautifully. My advice is if you have BOSCH plugs - get those NGKs in there.
Artem is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-06-2016, 04:23 AM   #6
wolferj-RIP
Senior Member
 
wolferj-RIP's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: norcal - 94590
Posts: 3,186
iTrader: (16)
Default

I'll second the NGK's, Artem. Been running those since the swap 7 years (!!!) ago. Glad you got it all sorted out and running like it's supposed to..

How'd you like Laguna Seca? I've been 3 times since November, it just keeps getting better for me.
__________________
James 95 active w/leather interior and sport interior conversion, Vaders, full M-Tech exterior conversion. Now m50 swapped* Eibach sway bars, D2 Coilovers, Depo's w/AE's, blacked-out sides and grills, LeatherZ console and door armrests, 1 series starter button mod, and custom finished Style 5's <--- in this color! Named "Roddy": *M50 6 cyl. swap with fan delete, S50 cams and chip, AFE stage 2 intake, M3 clutch and 11.5 lb Fidanza flywheel, 3.15LSD, battery relocated to rear and complete custom exhaust. Sweet! 97 318ti sport, Alaska Blue, Contours, coilovers, Dove Vaders and custom black/grey interior named "Max" 95 318ti Active in Cosmos, S50 swap in progress... named "Pit" SUPPORT 318ti.org! CLICK THE LINK ABOVE! Hosting a forum like this is not free. 318ti.org is one of the best BMW forums on the web because it is member supported, not vendor supported. The cost to become a Supporter is a nominal $10.00... A YEAR! DO IT! NOW!
wolferj-RIP is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-07-2016, 01:56 AM   #7
740isport
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: SF Bay Area
Posts: 315
iTrader: (1)
Default

I'll agree on NGK's over Bosch. Had too many issues with Bosch in various BMW's including the loss of the ground electrode (prongs) into multiple cylinders on an M62TU. Never have had nor seen that issue occur with NGK's
__________________
01 740iS Cosmos Black
97 318ti Boston Green
99 318ti Titanium Silver
13 X5 3.5XDrive Cosmos Black
97 318ti Alpine White (gone but not forgotten)
88 325iC Schwartz Black (sold)
97 740iL Schwartz Black (sold)
84 633csi Schwartz Black (sold)
96 318ti Alaska Blue (sold)
08 X5 4.8i Titanium Silver (sold)
740isport is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-07-2016, 03:29 AM   #8
Artem
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: San Francisco, CA
Posts: 425
Vehicles
iTrader: (2)
Default

Thanks guys! Wish I had known before throwing those in there.. oh well, it just cost me 20 mins at the track in the end.

Laguna Seca was pretty awesome! I got a time of 1:58:23 on my last lap before failure, and I was only doing better, almost 1:57 when that damn plug blew up!
Artem is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-20-2016, 05:52 PM   #9
TobyB
Member
 
Join Date: May 2015
Location: Carnation
Posts: 44
iTrader: (0)
Default

"BOSCH"

Yup. Once a quality brand... once.

I'll 3rd NGK.

t
TobyB is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Bookmarks


Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
 
Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump

Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Spark Plugs black98 Engine 12 01-07-2012 11:39 PM
Oil on spark plugs Borg561 Engine 10 06-07-2010 02:16 AM
Just Changed Spark Plugs pootie Maintenance 3 12-20-2006 01:38 PM
Four ground electrode spark plugs b.u.ti-ful Lounge 12 10-31-2006 01:32 PM
Emissions, Spark Plugs JPerfect Maintenance 2 11-20-2005 03:03 AM


All times are GMT +1. The time now is 02:31 PM.


.
Powered by site supporters
vBulletin Version 3.8.8
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
Copyright ©1999 - 2024, 318ti.org
© vBadvanced CMPS v3.2.2
[page compression: 96.74 k/113.79 k (14.99%)]

318ti.org does not warrant or assume any legal liability or responsibility for the accuracy, completeness, or usefulness of any information or products discussed.