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Broken s85 #5 Ignition Coil

9K views 15 replies 6 participants last post by  Flitzr951 
#1 ·
All,

Been lurking for a while and gotten a lot of good information from the forum. I've got a 2008 M5 with a bad #5 coil. I've previously changed a couple of coils with mixed results (2 came out not broken; broke #8 flush and had to drill center to pull out).

A couple days after fixing #8 I get the error that #5 had gone as well. While trying to pull it out (being super careful following recently breaking #8) broke the clip and mounting ears off. The connector is still there luckily but lack of room I don't have any idea on how to get it out. The DME harness runs right over it preventing me from getting right over it to use pliers.

Appreciate any help or insight folks can provide. I can provide pictures if necessary assuming I can upload them.
 
#2 ·
Here are the tricks you need to try:

- get a bag of fresh pull handles. You can get replacements just for these. Search on realoem.com.

- remove the bulk head in the back. This will give you more space. I just put up a detailed DYI on this. It relates to a failed idle actuator, code CDBD. You'll find it with a search.

- first, turn each coil clock wise and counter clock wise to loosen the rubber seals from the valve covers. Do it a couple of times. That avoids a lot of resistance. Reach back on five and ten and do this before anything else. In fact it is good practice on all.

- set the clip straight up. Make a small wooden piece approx 1 inch high. Drill a hole and thread a wire through it. Tie it to the strut tower reinforcement brace. (Dropping it does not not lead to a drama recovering it.)

- place the block right behind the clip. Stick a 3/8 ratchet extension or long screw driver through the clip and rest the tip on the wooden block, holding it in place with your other hand.

- ....now slowly lever up. The key is to do it very gradually. The key is -gradually-. It will pop off the spark plug and the slowness allows to rubber seal to slowly break loose. If the clip breaks, just pop a fresh one on.
 
#3 ·
Rt7085

Thanks for the reply. I'll give those a try.

The problem I'm having is that the black clip is till intact. What broke was the ears that are on the white part of the coil (small circles that the black clip hooks into). I actually have a couple of extra black clips but can't reinstall.

Wasn't sure if anyone has any ideas about some other way to get a pull to get it out. It seems really stuck on there.
 
#5 ·
Rt7085,

Thanks. I've got a new coil expecting this one to be bad so I'm ok messing it up. Just trying to keep from breaking the entire head off like I did with #8. I'll review that thread to see about removing the bulkhead. Thanks for the quick follow up.
 
#8 ·
Pmalik, How'd you end up reaching it? That's where I'm currently stuck. I can put my fingers on it and twist it slightly between the up rights that the rubber nose on the coil fits between but that's it. I've taken the lid off the electronics box which gave me a little more room by moving the harness up but still no go.

Any insight on how I can grip and get it out would be greatly appreciated. Should I try to twist it past the up rights to try and fully "unglue" it from the plug? This has been a real pain. Thanks.
 
#10 ·
I was doing thins along with the thermostat, so I've removed all the cabin intake stuff a head of time. Once you lift up the flap and shoot down some penetrating oil, try using a screw driver and lever it up against one of the two raised tabs.

Mine completely disintegrated, however, so I ended up pulling it piece by piece.
 
#11 ·
Thanks for the ideas. Still no luck. Haven't tried the idea to epoxy the clip back on but it's on the list when I get some epoxy.

I did end up using a knife and cut the rubber nose off the "boot" so I could spin it. Was able to put some WD-40 down the coil and can spin the coil (albeit not super easy) but still can't get it to lift up. I'm thinking this coil might be original (there's a 15 & 07 stamped into the white plastic and my car was made 03/07).

I've been able to get some pliers on it and tried lifting but it didn't seem to move at all.

Still looking for any other ideas or if folks have some other way to grip the broken coil to get it pulled out. Thanks.
 
#16 ·
This is over in the M6 forum: M5/M6 Broken coil removal (E60/E63/E64 - S85 V10)

If the top of the coil is still intact I wouldn't think the pliers need any modification. Definitely plan on replacing the coil though, I replaced #5 and #10 (even though my #10 was fine) with Bremi coils as they do not fit as tight as the original coils, making future service on those hard to reach plugs a lot easier.
 
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