 » Site Navigation | | | | » Recent Threads | 1999 M3 Swap 09-07-2023 10:10 PM Today 08:18 PM 6 Replies, 317,296 Views | | | |  |  |  | |  12-17-2005, 05:51 AM | #1 | | Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: state college, pa Posts: 3,431 |  NEED HELP (Stuck in Akron, not Columbus)!!!
Hello, my brother asked me to log in for him because he's got a small emergency. He is is stuck in Columbus, OH, with a broken down ti. If anyone can lend a hand, he'd much appreciate it. Any help would be greatly appreciated, thanks!
EDIT: Changed title thread to reflect updated location of predicament
EDIT2: Phone number removed. __________________
I scream, you scream, we all scream for ZOMBIES. |  |  | | 12-17-2005, 09:09 PM | #2 | | aka Stabby Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Mead, CO Posts: 5,336 |
sorry, not anywhere in the area, but responding to bump the thread back up. __________________ 1996 318ti, California package, 267k miles
current mods: bilstein sports, bavauto springs, e30 m3 LCABs, solid metal ball joints, bavauto RSMs w/reinforcements, e30 3.73 LSD & halfshafts, supersprint cat-back exhaust, turner rear sway bar reinforcements, IE poly subframe & RTABs + camber/toe kits, powdercoated e36 32x front calipers, sport mirrors, H&R 28mmF/19mmR sway bars, x-brace, auto solutions SSK w/poly bushing upgrade, BMW CD43 head unit, DICE HD Radio w/iPod integration and "stealth" HD antenna, staggered style 68s, orange electronic TPMS, leather arm rest, JT Designs metal undertray
acquired and awaiting install: heated seat kit, cali top switch relo, lumbar support kit, park distance control kit, heated washer nozzle kit, m-coupe rear subframe, trailing arms, differential, and halfshafts, m-coupe front/rear brakes with master cylinder, under hood light kit, mud flaps, rear sun blind, auto-dimming rear view mirror, tilt steering wheel retrofit, apexcone 5000K HIDs with 55W ballasts
2002 X5 4.4 Sport Package, 53.5k miles
Current Mods: e46 m3 steering wheel | | | | | 12-18-2005, 06:06 PM | #3 | | Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: state college, pa Posts: 3,431 |
I don't really have the time at the moment, but thought I'd let everyone know: my car threw a spark plug out of the motor, taking the threads with it. My ti is sitting VOR at the BMW dealership in Akron, Ohio.
Thankfully, their service department was open on Saturdays, and their staff are real nice people. I have a craptastic rental car, and I'll need to go back Tuesday to pick mine up. __________________
I scream, you scream, we all scream for ZOMBIES. | | | | | 12-18-2005, 06:17 PM | #4 | | aka Stabby Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Mead, CO Posts: 5,336 |
what the hell??? how does that happen? can they drill and retap the threads with a helicoil or equivalent? they say they're stronger than the original threads.
