HELP! Hole in Coilpack/Spark Plug Cylinder Housing

[Hop74]

So I was changing my valve cover today and pulled the coilpack furthest to the back. It was filled with oil. I went to clean out the coilpack housing and there is a V-shaped hole in the side. Wtf. This can't be normal right?

Car seemed slightly sluggish lately and smelled burning oil. Hence I decided to do the valve cover. But now I'm certain this was the real issue.

Any ideas wtf happened? Afraid to ask what needs to be done to fix it...

[stocktree]

Wow. Someone has been in there doing something, but what??
Is that lower part worn too it looks?
You can buy that aluminum piece separate.
But I'd be concerned how it got like that.

[Hop74]

Originally Posted by stocktree

Wow. Someone has been in there doing something, but what??
Is that lower part worn too it looks?
You can buy that aluminum piece separate.
But I'd be concerned how it got like that.

Yeah. I had some slight misfires a handful of times but nothing to through a code. And I have a tune.

Thats great its a seperate piece. Not sure how I would actually replace it tho.... I have seen absolutley nothing on this issue.

Any idea where I can find a replacement piece? Or part number?

[stocktree]

Not sure what year your car is, but I think they are all the same. Or start over on realoem.com with your car year.
https://www.realoem.com/bmw/enUS/sho...diagId=11_4452
You'll also need the seal below it. Looks like only a couple bolts holding it. You'll need to pull your injectors I think.

[Hop74]

Originally Posted by stocktree

Not sure what year your car is, but I think they are all the same. Or start over on realoem.com with your car year.
https://www.realoem.com/bmw/enUS/sho...diagId=11_4452
You'll also need the seal below it. Looks like only a couple bolts holding it. You'll need to pull your injectors I think.

Ah I see now. One assembly houses 2 coils. Thanks so much for the guidance!

Still... would like to know how the hell this happened. Hopefully its just a once in a blue moon type of thing...

[Monkeypoop]

Another question I would be worried about is where is the piece at?

[stocktree]

Looks like some kind of tool marks. But what the heck could they have stuck in there?

[Hop74]

Originally Posted by Monkeypoop

Another question I would be worried about is where is the piece at?

Great question... Dont see any other damage anywhere else...

Originally Posted by stocktree

Looks like some kind of tool marks. But what the heck could they have stuck in there?

I had my plugs done about 10k miles ago. Didnt have time to do it myself so took it to a shop. Haven't done any work on the car since. I just hope whatever made that hole is long gone.

[stocktree]

Originally Posted by Hop74

Great question... Dont see any other damage anywhere else...



I had my plugs done about 10k miles ago. Didnt have time to do it myself so took it to a shop. Haven't done any work on the car since. I just hope whatever made that hole is long gone.

Are you the original owner? Was the last shop a dealer?
If they didn't say anything about the hole, then most likely they caused it.

[Hop74]

Originally Posted by stocktree

Are you the original owner? Was the last shop a dealer?
If they didn't say anything about the hole, then most likely they caused it.

Not the original owner. Didnt go to the dealer. Got the car fully stock at about 82k miles. Its a 2015 35i. Car was maintained very well. Plugs were never changed tho.

[1norseman]

Originally Posted by Monkeypoop

Another question I would be worried about is where is the piece at?

Originally Posted by Hop74

Great question... Dont see any other damage anywhere else...



I had my plugs done about 10k miles ago. Didnt have time to do it myself so took it to a shop. Haven't done any work on the car since. I just hope whatever made that hole is long gone.

Hypothetical, but I'm pretty sure I'm right!
The coils can be a pita to remove. When they changed the plugs, somehow they broke one coil or plug and had to use tools to remove the rest. Damaged the insert and chose not to tell you. The damage is in a place where only a mechanic can cause it, so you can be sure someone effed up and didn't say anything.

I'd be worried too, about having a piece of aluminum floating around in the engine, possibly blocking oil flow or interfering with moving parts. No way of seeing, unless you open up the engine. Though you have driven for 10k miles like this, so you might be OK. Definitely replace that insert and see if you can locate the missing chunk, when insert is out.

Sad to say, but when it comes to mechanics you have to assume the worst and find another one, once you have an issue like this. If you take it back to the same place that likely caused the issue, (and indeed they were responsible for the damage) they now will look at you as a clueless "tool", unless you call them out on it. But you have no way of proving anything. Catch22 sort of..

