Ever have one of those nights?

carjoe · 10-08-2009, 09:51 PM

Frig...

I figure it's nice out, might as well change the wipers since they're crap. Run to the dealer, grab some blade inserts. Got to change them tonight, not the right inserts. Yay. Now that I've mangled the old ones to get them off, I've got no drivers side wiper blade. Awesome. Job 1-FAIL

Okey dokey, let's move on to something nice and easy like plugs. Take of the top cover, take off the second cover, undo the coils and awesome, plug one is seized. Now what...So, put everything back together to try another day. Oh, but wait, the cover screw just keeps going and going. CRACK. Son of a...yup, cracked the cover just a little. Job 2-FAIL

So, all the nice easy stuff I thought I could get done tonight, botched em both.

Yeah, I'm gonna go watch Fringe. It's safer.

chromius · 10-08-2009, 10:03 PM

Crappy man. Sorry to hear. Are you sure you got the wrong wiper inserts? I'm pretty sure they're all the same, you just have to trim them to fit.

If you need a hand with anything let me know.

And don't feel bad, I've had many of those nights.

carjoe · 10-08-2009, 10:13 PM

Heh, thanks.

The inserts I got have no metal piece in them. Floppy as floppy can be and no way to put the old metal insert in. They slide in no problem but I have no idea how they'll hold in the rain. I'm not sure they'll apply enough pressure.

As far as the plugs go. I'm stumped. I have no idea what to do. Normally, I'd get a bigger wrench but I'm not sure that's advisable in this case! I dont' know what to do in this case...I\'ll go see my mechanic and get his thoughts.

At least Fringe was good.

chromius · 10-08-2009, 10:19 PM

Yeah, the inserts don't come with the metal piece. It's a pain in the ass to transfer the old metal over, but they do work

.

For the plugs, I'd just use a big wrench. Pretty sure that's your only option, and probably what the mech would do anyway. Were you trying to take them out with the engine cold or hot?

carjoe · 10-08-2009, 10:33 PM

hot motor. Big wrench just doesn't sound right. I'd hate to a break a plug.

I'll have to try the wiper thing again but I can't even see where to put the insert.

carjoe · 10-08-2009, 10:43 PM

Other end of wiper insert

Yeah, I'm not seeing it. I still think these aren't right.

chromius · 10-08-2009, 10:45 PM

I'd give it a shot on a cold engine. I've always done plugs when cold and never had an issue. Also, theoretically, the expansion rate of aluminium head is pretty high, so as a result would tighten down on the plugs when hot.

I also seem to remember the bentley being pretty adamant about the engine being cold before replacing the plugs.

chromius · 10-08-2009, 10:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by carjoe

Other end of wiper insert

Yeah, I'm not seeing it. I still think these aren't right.

I just went and looked at mine, and the inserts look identical. There should be a metal strip on each side of the rubber.

chromius · 10-08-2009, 11:03 PM

Does this help?

mikemac · 10-09-2009, 08:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by carjoe

Heh, thanks.

The inserts I got have no metal piece in them. Floppy as floppy can be and no way to put the old metal insert in. They slide in no problem but I have no idea how they'll hold in the rain. I'm not sure they'll apply enough pressure.

As far as the plugs go. I'm stumped. I have no idea what to do. Normally, I'd get a bigger wrench but I'm not sure that's advisable in this case! I dont' know what to do in this case...I\'ll go see my mechanic and get his thoughts.

At least Fringe was good.

was the motor hot or cold?

mikemac · 10-09-2009, 08:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chromius

I'd give it a shot on a cold engine. I've always done plugs when cold and never had an issue. Also, theoretically, the expansion rate of aluminium head is pretty high, so as a result would tighten down on the plugs when hot.

I also seem to remember the bentley being pretty adamant about the engine being cold before replacing the plugs.

Ya, always cold motor.

carjoe · 10-09-2009, 09:04 AM

Interesting. Cold motor. Good to know. I'm not sure I've ever ran into that with my other cars.

Wiper saga, fixed. I broke down and went to the dealer to buy new ones. They look exactly like the ones you posted Chromius. Interesting, if only because I found the ones I had on Bimmerfest and they described the same thing but their was some banter about which insert to use...

To note, the no clip insert works better than the old wipers. :scratch head:

gervs · 10-09-2009, 10:05 PM

At least you got to watch fringe?

zarbat007 · 10-09-2009, 10:25 PM

If the spark plug is tight, try to use a flexible socket to open it, this way you will avoid leaning the socket and breaking the plug.

You don't want that.

bmdbley'sBro · 10-09-2009, 11:33 PM

Ever have one of those nights? Yes!

this reminds me of the time i tried to do my brakes on my 318is.
tried but that 1 front wheel (the second one i was doing) was dragging like the brake was on!? think i ended up taking em apart & back together again like 3 times. I gave up & put it back to stock. striker ended up installing em for me..

so it tuned out to be this 1/2 a mm bit or bump (a casting imperfection) on the back of the hawk b.pad. I never noticed it. also before total defeat i had a stripped rotor holder screw, striker had come down to get that out, cause i couldn't do that either

so it was actually like a 2,3 day process of aggrevation before total failure