Corrosion On Coil Packs/spark Plugs

colt9987 · 12-03-2014, 02:36 PM

I did a spark plug change the other day and came to find that my #3 and #4 coil packs and spark plugs had some corrosion on them. I replaced the spark plugs, but I did not replace the coil packs. Should I replace the #3 and #4 coil packs?

Also, what would cause this? Thanks for the help.

Freon · 12-03-2014, 03:37 PM

That's really odd. The last picture shows what appear to be water spots, so somehow moisture is getting in there.

Have you attempted to wash your engine bay, or sprayed anything (water, solvent) on the engine cover to clean it? Maybe it dripped in around the oil cap hole in the engine cover and got into those two cylinders. Are you the first owner of the car? Could be a previous owners, especially since they may have cleaned it to sell it.

I don't think it looks bad enough to be damaging.

edisapimp · 12-03-2014, 04:58 PM

Agree it looks like moisture. Are you one of the people who is running without the cowls?

colt9987 · 12-04-2014, 08:39 AM

I have note washed the engine bay, but I am the 2nd owner. Who knows what the first person did. All checked out on the PPI. I am running with cowls as well.

So you think its alright just to leave them in as is? I just wasn't sure how corrosion like this on the coil packs would effect them.

The reason I changed the plugs was due to getting a CEL on some pulls with my Procede. After changing the plugs I have only gotten the CEL 2 times, but that was right after changing them so I figured it might be due to the computer adjusting.

MightyMouseTech · 12-04-2014, 09:45 AM

That does not really look bad. Don't worry about it and keep driving.

e36addict · 12-04-2014, 11:54 AM

Every time I pull mine apart it looks like this... but way worse. Never causes any problems so I don't worry about it.

colt9987 · 12-04-2014, 04:38 PM

Sweet. Thought I was going to have to replace them. Thanks for the feedback!

Javbrat-wp · 12-05-2014, 05:59 PM

wow!!! what a coincidence i did a spark plug change last night and i my coils looks identical to yours ...

i also suspect moisture but not sure how its possible?

Dackelone · 12-05-2014, 06:10 PM

I would not worry about the surface rust on the coil packs. If you had any rings, from trace misfires on the coils - then that would be a different story. You'd see a "ring" around the coil pack.

I wonder why you have a single electrode plug. The N54 plugs should look like this... (unless bmw/bosch has changed the design). Who made your old plugs?

Name: spark plugs mine N54.jpg
Views: 3317
Size: 141.2 KB

Name: spark plugs mine N54.jpg
Views: 3317
Size: 141.2 KB

Freon · 12-05-2014, 06:44 PM

Did he state if he has a N54 or N55? N55 is single electrode. No model year on his profile, just "135i"

Icewall · 12-06-2014, 04:54 PM

make sure your cowl is installed correctly. mine wasn't from a previous owner . a coil pack, spark plug, and injector was corroded.

that injector failed and took me 3 days to get it out!

of it's just the plugs then I wouldn't worry about it, just see if it's not a lot of water. but if it gets near the injector... then I'd worry.

Mernardi · 12-16-2014, 03:05 PM

I changed my plugs and coils out this summer chasing a misfire issue. Every one of the coils looked the same, but my plugs were not nearly as corroded.