man, that sux. let us know how it goes. __________________ 1996 318ti, California package, 267k miles
current mods: bilstein sports, bavauto springs, e30 m3 LCABs, solid metal ball joints, bavauto RSMs w/reinforcements, e30 3.73 LSD & halfshafts, supersprint cat-back exhaust, turner rear sway bar reinforcements, IE poly subframe & RTABs + camber/toe kits, powdercoated e36 32x front calipers, sport mirrors, H&R 28mmF/19mmR sway bars, x-brace, auto solutions SSK w/poly bushing upgrade, BMW CD43 head unit, DICE HD Radio w/iPod integration and "stealth" HD antenna, staggered style 68s, orange electronic TPMS, leather arm rest, JT Designs metal undertray
acquired and awaiting install: heated seat kit, cali top switch relo, lumbar support kit, park distance control kit, heated washer nozzle kit, m-coupe rear subframe, trailing arms, differential, and halfshafts, m-coupe front/rear brakes with master cylinder, under hood light kit, mud flaps, rear sun blind, auto-dimming rear view mirror, tilt steering wheel retrofit, apexcone 5000K HIDs with 55W ballasts
2002 X5 4.4 Sport Package, 53.5k miles
Current Mods: e46 m3 steering wheel | | | | | 12-20-2005, 10:17 PM | #5 | | Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Hilliard, Ohio Posts: 122 |
I'm in Columbus, you could've called me, my number's at the bottom of my website. Any way... how the heck did you blow out a plug? Was it under torqued or cross threaded? | | | | | 12-20-2005, 10:35 PM | #6 | | doesn't care about you. Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Denver, CO Posts: 3,925 |
Quote: | Originally Posted by bimmer95 I'm in Columbus, you could've called me, my number's at the bottom of my website. Any way... how the heck did you blow out a plug? Was it under torqued or cross threaded? | I blew a spark plug apart about a year ago. It was a cheap-O champion plug. Under full boost the porcelin (?) white part seperated from the metal threads. Holy crap, I thought I threw a rod. __________________ 
'99 Dinan M3 | | | | | 12-20-2005, 11:28 PM | #7 | | Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: PA Posts: 822 |
Quote: | Originally Posted by aceyx I don't really have the time at the moment, but thought I'd let everyone know: my car threw a spark plug out of the motor, taking the threads with it. My ti is sitting VOR at the BMW dealership in Akron, Ohio.
Thankfully, their service department was open on Saturdays, and their staff are real nice people. I have a craptastic rental car, and I'll need to go back Tuesday to pick mine up. | The same thing happened to me. The previous owner or someone must have cross threaded the sparkplug and it eventually blew out along with the threads. I had to put in a helacoil. Good luck man. | | | | | 12-20-2005, 11:37 PM | #9 | | aka Stabby Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Mead, CO Posts: 5,336 |
how long ago was that and how has the helicoil been working? i broke two bolts under my car in generally insignificant places and got the opportunity (that's how to look at it optomistically, right?  ) to use helicoils to fix them. pretty cool product. i wish my pics had turned out better for the write up i'm planning to do. __________________ 1996 318ti, California package, 267k miles
current mods: bilstein sports, bavauto springs, e30 m3 LCABs, solid metal ball joints, bavauto RSMs w/reinforcements, e30 3.73 LSD & halfshafts, supersprint cat-back exhaust, turner rear sway bar reinforcements, IE poly subframe & RTABs + camber/toe kits, powdercoated e36 32x front calipers, sport mirrors, H&R 28mmF/19mmR sway bars, x-brace, auto solutions SSK w/poly bushing upgrade, BMW CD43 head unit, DICE HD Radio w/iPod integration and "stealth" HD antenna, staggered style 68s, orange electronic TPMS, leather arm rest, JT Designs metal undertray
acquired and awaiting install: heated seat kit, cali top switch relo, lumbar support kit, park distance control kit, heated washer nozzle kit, m-coupe rear subframe, trailing arms, differential, and halfshafts, m-coupe front/rear brakes with master cylinder, under hood light kit, mud flaps, rear sun blind, auto-dimming rear view mirror, tilt steering wheel retrofit, apexcone 5000K HIDs with 55W ballasts
2002 X5 4.4 Sport Package, 53.5k miles
Current Mods: e46 m3 steering wheel | | | | | 12-20-2005, 11:51 PM | #10 | | Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: PA Posts: 822 |
That happened at 135,000 miles and I now have 180,000 miles on the car and havent had any problems. I havent ever tried to do anything to that spark plug in fear of something going wrong. So far so good though. | | | | | 12-20-2005, 11:56 PM | #11 | | aka Stabby Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Mead, CO Posts: 5,336 |
