E30 M3 Socket

["Gerald R. Kolb" <jkolb@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Ah, the M3 sparkplug socket problem again!!

The first recourse is the toolkit that came with your M3, as it has a 
wrench that fits the plugs and the hole in which they are located.  I 
just had the engine, however, without the rest of the car, and was faced 
with this problem.  Checked with Steve at Ultimate Garage with no luck, 
bought a special order SnapOn 18mm thinking it would be the ticket - no 
luck.  Finally I grubbed around in my miscellaneous socket and old tool 
box and found an INDESTRO socket in 11/16 that fits.  The trick is that 
the outside diameter of the socket is .925 in. (the SnapOn is .955 in.)  
Where do you get INDESTRO sockets?  Who knows, this turns out to be the 
only one I have of that brand so it must have come with junk that I 
picked up who knows where.

I would suggest, however, that you check out 11/16 sockets and, if you 
have a used tool store near you, you mike their 11/16 sockets until you 
find one that is @ .925 in. OD.

Note that my socket is not a sparkplug socket and therefore doesn't have 
the rubber insert.  This could be problematic as the plugs on the M3 are 
so deep in the head.  I use the socket only to loosen or tighten the plug 
(use a torque wrench to tighten - heads are expensive).  To remove the 
loose plug and insert the new plug (don't forget the anti sieze) I use a 
length of fuel hose that is a tight fit on the insulator.  If you feel 
like spending money, SnapOn makes a tool for this too.

Best of luck.

Jerry Kolb
2002/M3 (MTOO)

BMWCCA/BMWACA

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