Still, if it was me, I'd let them know what I found out, call them out on it. Any skilled mechanic would have seen the damage and told you about it, not just ignored it. Which leads me to believe this happened when they changed the plugs. If it is a bigger reputable shop with a manager/owner and several mechanics, talk to the manager, because he should know he has a shady mechanic.

[Hop74]

Originally Posted by 1norseman

Hypothetical, but I'm pretty sure I'm right!
The coils can be a pita to remove. When they changed the plugs, somehow they broke one coil or plug and had to use tools to remove the rest. Damaged the insert and chose not to tell you. The damage is in a place where only a mechanic can cause it, so you can be sure someone effed up and didn't say anything.

I'd be worried too, about having a piece of aluminum floating around in the engine, possibly blocking oil flow or interfering with moving parts. No way of seeing, unless you open up the engine. Though you have driven for 10k miles like this, so you might be OK. Definitely replace that insert and see if you can locate the missing chunk, when insert is out.

Sad to say, but when it comes to mechanics you have to assume the worst and find another one, once you have an issue like this. If you take it back to the same place that likely caused the issue, (and indeed they were responsible for the damage) they now will look at you as a clueless "tool", unless you call them out on it. But you have no way of proving anything. Catch22 sort of..

Still, if it was me, I'd let them know what I found out, call them out on it. Any skilled mechanic would have seen the damage and told you about it, not just ignored it. Which leads me to believe this happened when they changed the plugs. If it is a bigger reputable shop with a manager/owner and several mechanics, talk to the manager, because he should know he has a shady mechanic.

Can't disagree with this at all. Interesting point about the coils. But they showed me the coils after (because I had them changed to dinan with the plugs) and they were filthy, but completely intact. So i doubt that was the issue.

I didnt have an issue removing the newer ones plugs yesterday either. But removing the one from the damaged cyclinder was way too easy since it was flooded with oil. Also the seal seemed completely worn.

The more I think about it, the more lucky I feel i didnt have an actual fire.... let alone a few misfires. I wonder if this was the source of the oil leak and not the valve cover? I dont know where exactly that hole leads to...

[Hop74]

Update: Finally got the spark plug recess. Of course there was no DIY on this but got it removed and put the new piece in pretty easily after removing the valve cover again. I tried to do it without pulling the injectors but #6 was blocking the last bolt to take out the recess. Ended up pulling both injectors just to make sure they are ok.

No sign of that big chunck that broke off. I agree that whoever caused it may have taken the piece out and just not said anything. Also, as pointed out before, there is a little wear on the piece below the recess. But decided to not mess with it and see how it holds up. But i did replace the gasket.

Got the valve cover back on and everything seems snug. Wasnt able to torque the injectors yet. Apparently they are supposed to be torqued to a mere 2 nanometers?? I dont have a torque wrench that goes down to 2nm so will get that tomorrow, clean out the rest of the oil in the spark plug well and pull the plug to see if it needs replacing too. Hope to be up and running soon.

(Sorry i didnt take better pics.... it looked like it was going to rain so had to hurry)

[jbfrancis3]

I see the big chunk in your 2nd and 3rd pics, just next to the valve spring.

You're lucky it didn't get bound up in the spring.

You're unlucky if its all back together...

[Qsilver7]

Originally Posted by jbfrancis3

I see the big chunk in your 2nd and 3rd pics, just next to the valve spring.

You're lucky it didn't get bound up in the spring.

You're unlucky if its all back together...

Ditto…hopefully the OP saw it, too.

Did a little work on the pic to increase contrast and lighten the image a bit and the missing piece is right there…as they say…if it was a snake, it would have bit ‘cha.

[Hop74]

Welllll..... F🤬ck me.

I guess if you cant laugh at yourself, who can you laugh at. 😂 I deserve it for rushing. And it didnt even rain.

You guys are awesome for enhancing the pictures to look deeper than I did. Thank you.

[Qsilver7]

…the good thing is we know where the missing piece is…even if you have to redo things…its better than not knowing where it went and possibly causing more damage down the road.

Thanks for sharing the pics because if you hadn’t…it would still be a mystery.

Hang in there.

[Hop74]

Just couldn't sleep knowing it was in there lol. Had a cigar and went back in

[tlow98]

Crazy. Amazing. Love this forum.

[Chilled]

CSI Forum to the rescue.

[stocktree]

Now drop off those old parts at the last mechanic you used.