considering the places helicoils were designed for, your spark plug holes shouldn't be too hard on them  good to hear a real life story of them though. __________________ 1996 318ti, California package, 267k miles
current mods: bilstein sports, bavauto springs, e30 m3 LCABs, solid metal ball joints, bavauto RSMs w/reinforcements, e30 3.73 LSD & halfshafts, supersprint cat-back exhaust, turner rear sway bar reinforcements, IE poly subframe & RTABs + camber/toe kits, powdercoated e36 32x front calipers, sport mirrors, H&R 28mmF/19mmR sway bars, x-brace, auto solutions SSK w/poly bushing upgrade, BMW CD43 head unit, DICE HD Radio w/iPod integration and "stealth" HD antenna, staggered style 68s, orange electronic TPMS, leather arm rest, JT Designs metal undertray
acquired and awaiting install: heated seat kit, cali top switch relo, lumbar support kit, park distance control kit, heated washer nozzle kit, m-coupe rear subframe, trailing arms, differential, and halfshafts, m-coupe front/rear brakes with master cylinder, under hood light kit, mud flaps, rear sun blind, auto-dimming rear view mirror, tilt steering wheel retrofit, apexcone 5000K HIDs with 55W ballasts
2002 X5 4.4 Sport Package, 53.5k miles
Current Mods: e46 m3 steering wheel | | | | | 12-29-2005, 08:07 AM | #12 | | Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: state college, pa Posts: 3,431 |
Quote: | Originally Posted by bimmer95 I'm in Columbus, you could've called me, my number's at the bottom of my website. Any way... how the heck did you blow out a plug? Was it under torqued or cross threaded? | Didn't have internet. Plus, it happened at 11 at night and would have felt odd about calling for help. I'm still completely unsure about how it happened, but I think I'll actually start using my torque wrench now. I've got a steel insert (not helicoil) in there keeping things together, and have pictures of the plug blown out and the cover all bent-up. I'm worried about what'll happen when I try and change the plugs at 200k, but at least it'll make a good donor car for a swap! Final bill was $380, not bad all things considered. __________________
I scream, you scream, we all scream for ZOMBIES. | | | | | 12-31-2005, 05:51 PM | #13 | | aka Stabby Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Mead, CO Posts: 5,336 |
post up the pics man! i wanna see glad your bill wasn't too bad. __________________ 1996 318ti, California package, 267k miles
current mods: bilstein sports, bavauto springs, e30 m3 LCABs, solid metal ball joints, bavauto RSMs w/reinforcements, e30 3.73 LSD & halfshafts, supersprint cat-back exhaust, turner rear sway bar reinforcements, IE poly subframe & RTABs + camber/toe kits, powdercoated e36 32x front calipers, sport mirrors, H&R 28mmF/19mmR sway bars, x-brace, auto solutions SSK w/poly bushing upgrade, BMW CD43 head unit, DICE HD Radio w/iPod integration and "stealth" HD antenna, staggered style 68s, orange electronic TPMS, leather arm rest, JT Designs metal undertray
acquired and awaiting install: heated seat kit, cali top switch relo, lumbar support kit, park distance control kit, heated washer nozzle kit, m-coupe rear subframe, trailing arms, differential, and halfshafts, m-coupe front/rear brakes with master cylinder, under hood light kit, mud flaps, rear sun blind, auto-dimming rear view mirror, tilt steering wheel retrofit, apexcone 5000K HIDs with 55W ballasts
2002 X5 4.4 Sport Package, 53.5k miles
Current Mods: e46 m3 steering wheel | | | | | 01-05-2006, 07:29 PM | #14 | | Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: state college, pa Posts: 3,431 |
Picture of blown plug-boot. The plug itself was nowhere to be found (probably lying on the highway 30 miles north of Columbus).
Other picture is of the spark plug cover, completely bent out of shape. The 1/4 turn nut near cylinder #1 was gone. I was surprised it bent, rather than cracked. __________________
I scream, you scream, we all scream for ZOMBIES. | | | | | 05-03-2006, 08:15 AM | #15 | | Senior Member Join Date: May 2005 Location: CG68 Posts: 280 |
This exact same thing just happened to me about 3-1/2 hours ago. Hopefully my shop is competent enough (think so) and fair enough (hope so) to fix this without charging an arm and a leg. I'd like to think that I could do it myself, it'd probably get done faster that way! Any thoughts? | | | | | |
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