12-03-2014, 02:36 PM	#1
colt9987 Lieutenant 48 Rep 437 Posts Drives: 135i Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: dallas iTrader: (2)	Corrosion On Coil Packs/spark Plugs I did a spark plug change the other day and came to find that my #3 and #4 coil packs and spark plugs had some corrosion on them. I replaced the spark plugs, but I did not replace the coil packs. Should I replace the #3 and #4 coil packs? Also, what would cause this? Thanks for the help. Attached Images __________________ 2011 135i
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12-03-2014, 03:37 PM	#2
Freon Major 82 Rep 1,051 Posts Drives: 2009 135i Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Indianapolis iTrader: (3)	That's really odd. The last picture shows what appear to be water spots, so somehow moisture is getting in there. Have you attempted to wash your engine bay, or sprayed anything (water, solvent) on the engine cover to clean it? Maybe it dripped in around the oil cap hole in the engine cover and got into those two cylinders. Are you the first owner of the car? Could be a previous owners, especially since they may have cleaned it to sell it. I don't think it looks bad enough to be damaging. __________________ 2009 BMW 135i 6MT Sport, AFE intake, Cobb AP, Apex 18x8.5+9.5, 255/275 PSS
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12-03-2014, 04:58 PM	#3
edisapimp Civil Rights Activist 115 Rep 949 Posts Drives: E46 Sedan, E88 Vert Join Date: Apr 2013 Location: Long Island iTrader: (0)	Agree it looks like moisture. Are you one of the people who is running without the cowls? __________________ E88 Crimson Red Vert MSport 6MT - Listing your mods in your signature is lame. BMS DCI/MHD E30 Flash!!/AA Sport FMIC/VRSF CP w Tial BOV/VRSF 3" DPs/550i clutch w SPEC SMFW/Apex EC-7s/Whiteline RSFB/E92 M3 FCAs/Bilstein B12 Pro Kit/VRSF inlets
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12-04-2014, 08:39 AM	#4
colt9987 Lieutenant 48 Rep 437 Posts Drives: 135i Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: dallas iTrader: (2)	I have note washed the engine bay, but I am the 2nd owner. Who knows what the first person did. All checked out on the PPI. I am running with cowls as well. So you think its alright just to leave them in as is? I just wasn't sure how corrosion like this on the coil packs would effect them. The reason I changed the plugs was due to getting a CEL on some pulls with my Procede. After changing the plugs I have only gotten the CEL 2 times, but that was right after changing them so I figured it might be due to the computer adjusting. __________________ 2011 135i
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12-04-2014, 09:45 AM	#5
MightyMouseTech Major General 4342 Rep 6,196 Posts Drives: 13 135i 6MT LeMans Blue MSport Join Date: Feb 2013 Location: Ottawa, Canada iTrader: (0)	That does not really look bad. Don't worry about it and keep driving.
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12-04-2014, 11:54 AM	#6
e36addict Captain 140 Rep 952 Posts Drives: 2013 X1 35iX Join Date: Jul 2013 Location: Tim @ BMW of Dallas iTrader: (5)	Every time I pull mine apart it looks like this... but way worse. Never causes any problems so I don't worry about it. __________________ 13 X1 35iX, 98 Z3 2.8, 01 M Coupe, 96 Z3 1.9 DASC, 95 318ti, 13 smart fortwo
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12-04-2014, 04:38 PM	#7
colt9987 Lieutenant 48 Rep 437 Posts Drives: 135i Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: dallas iTrader: (2)	Sweet. Thought I was going to have to replace them. Thanks for the feedback! __________________ 2011 135i
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12-05-2014, 05:59 PM	#8
Javbrat-wp New Member 0 Rep 7 Posts Drives: bmw 135i dct Join Date: Apr 2013 Location: south africa iTrader: (0)	wow!!! what a coincidence i did a spark plug change last night and i my coils looks identical to yours ... i also suspect moisture but not sure how its possible?
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12-05-2014, 06:10 PM	#9
Dackelone European Editor 10757 Rep 22,992 Posts Drives: N54 e82 Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Bayern, Germany iTrader: (1)	I would not worry about the surface rust on the coil packs. If you had any rings, from trace misfires on the coils - then that would be a different story. You'd see a "ring" around the coil pack. I wonder why you have a single electrode plug. The N54 plugs should look like this... (unless bmw/bosch has changed the design). Who made your old plugs? __________________ Dackel's European Delivery Museum Guide
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12-05-2014, 06:44 PM	#10
Freon Major 82 Rep 1,051 Posts Drives: 2009 135i Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Indianapolis iTrader: (3)	Did he state if he has a N54 or N55? N55 is single electrode. No model year on his profile, just "135i" __________________ 2009 BMW 135i 6MT Sport, AFE intake, Cobb AP, Apex 18x8.5+9.5, 255/275 PSS
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12-06-2014, 04:54 PM	#11
Icewall Private 1 Rep 90 Posts Drives: black 135i Join Date: Jul 2013 Location: Clark, nj iTrader: (0)	make sure your cowl is installed correctly. mine wasn't from a previous owner . a coil pack, spark plug, and injector was corroded. that injector failed and took me 3 days to get it out! of it's just the plugs then I wouldn't worry about it, just see if it's not a lot of water. but if it gets near the injector... then I'd worry.
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12-16-2014, 03:05 PM	#12
Mernardi Private 10 Rep 60 Posts Drives: 2011 135i DCT Join Date: Sep 2014 Location: United States iTrader: (0)	I changed my plugs and coils out this summer chasing a misfire issue. Every one of the coils looked the same, but my plugs were not nearly as corroded.
	Appreciate 0 Quote